STRAIGHT

TALK ON
FEAR

Overcoming Emotional Battles

With The Power Of God's Word

JOYCE MEYER
 Contents

Introduction
Part One: Freedom From Fear
1: Confronting Fear
2: Pray About Everything And Fear Nothing!
3: Types Of Prayer
4: Keys To The Kingdom
Part Two: Scriptures To Overcome Fear
Prayer To Overcome Fear
Prayer For A Personal Relationship With The Lord
About The Author
 Introduction

One of the many benefits available to us in our spiritual

inheritance as a believer in Jesus Christ is freedom from fear. But
even if we are afraid, we know that we can go ahead and act,
because God will be with us to protect us. He will help us, go
before to fight the battle for us or deliver us, bringing us through
victoriously as we obey Him.

If you feel you have missed out on some things in your life
because of fear, you can learn how to handle or overcome fear
and begin to experience the abundant life God has planned for
you.
 Part One:
Freedom From Fear
 Chapter 1
Confronting Fear

The Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you
or forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6

The message of “fear not, for I, the Lord, am with you” is

expressed in many different ways throughout the Bible. God does
not want us to fear because fear prevents us from receiving and
doing all He has planned for us. He loves and wants to bless us
and has provided ways for us not to fear.

We can see in the following passage that we who believe in Jesus

Christ do not need to fear the things that unbelievers—the people
of “the world”—fear. God does not want us to fear those things.

For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand [upon me],
and warned and instructed me not to walk in the way of this
people, saying, Do not call conspiracy [or hard, or holy] all that
this people will call conspiracy [or hard, or holy]; neither be in
fear of what they fear, nor [make others afraid and] in dread. The
Lord of hosts—regard Him as holy and honor His holy name [by
regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your
fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear
of man and distrust of Him]. Isaiah 8:11–13

In His Word, God tells us we can live victoriously, strong in Him

and in the power of His might. And He has promised never to
leave us or forsake us regardless of what happens.

NO FEAR!

Every one of us has experienced starting to step out in faith and,

even at the thought of it, fear rising up in us. We need to realize
that the source of fear is Satan. First John 4:18 (KJV) says:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:

because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made
perfect in love.

Satan sends fear to try to torment us into being so doubtful and

miserable, we will be prevented from doing what God wants us to
do and receiving all God has for us.

We can live without fear by building our faith on what God has
said in His Word. For example:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of

craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a
spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind
and discipline and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before

them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not
fail you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Romans 10:17 tells us, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God” (KJV). We need to learn and confess
aloud Scriptures like the ones above and the ones at the end of
this book to drink them in like a glass of water when we are
thirsty. When we open our mouth and confess what the Lord says
to us and about us, God's Word will give us the power to
overcome the fears that torment and prevent.

And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of

boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask
anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement
with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. And if (since) we
[positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we
also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have
[granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
(1 John 5:14–15)

There is power in praying and confessing the Word of God,

which is His revealed will. I am convinced that one of the most
important things we can do in our prayer time is confess the
Word.

When we find ourselves trying to avoid confronting some issue in

our life because of fear or dread or wondering or reasoning, what
we should do is pray and ask God to do for us what He has
promised in His Word—to go before us and pave the way for us.
James teaches us that we have not because we ask not (see James
4:2). Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock (see Matthew 7:7).
When we are facing a job interview, for example, instead of being
afraid that we will make a bad impression and fail to get the
position, we need to ask the Lord to be with us, to go before us to
prepare the way for us so we can present ourselves in the very
best light. Then we can trust that whatever happens, it will turn
out for our good in accordance with God's perfect will and plan
for us.
 DO IT AFRAID!

Now [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for
your own advantage] away from your country, from your
relatives and your father's house, to the land that I will show
you.
Genesis 12:1

How would you feel if God told you to leave your home, your
family, and everything that is familiar and comfortable to you and
head out to who knows where? Full of fear?

That is precisely the challenge Abram faced in this passage—and

it frightened him. That's why God kept saying to him again and
again, “Fear not.”

That is the same message He gave to Joshua when He called him

to lead the children of Israel to take the land He had promised to
give them as their inheritance (see Joshua 1:6–9).

Anyone who is going to do anything for God is going to have to

hear the Lord say on a regular basis, “Fear not.”

Elisabeth Elliot, whose husband was killed along with four other
missionaries in Ecuador, says her life was controlled completely
by fear. Every time she started to step out, fear stopped her. A
friend told her something that set her free. She said, “Why don't
you do it afraid?” Elisabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint, sister of one
of the murdered missionaries, went on to evangelize the Indian
tribes, including the people who had killed their husband and
brother.
Many times we think we should wait to do something until we
are not afraid. If we do that, we will probably accomplish very
little for God, others, or even for ourselves. Both Abram and
Joshua had to step out in faith and obedience to God and do what
He had commanded them to do—afraid.

The Lord reminded me of the story about “Why don't you do it

afraid?” then began showing me some things about fear.

“FEAR NOT” MEANS “DON'T RUN!”

Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the
salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today.

Exodus 14:13

What I perceived God was saying to me was that the phrase “Fear
not” simply means “Don't run.” Then the solution to fear is also
simple. When we are faced with fear, rather than bowing our knee
to it, we must stand firm against it and do what we fear anyway.

