Formidable We Stand!

“How would you treat a “friend” who lied to you as often as fear does?”

-Jack Hayford

We were in a raised jeep, taking a tour through the well-known Kruger National Wildlife Park in South Africa when we found ourselves encroaching on an elephant leisurely walking on our trail. The guide was concerned and told us to be quiet as he assessed the best next steps. As we waited, the elephant threw his trunk over his tusk to alert us that he was not playing games and we had better back up.

Just then, another jeep approached from the opposite side, and the guides began to talk over the radio. They devised a plan to inch towards the elephant roaring their engines to make it appear that we were larger and more powerful than we were in hopes he would walk off the trail. For a moment, he turned towards us and began to walk as though about to charge. However, the vehicles didn’t back down; the elephant changed his mind, turned, and walked away.

Truthfully, that elephant could have taken us out in seconds, but intimidation called him off the path where we were trespassing. Fear has as much power as we give it. We have a choice, whether we allow fear to trespass on our path or whether we stand formidable in the face of adversity!

Here’s the truth, we all feel fear from time to time, but it does not have to dictate our response. When it came to taking the land that the Lord had promised fear bullied the people of Israel. They began to compare their weaknesses to the perceived strengths of their adversaries and as a result, they walked away from their God-given destiny. Joshua and Caleb stood before an angry mob who wanted to stone them because of their formidable faith to move forward to take the land, but instead of folding under the pressure of fear, Caleb responded with this:

Numbers 13:30 NIV - Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

I want you to know that if you are going to do something great for God, you WILL experience fear, but you CAN stand formidable. Don’t be bullied off the path on which God has you. Even if you experience delays, you will not experience defeat.

Remember these truths:

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV - For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Philippians 4:13, ESV - I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Spoiler alert! Joshua and Caleb took the land some forty years later. My friend, do not be discouraged; you are not some small, weak-willed woman, you can do what God is asking you to do. You have power as a daughter of our living God! Let’s stop giving our ears to the lies of this false friend called fear and instead link arms in faith and take ground together!

Formidable We Stand!

- Pastor Celeste Gonzales