That is precisely what God tells us to do in His Word. Even if our

knees are shaking, our mouth is dry, and we feel as though we are
about to fall down, we need to keep saying: “Lord, strengthen
me. This is what You have told me to do, and with Your help I am
going to do it, because it is Your revealed will for me. I am
determined that my life is not going to be ruled by fear but by
Your Word.”
 CONFRONT FEAR WITH GOD'S WORD

Fear cannot be wished away or hoped away, it must be confronted

and dealt with through God's Word.

There are times when people are miraculously delivered from

fear through prayer. There is no doubt of that, because we serve a
miracle-working God. I have prayed for people to be delivered
from fear, and they have come back to me later and said, “After
you prayed for me, I never had a problem with fear again.” But
the majority of the time, we confront and overcome our fears by
meditating and speaking God's Word ourselves and resisting fear
in the power of the Spirit.

In my own case, I had major problems as a result of the abuse I

suffered in my early years. There were many things in my life
from which I needed deliverance. But with one minor exception,
God delivered me from all of them as a result of my applying His
Word. God doesn't always deliver us from things; often He walks
us through them.

FEAR IS FALSEHOOD

The devil… was a murderer from the beginning and does not
stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he
speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is
a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.

John 8:44

The Bible does not tell us “Tremble not” or “Sweat not” or

“Shake not,” it says, “Fear not.”
There is a difference.

In this context, to fear is to take flight or to run from. Elisabeth

Elliot's friend was suggesting that she start doing what she was
afraid of instead of running from it.

It is said that the letters in the word FEAR actually stand for
“False Evidence Appearing Real.”

Jesus said the devil is a liar and the father of all lies. The truth is
not in him. He tries to use falsehood to deceive God's people into
fear so they will not be bold enough to be obedient to the Lord
and reap the blessings He has in store for them.

Most of the time the fear of something is worse than the thing
itself. Usually, if we will be courageous and determined enough
to do whatever it is we fear, we will discover it is not nearly as
bad as we thought it would be.

Throughout the Word of God we find the Lord saying to His

people again and again, “Fear not.” I believe the reason He did
that was to encourage them so they would not allow Satan to rob
them of their blessing.

In the same way, because He knows we are fearful, the Lord

continues to exhort and encourage us to press through what lies
before us to do what He is telling us to do. Why? Because He
knows that great blessings await us on the other side.

We see an example of this in Abram.

 COURAGE AND OBEDIENCE
PRODUCE GREAT REWARDS

After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a

vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your
abundant compensation, and your reward shall be
exceedingly great.
Genesis 15:1

As we saw before, in Genesis 12:1 God gave Abram a tall order.

In so many words He said, “Pack up and leave everyone you
know and everything you are comfortable with and go to a place I
will show you.”

If Abram had bowed his knee to fear, the rest of the story would
never have come to pass. He would never have experienced God
as his Shield, his great compensation, and he would never have
received his exceedingly great reward.

In the same way, if Joshua had not overcome his fear and been
obedient to God's command to lead His people into the Promised
Land, neither he nor they would ever have enjoyed all that God
had planned and prepared for them.

There is power in God's Word to equip us to stop bowing our

knee in fear to the devil's desires. We can do what God wants us
to do, even if we have to do it afraid.
 Chapter 2
Pray About Everything
And Fear Nothing!

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man

makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

James 5:16

Some time ago the Lord spoke these words to me: “Pray about
everything and fear nothing.” He said this to me when I had a
vague feeling of fear that a new hairdresser I was going to would
not do a good job.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me: “Don't fear it, pray about it. Pray
that the Lord will anoint this woman so she is able to do for you
what needs to be done.”

Then over the next couple of weeks He continued showing me

different things about prayer versus fear. Many of them dealt with
little areas in which fear would try to creep into my life and cause
me problems. He showed me that in every case, no matter how
great or important or how small or insignificant, the solution was
to pray.

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look
around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you;
yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right
hand of rightness and justice … For I the Lord your God hold
your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will
help you! (Isaiah 41:10, 13)

In this passage, the Lord tells His people not to look around them
in terror or be dismayed, for He is their God.

Sometimes we become afraid just by staring at our

circumstances. That is always a mistake. The more we focus our
eyes and our mouths on the problem, the more fearful we
become. Instead, we are to keep our eyes and our mouths focused
on God. He is able to handle anything we may ever have to face
in this life.

God has promised to strengthen us, to harden us to difficulties, to

hold us up and retain us with His victorious right hand. He also
commands us not to be afraid. But remember, He is not
commanding us never to feel fear, but rather not to let it control
us.

The Lord is saying to you and me personally, “Fear not, I will

help you.” But we never experience the help of God until we
place everything on the line, until we are obedient enough to step
out in faith.

Do you know when I experience the anointing of God to preach?

When I have walked up on the platform and begun to speak—not
before, but when I have stepped out.

God is saying to us today, “Stop letting fear rule your life. Begin
to do what I am telling you to do, because what I am telling you
is for your benefit. I know the blessings that are on the other side,
and so does the devil. That's why he is coming against you with
fear and why I keep telling you to fear not.”

FEAR NOT, YOU ARE MINE!

Thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He

Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you
[ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you
captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and
through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you
walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor
will the flame kindle upon you.
Isaiah 43:1–2

Here the Lord is telling us not to fear when we go through trials

of different kinds. That means we will experience victory in our
lives, but only as we go through. If we are going to go through,
then we must not run away anymore.

The Lord has promised to be with us and keep us safe when we

go through the water, which will not overwhelm us, and through
the fire, which will not burn us or scorch us.

Do you remember the story of the three Hebrew children named

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They were thrown into a
fiery furnace but came out of it not only unharmed but not even
smelling like smoke (see Daniel 3:1–30)!

There are major fears—like being thrown into a trial similar to a

fiery furnace—and there are also minor fears—like being afraid
our hair won't look right!
We may be afraid of something major like cancer or a heart attack
or the death of a loved one, or we may be afraid of something
minor such as a picnic being rained out or not being able to find a
parking place.

But whatever its magnitude or cause, fear is the same and must be
dealt with the same way. As we have seen, it must be confronted
through prayer with God's Word. And when we pray, we must
believe. Fear is our enemy and we should treat it as such.

Faith: the Antidote for Fear

If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ash of the giving

God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly,
without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no
hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates,
doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown
hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not
such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks
for] from the Lord.
James 1:5–7

Faith is the only antidote for fear.

If you or I drank some kind of poison, we would have to swallow

an antidote or the poison would cause serious damage or even
death. The same is true of the deadly toxin of fear. There must be
an antidote for it, and the only antidote for fear is faith.

When fear comes knocking at our door, we must answer it with

faith, because nothing else is effective against it. And prayer is
the major vehicle that carries faith.
Faith must be carried to the problem and released in some way. It
is possible to pray without faith (we do it all the time), but it is
impossible to have real faith and not pray.

James tells us that when we find ourselves in need of something,

we should pray and ask God for it in simple, believing prayer.
Those two words are very important. The way we do that is by
simply praying and having faith, believing that what we ask for
from God we will receive in accordance with His divine will and
plan.

So the key to overcoming fear is simple, faith-filled, continual

prayer.

PRAY AT ALL TIMES!

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the

Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end
keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance,
interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated
people).
Ephesians 6:18

In Ephesians 6:10–17 the apostle Paul talks about the armor of

God and how we are to use it and the weapon of the Word to
engage in spiritual warfare. After each piece has been listed, in
verse eighteen Paul sums up his message by saying, “Pray at all
times.”

How often are we to pray?

At all times.

How are we to pray?

In the Spirit, with all different kinds of prayer.

In the next chapter we will examine the different types of prayer,

but right now let's consider praying “at all times.”

What does that mean? Does it mean that when we are out doing
the grocery shopping and God puts it on our heart to pray we are
to drop to our knees right there in the middle of the supermarket
aisle?

I often kneel by my bed and pray. There are other times when I
feel led by God to lie down, face to the floor, before Him and
pray. We have to be careful not to confuse physical posture with
prayer. We can also pray silently in the supermarket as we are
walking down the aisles.

In the different seasons of life we are able to pray in different

ways. A young mother with three or four little children, for
example, is going to have to structure her prayer life differently
from that of a grandmother whose family is all grown up and out
of the house.

If we become too “religious” about prayer, thinking we must do it

one way or the other because that is how someone else does it,
we will bring condemnation on ourselves. The important thing
about prayer is not the posture or the time or place but learning to
pray in faith—at all times, unceasingly. Anytime the desire or
need arises … pray!
 PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly].

I Thessalonians 5:17

The King James Version of this verse says, “Pray without

ceasing.”

I used to read those words and wonder, “Lord, how can I ever get
to the place that I am able to pray without ceasing?” To me the
phrase “without ceasing” meant nonstop, without ever quitting.

I couldn't see how that was possible.

Now I have a better understanding of what Paul was saying. He

meant that prayer should be like breathing, something we do
continually but often unconsciously, without even being totally
aware of it.

You and I live by breathing. Our physical bodies require it. In the
same way, our spiritual bodies are designed to be nurtured and
sustained by prayer.

The problem is that because of religious thinking we have gotten

the mistaken idea that if we don't keep up a certain schedule of
prayer we are missing the mark. We have become too clock
oriented concerning prayer.

The Lord gave me this example to illustrate the way we are to

pray. Just as we breathe all day long but never spend time
counting our breaths, so we are to pray all day long without
keeping track of our prayers.
I have never carried a clock around with me to remind me to
breathe every so many seconds. I have never come home from
work at night and written down in a manual how many times I
breathed that day. I just breathe when I need to, continually and
continuously, without giving it a great deal of thought.

That's the way we are to be about our prayers.

I don't know how many times I pray a day; I pray all day long. I
start praying when I get up in the morning, and I pray until I go to
sleep at night. I enjoy special set-apart times for prayer as well as
praying all throughout the day.

Does all this mean I never do anything else? No, there are periods
when I have to give myself to other things. But I think as we
consider the different type of prayers, we will see that we can
pray at all times in every season, on every occasion, in every
place, and that God will hear those prayers—which are just as
spiritual and powerful as any others we may pray.

Do you know why the devil wants to make us feel so bad about
our prayer life? Because he knows if he can make us feel that we
are not doing it right, then we will do it out of obligation, but we
won't be releasing any faith when we do it; therefore it won't do
us any good.

PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the
hour of prayer.
Acts 3:1

Many people feel vaguely guilty about their prayer life. There is
no need because each person should have his or her own
individual prayer life, and it doesn't have to be just like that of
anyone else.

Yes, there are definite principles of prayer that need to be

followed. It is good, for example, to discipline ourselves to have
a certain time and place for prayer.

Even in the New Testament, as we see here in the book of Acts,

the early disciples set aside certain hours of the day when they
would go to a designated place to pray. That is good self-
discipline, and there is nothing wrong with it. But that should be
the start of prayer and not the finish.

The point is that we should discipline ourselves to establish a

prayer schedule that is individually suited to us and then stick to
it until it becomes such a part of our lifestyle that we do it
without even thinking.

There was a time when I had to discipline myself to brush my

teeth. But I have done that so long now I don't even think about it
anymore, I just do it. I brush my teeth before I go to bed at night,
when I get up in the morning, and after every meal. Brushing my
teeth is just a normal part of my everyday life.

The same holds true when we start our walk with the Lord. At
first we may have to discipline ourselves in some areas because
we are so undisciplined in those areas. But after a while they
should become such a normal part of our lives that we do them
without even thinking.

I believe if we will allow Him to do so, the Holy Spirit will lead
us into prayer without ceasing so it becomes like breathing. When
that happens we can be continually offering up prayers.
We can get up every day saying, “Good morning, Lord. I love
You.” We can go to the breakfast table saying, “Father, You are so
good to me.” We can drive to work saying, “Thank You, God, for
all the good things You are going to do for me today.”

Throughout the day and evening we can continue to communicate

with the Lord, praising and worshiping Him, thanking Him for
His presence with us and asking His help in all our problems.
Then just before we go to sleep at night, we can offer up a final
prayer of gratitude for the blessings of the day and a request for a
peaceful and refreshing night's sleep.

Now the devil may try to tell us that is not praying because we
are not in the right posture or not praying in formal “church
language.” That is the time to kick the devil in the teeth! Because
prayer is not of the body, or even of the mouth; it is of the spirit,
the mind and the heart.

And where there is prayer, there is power!

PRAYER IS POWER!

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man

makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

James 5:16

Simple, believing prayer is powerful! In fact, there is nothing

more powerful than heartfelt, continued prayer!

The reason the devil torments us about our prayer life and tries to
prevent us from being faithful to it is because he wants us in a
weakened condition. He knows it is continual, believing prayer
that destroys his works and ushers in the will of God on this
earth.

Anytime you and I begin to feel guilty about our prayer life, we
begin to lose the ability to release our faith through it.

In order to accomplish what God has called us to do in this life,

we need to be assured He does hear our prayers and does respond
to them. That is what makes them so powerful and so effective.

That's why we need to stop fearing and start continually praying

—in faith—all kinds of prayers!
 Chapter 3
Types Of Prayer

First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers,

intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all
men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or
high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and
undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all
godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For
such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and
acceptable to God our Savior.

1 Timothy 2:1–3

As we see in this passage, we are to pray all types of prayers for

ourselves and for others.

Let's look at some of the different types of prayers we are to pray

as we engage in continual, heartfelt prayer.

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of
your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident)
also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
 Psalm 37:5

First there is the prayer of commitment in which we commit

ourselves and our lives to the Lord. We do that when we cast our
load of care upon Him as we are told to do in 1 Peter 5:7:
“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your
worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares
for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

When we are faced with fears and problems that threaten to

overwhelm and destroy us, we need to pray, “Lord, I am not
going to carry this load of care around with me and allow it to
torment me and prevent me from serving You.

“I am praying right now, Father, that You will strengthen me and

enable me to do what You have called me to do even if I have to
do it afraid.

“I cast this situation on You, God. Whatever evil, wicked,

perverted thing the devil is trying to tell me is going to happen,
that is Your problem, and not mine, because I am going to do
what You have told me to do and leave the rest to You.”

The minute fear arises, if you and I will pray, sooner or later we
will see it overcome by the power of God.

The problem is that many times it is not the major fears that cause
us the most trouble. Like the little foxes that spoil the vineyards
(see Song of Solomon 2:15), often it is all those little pestering
fears that assail us day and night that drain the life out of us and
steal our joy.

That's why, at the very first sign of fear, no matter how minor it
may be, we need to confront it and pray, “Lord, I will not live in
fear. Instead, I commit my way unto You and ask You to
overcome this thing that is trying to torment and prevent me from
living the abundant life You desire for me and fulfilling Your
good and perfect will and plan for me.”

If we will do that in heartfelt, earnest prayer, the Lord will honor

our request and commitment, and will do His part to keep us free.

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION OR DEDICATION

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of

[all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your
bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living
sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to
God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service
and spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1

When we give something to God in prayer, that is a prayer of

consecration or dedication. We say in essence, “Here, Lord, I give
You my money, my time, my mind”—whatever it may be.

The apostle Paul tells us in this passage that we are to give,

dedicate, consecrate to the Lord our bodies, all our members and
faculties, for His use, which is our reasonable service and
worship.

We also pray the prayer of consecration or dedication when we

dedicate our children to God, promising to “bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 KJV).

Just as we dedicate and consecrate our lives, our money and

possessions, our minds and bodies, ourselves and our children to
God, so we also ought to dedicate and consecrate our mouths—
which leads us to the next type of prayer.

PRAYER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times

offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips
that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His
name.
Hebrews 13:15

I think we all understand praise and worship.

Praise is really recounting the goodness of God. It is telling the

story of all the good things He has done for us.

Worship is simply adoring God. It is acknowledging His “worth-

ship.” It is recognizing Him for Who He is and what He is.

That's why the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us we should

be praising and worshiping God constantly and at all times.

As we have seen, the prayer of praise and worship should be like

breathing, in and out, day and night, moment by moment.

We are to be thankful to God always, continually acknowledging,

confessing, and glorifying His name in prayerful praise and
worship.
 PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the

circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this
is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the
Revealer and Mediator of that will].

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Immediately after telling us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray

without ceasing, the apostle Paul directs us to give thanks to God
in everything no matter what our circumstances may be, stating
that this is the will of God for us.

Just as prayer is to be a lifestyle for us, so thanksgiving is to be a

lifestyle for us.

Giving thanks to God should not be something we do once a day

as we sit down somewhere and try to think of all the good things
He has done for us and merely say, “Thanks, Lord.”

That is religion, something we do simply because we think God

requires it.

True thanksgiving flows continually out of a heart that is full of

gratitude and praise to God for Who He is as much as for what
He does. It is not something that is done to meet a requirement,
win favor, gain a victory, or qualify for a blessing.

The type of thanksgiving God the Father desires is that which is

provoked by the presence of His Holy Spirit within us Who
moves upon us to express to the Lord verbally what we are
feeling and experiencing spiritually.
True thanksgiving is the kind expressed by the psalmist when he
wrote: “O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy and
loving-kindness endure forever” (Psalm 136:3)!

PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT

But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most

holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and
higher], praying in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 1:20

We have already seen in Ephesians 6:18 that we are not only to

pray at all times with all manner of prayers, but as we are told
here by Jude, our prayers are to be “in the Holy Spirit.”

It is the Holy Spirit of God within us Who provokes us and leads

us to pray. Rather than delaying, we need to learn to yield to the
leading of the Spirit as soon as we sense it. That is part of
learning to pray all manner of prayers at all times, wherever we
may be, and whatever we may be doing.

Our motto should be that of the old spiritual song, “Every time I
feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.”

If we know we can pray anytime and anywhere, we won't feel we

have to wait until just the right moment or place to pray.

PRAYER OF AGREEMENT

Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize

together, make a symphony together) about whatever
[anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass
and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever
two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in
(into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:19,20

There is power in agreement.

The Bible tells us that if the Lord is with them one can chase a
thousand, and two can put ten thousand to flight (see
Deuteronomy 32:30). But that power is available only to those
who are in agreement with each other—and with God.

Obviously we cannot argue and fight with one another all the
time and then agree in prayer on some need and expect that
“prayer of agreement” to be effective. As we are told in 1 Peter
3:7, “In the same way you married men should live considerately
with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage
relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but
[realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited
favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and
cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]”

In the same way, we cannot gossip and complain about the

preacher all week long and then go to him for prayer about some
serious personal problem and expect him to pray the prayer of
agreement with us.

Why not? Because we are already out of agreement—with each

other and with God.

Do you know why God honors the prayer of agreement? Because

He knows what a challenge it is to walk and live in agreement.
He respects anyone who will do that.

If you and I will come into agreement with each other and with
God, then there will be an added force behind our prayers to
make them much more powerful and effective.

UNITED OR CORPORATE PRAYER

All of these with their minds in full agreement devoted

themselves steadfastly to prayer.
Acts 1:14

There is great power in united or corporate prayer, which as we

see here in this verse is a form of prayer in agreement.

Throughout the book of Acts we read that the people of God

came together “with one accord” (see Acts 2:1, 46; 4:24; 5:12;
15:25 KJV).

Then in Philippians 2:2 we are told by the apostle Paul, “Fill up

and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same
mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full
accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.”

If we will heed these words and come into harmony and

agreement with each other and with God, we will experience the
same kind of powerful results the first-century disciples enjoyed
as recorded in the book of Acts.
 PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,

intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.

1 Timothy 2:1 (KJV)

To intercede for someone is to “stand in the gap” for him, to

plead his case before the throne of God.

In Romans 8:27 we are told by the apostle Paul that the Holy
Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of the Lord.

In Hebrews 7:25 we read that Jesus “is always living to make

petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene” for us.

Finally, Paul exhorts us here in 1 Timothy 2:1 to offer

intercessions “for all men,” meaning that we are to pray for all
people everywhere.

Intercession is one of the most important ways we carry on the

ministry of Jesus Christ which He began in this earth.

PRAYER OF SILENCE

The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth hush and
keep silence before Him.
Habakkuk 2:20

I also call this kind of prayer “waiting on the Lord.”

David knew all about waiting on the Lord as we see in Psalm

27:4 in which he wrote: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that
will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell
in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life,
to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and
the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider,
and inquire in His temple.”

It is very important to learn to wait on the Lord because most

people don't understand that waiting is a vital part of prayer.

Prayer is not just doing, it is also an attitude of waiting. Prayer is

not talking to God all the time—it is also listening to Him.

PRAYER OF PETITION

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every

circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition
(definite re quests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your
wants known to God.

Philippians 4:6

Petition is simply making requests, asking God to meet needs.

I always say that the greatest prayer anyone can pray is what I
call the “help me” prayer: “Help me, God, help me, help me! Oh,
God, help me!”

I pray that prayer a lot.

Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night to go to the

bathroom, and there is not a thing wrong with me, yet I will find
myself praying, “Oh God, help me, help me!”
I believe I am led by the Holy Spirit to pray that way.

“Help me, God!” is a powerful prayer. If you and I can do

nothing else, we can always pray that way.

Another important prayer of petition is simply: “God I need

You.”

You and I will see major changes take place in our lives if we will
stop trying to do everything ourselves.

Proverbs 3:5–7 tells us: “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the
Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own
insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and
acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain
your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and
worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.”

Don't wait until after you have already fallen apart and proven
you can't handle things on your own before you run to God for
help. Know ahead of time that you can't before you even try. Be
totally dependent on God.

Learn to pray: “Lord, I can't do this, but You can. Do this through
me. I am leaning on, trusting in, and being confident in You with
all my heart and mind. Help me, Lord, because I need You.”

Just that little prayer of petition is enough to see you through the
worst situations of life.

Acknowledging God takes only a few minutes but it can help us

to avoid many failures in our everyday life—especially when we
realize that without God we can do nothing.
When we have said, “Lord, I am depending on You … please
help me,” we have prayed the prayer of petition—and it is
powerful. Prayers of petition are also requests to have wants,
needs, or desires met. We should be comfortable talking to the
Lord about anything that concerns us. Remember, He loves us
very much and is concerned about anything that concerns us.

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST!

Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus

entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha
received and welcomed Him into her house. And she had a
sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and
was listening to His teaching. But Martha [overly occupied
and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she
came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my
sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to
lend a hand and do her part along with me]! But the Lord
replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious
and troubled about many things; There is need of only one or
but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that
which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away
from her.
Luke 10:38–42

By now you may have begun to realize that you may have a
better prayer life than you thought. You have seen that although it
is good to have a set time and a specific place to pray to the Lord,
especially at the beginning of each day, there is great power in
being in prayer all the time.

The way to develop a powerful, effective prayer life is by simply

spending time in the presence of the Lord. As followers of Christ,
that is what our lifestyle should be centered around.

If you and I will just sit in the Lord's presence for a period of time
before we start our day, and then remain conscious of His
presence throughout the rest of the day, we will see marvelous
results in our everyday life.

If you think you don't have time, remember this rule: “The busier
I get, the more time I need to spend with God.” After all, the
more I have to do, the more I need His help.

If, like Martha, you are too busy to spend time with the Lord,
then you are just plain too busy. You need to be more like Mary
and learn to let some lesser things go for a while so you can sit at
the feet of the Lord and learn from Him.

If you will do that, you will receive from Him the very keys to
the kingdom!
 Chapter 4
Keys To The Kingdom

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 16:19

Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He

asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man
is? And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say
Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to
them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon
Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:13–16

When Peter made that statement about Jesus being the Christ, the
Son of the living God, he was releasing with his mouth the faith
that was in his heart.

We must understand that we establish the faith that is in our heart

by the words we speak from our mouth, as we read in Romans
10:10: “For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in,
and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous,
acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares
openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his]
salvation.”

That is why prayer is so important. Because we establish the

things we believe inwardly when we start talking about them
outwardly.

That is also why confessing Scripture in prayer is so important.

When we do that, we are establishing things in the spiritual realm

by the words we are speaking in the physical realm. And
eventually what is established spiritually will be manifested
physically.

You and I should be constantly confessing the Word of God. We

should be saying things like:

“Father, I believe in You. I believe You love me so much You sent

Your Son Jesus to die for me on the cross.

“I believe you have filled me with Your Holy Spirit. I believe You
have a good plan for my life, and You are empowering me to
fulfill it.

“I believe Your anointing is upon me so I can lay hands on the

sick and they will recover, and cast out devils and they will flee.

“I believe that in accordance with Your Word, everything I put

my hand to prospers and succeeds.”

On and on we should go, believing in our heart and confessing

with our mouth what God has said about us in His Word.

And one thing He has said is that He has not given us a spirit of
fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, we
should be confessing continually, “I will not fear!”

FAITH SHALL PREVAIL

Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to

be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood
[men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in
heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros—a large
piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra—a huge rock
like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades
(the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or
be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

Matthew 16:17–18

What rock is Jesus talking about in this passage? He is talking

about the rock of faith. He is telling Simon Peter that on the faith
he has just displayed He will build His Church, and (as the King
James Version puts it) “the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it” (v. 18).

That means that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the
person who walks in faith.

Fear comes from hell. That's why John tells us that “fear hath
torment” (1 John 4:18 KJV). But when fear is confronted by
faith, hell cannot prevail against it.

THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and

whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on
earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever
you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already
loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:19

What Jesus was saying here is, “Whatever is taking place in

heaven I am giving you the power and authority to bring to pass
in the earth.”

This is the fulfillment of the prayer to the Father that Jesus had
taught the disciples to pray in Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom
come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Later on in Matthew 18:18 Jesus gave this same power to bind

and loose to all the disciples when He said to them: “Truly I tell
you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and
unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven,
and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth
must be what is already permitted in heaven.”

What Jesus was telling them was that He was conferring upon
them the power and authority to use the keys He was giving them
to bring to pass on earth the will of God that prevails in heaven.

I believe the keys He gave to Peter and the other disciples—and

to us—may be references to the different types of prayer we have
been studying.

EARNEST PRAYER IS EFFECTUAL

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth

much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and
he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not
on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And
he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
brought forth her fruit.
James 5:16–18 (KJV)

In any organization, who has the power and authority? Isn't it the
person who controls the keys? What do keys do? They lock and
unlock. That is what binding and loosing mean—locking and
unlocking.

When you and I intercede for someone, for example, we unlock a

blessing on that person's life. We unlock the door of hell that is
holding him or her in bondage.

In the same way, when we offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God,

we are unlocking a blessing in our own life.

So you and I have been given the keys to the kingdom of God.
With those prayer keys we have the authority and the power to
bring to pass the will of God on earth as it is in heaven.

What a privilege!

No wonder the devil wants to deceive us into thinking that our

prayer life is ineffectual—so we will give up and quit rather than
continuing to use the key ring of prayers to overcome his
kingdom of darkness.

Don't let the devil belittle you concerning your prayer life. Begin
to acknowledge God, calling upon Him in prayer—all kinds of
prayer—trusting that your earnest, heartfelt prayers are effectual
because your faith is in Him, not in your own ability to live holy
or pray eloquently.
 PRAYER AS REQUISITION

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every

circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition
(definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your
wants known to God.

Philippians 4:6

We looked at this passage when we talked about the prayer of

petition.

What is a petition? According to this verse it is a definite request.

Another word for a definite request is a requisition.

What is a requisition? It is a demand or request made on

something to which a person is legally entitled but not yet in
possession of, as in the military when an officer requisitions
equipment or supplies for his men. As a duly commissioned agent
of the United States Army, he is entitled to that material, but in
order to receive it he has to submit a definite request for it.

The Lord has shown me that when we pray, what we are doing is
requisitioning from Him what He has already set aside to provide
for us when the need arises.

Let me give you an example from everyday life. You and I may
have money in a bank. But in order for us to benefit from that
money we must requisition it by writing a check, which is a
request to the bank to issue to us or to the person we designate a
certain sum of money for a certain purpose.
The same thing happens when managers come to my husband,
who is the financial officer of our ministry, asking for money for
their departments. Before he will release any funds to them,
although that is what the money is set aside for, they must submit
a written requisition for it stating the amount requested and the
purpose for which it will be used.

That is what prayer is—a heavenly requisition we submit to God

for what we need to carry on our daily life and ministry.

ASK IN JESUS' NAME

So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and
depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts
will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness,
delight). And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of
Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most
solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever
you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM].

John 16:22–23

The Bible teaches that God knows everything about us (see

Psalm 139:1–6). He knows what we have need of before we ask
Him (see Matthew 6:8, 32). Yet He has commanded that we ask
(see Matthew 7:7).

You and I do not receive the things we need by wishing. To go

around saying, “I wish I had more money” or “I wish I could get
rid of this headache” or “I wish I could live without fear,” is not a
heavenly requisition.

According to what we read in James 1:5–8 we have to ask for

what we need in faith, believing that we receive what we ask for,
what we have requisitioned from God's storehouse of blessings.

Here in this passage from John 16, spoken by Jesus to His

disciples just before He went to the cross, He makes it clear that
when we pray we must not only believe but we must also ask in
His name.

Now that does not mean just tacking the phrase “in Jesus' name”
on the end of everything we say. If we are not careful we can
become so religious that every sentence that comes out of our
mouth ends with “hallelujah,” “praise God,” or “in Jesus' name.”
When that happens, those words soon lose their meaning.

That is not what Jesus was talking about. He was talking about
using the authority of His name, as He has commanded us to do,
in order to bring about the will of God on earth as it is in heaven.
He was talking about submitting a requisition to God the Father
over the signature of His Son for what we need to usher in His
kingdom.

In our ministry, our employees earn vacation time. It is legally

theirs. But even though it rightfully belongs to them, they cannot
receive a day of that vacation time unless they submit a
requisition for it.

You and I have an inheritance laid up for us in heaven, bought

and paid for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (see Ephesians
1:11, 12). It is legally and rightfully ours. But the problem is we
have not been submitting enough requisitions.

If an employee of our ministry submits a requisition to Dave, our

finance manager, and that person does not receive the
authorization to take that earned vacation, he soon comes to Dave
and asks, “Did you lose my requisition? When am I going to get
what is rightfully mine?”

When you and I submit a requisition to God in the name of Jesus,

and we do not receive what we have asked for in faith, then we
have every right to go to the Lord and ask Him, “Father, You
haven't forgotten about my requisition, have You?” That is not
impudence, it is faith. It actually honors the Lord because it
shows Him that we expect Him to keep His Word because He is
faithful,

USE THE NAME OF JESUS!

Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My

Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on
asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness,
delight) may be full and complete.

John 16:24

Jesus commanded us to ask in His name that we might receive so

that our joy might be full.

I am convinced one of the main reasons for the lack of joy in the
life of believers today is a lack of prayer. And one reason for the
lack of prayer is the fact that God's people are trying to do in the
flesh what they should be praying about and asking God to do
through them and for them.

Jesus told His disciples that after He was resurrected from the
dead, things would be different. He told them they would have a
new power and authority they had not enjoyed before His death
and resurrection.
“When that time comes,” He told them, “you won't have to ask
Me anything, but you can go straight to the Father, and He will
grant you whatever you ask—in My name.”

What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name?

According to verse twenty-four, to pray in the name of Jesus is to

present to the Father all that Jesus is.

One of the main reasons we are so weak in prayer power is that

we go to God trying to present to Him what we are. The problem
with that is that if we have failed Him in any way, we think we
have nothing to present to Him that will influence Him to act on
our behalf.

The Bible says that in the sight of God all our righteousness is as
filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6 KJV). SO there is nothing you and I
can present to God except the blood of Jesus.

That's why I am so excited about my book titled The Word, The

Name, The Blood (see the book list in the back). In it I discuss
this very issue.

As you and I come before the throne of God's grace covered with
the blood of Jesus asking in faith according to His Word and in
the name of His Son Jesus Christ, we can know we have the
petitions that we ask of Him. Not because we are perfect or
worthy in ourselves or because God owes us anything, but
because He loves us and wants to give us what we need to do the
job He has called us to do.

There is power in the name of Jesus. At the very mention of it,

every knee has to bow in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth
(see Philippians 2:10). By the power of that name you and I are to
lay hands on the sick and they will recover, cast out demons and
they will flee, and do the same works Jesus did and even greater
works than these for the glory of God (see Mark 16:17–18; John
14:12).

Jesus has purchased a glorious inheritance for us by the shedding

of His blood. We are now joint-heirs with Him (see Romans 8:17
KJV). Everything He has earned by his sacrifice is in the
heavenlies stored up for us. We have the keys to that storehouse,
and the keys are prayer.

We do not have to live in fear and lack. Let's start using those
keys and opening those doors so that heavenly blessings may be
showered down upon us for the glory of God, so that His divine
will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and so that our joy
may be made complete.

CONCLUSION

Fear is not from God. Fear is from Satan.

The only acceptable attitude (and confession) that a Christian can

have toward fear is this: “It is not from God, and I will not put up
with it or let it control my life! I will confront fear, for it is a spirit
sent out from hell to torment me.”

I often say that fear is the spirit Satan uses to try to keep God's
people from coming under the leadership of the true Master, Jesus
Christ.

I believe God works gently with us in areas to bring us out of

bondage and into liberty. The Bible is full of instructions to “Fear
not.” As mentioned before, events in my own life have led me to
understand that “Fear not” means “Do not run.”
I encourage you to press on, and if need be, “do it afraid.” Don't
run from fear; instead confront it in prayer and faith.

Remember, God wants to deliver you from all your fear:

F – False

E – Evidence

A – Appearing

R – Real
 Part Two
Scriptures To Overcome Fear

Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the
salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today.
(Exodus 14:13)

Behold, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up
and possess it, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said
to you. Fear not, neither be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 1:21)

Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror

before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you;
He will not fail you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very

courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord
your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not

look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your
God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I
will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My
[victorious] right hand of rightness and justice … For I the
Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who
says to you, Fear not; I will help you! (Isaiah 41:10, 13)
Thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He
Who formed You, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you
[ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you
captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and
through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you
walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor
will the flame kindle upon you. (Isaiah 43:1–2)

For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit
of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you
have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing
sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!
(Romans 8:15)

And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in

anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such
[constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and
seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure
token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and
that from God. (Philippians 1:28)

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every

circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition
(definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your
wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that
tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ,
and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its
earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which
transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard
over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–
7)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of

craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a
spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced
mind and discipline and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of

money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly
possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances
and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I
will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you
without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any
degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down
(relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not! ] So we take comfort
and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord
is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or
dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? (Hebrews
13:5–6)

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown

(complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels
every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of
punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full
maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete
perfection]. (1 John 4:18)
 Prayer To
Overcome Fear

Oh, God, deliver me from fear. Help me to be courageous and to

have holy boldness.

Help me to “fear not” but to go in and possess all You desire for
me to have.

Help me know how much You love me, because perfect love
(Your love for me) will cast out all fear. In Jesus' name, amen.
 Prayer For A Personal
Relationship With The Lord

If you have never invited Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to be your

Lord and Savior, I invite you to do so now. Pray the following
prayer, and if you are really sincere about it, you will experience
a new life in Christ.

Father,

You loved the world so much, You gave Your only begotten Son
to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him will not
perish, but have eternal life.

Your Word says we are saved by grace through faith as a gift

from You. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation.

I believe and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Your

Son, the Savior of the world. I believe He died on the cross for
me and bore all of my sins, paying the price for them. I believe in
my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead.

I ask You to forgive my sins. I confess Jesus as my Lord.

According to Your Word, I am saved and will spend eternity with
you! Thank You, Father. I am so grateful! In Jesus' name, amen.
 About The Author

Joyce Meyer has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and
in full-time ministry since 1980. She is the bestselling author of
more than sixty inspirational books, including How to Hear from
God, Knowing God Intimately, and Battlefield of the Mind. She
has also released thousands of teaching cassettes and a complete
video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life radio and
television programs are broadcast around the world, and she
travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her
husband Dave are the parents of four grown children and make
their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR WRITE:

Joyce Meyer Ministries

P. O. Box 655
Fenton, Missouri 63026
or call: (636) 349–0303
Internet Address: www.joycemeyer.org

Please include your testimony or help received from this book

when you write. Your prayer requests are welcome.

To contact the author in Canada, please write:

Joyce Meyer Ministries Canada, Inc.

Lambeth Box 1300
London, ON N6P 1T5
or call: (636) 349–0303
In Australia, please write:

Joyce Meyer Ministries—Australia

Locked Bag 77
Mansfield Delivery Centre
Queensland 4122
or call: 07 3349 1200

In England, please write:

Joyce Meyer Ministries

P. O. Box 1549
Windsor
SL4 1GT
or call: (0) 1753–831102