I made a firm decision that day. I told the Lord how desperately I wanted the fear of the Lord in my life. Pleasing the Lord rather than people became my passion.
But walking out my passion was a different story. Each time I ran into my fear and chose to speak to people, it felt as if a large claw clamped around my throat.
Then I would hear the sweet voice of the Lord asking me, “Is this the fear of the Lord, or is it the fear of man?” Each time I would have to make a firm decision.
What was I going to yield to? Would I yield to the fear of man, or to the fear of the Lord? “I choose the fear of the Lord,” I would reply. Then I had to follow through and force myself to do what I did not want to do.
The feelings of fear did not go away immediately. In fact, it took years of continued obedience. But today, I am able to speak to thousands of people in large meetings without fear of failure or of what people will think about me ever entering my mind.
Choose to Become Unstoppable
As my example shows, it is not necessary to get rid of fear before obeying the Lord. Sometimes we have to practice doing the will of God in spite of fear.
You are either a person who will be stopped or a person who won’t be stopped. You must choose. No one else can choose for you. With the help of the Lord you can choose to become unstoppable in your pursuit of God’s will for your life.
Today, I am so thankful that God’s grace helped me press through the fears, doubts, difficulties and questions in my mind. Those were not easy years. Yet with each victory I experienced transformation into the person God made me to be.
Does that mean everything in my life is easy or without problems? No. What it does mean is that there is contentment on the inside of me. I can face each day knowing that I am walking in the will of God.
I can dare to step out of the limited box that life offers me. I can take risks without the fear of failure. I can willingly do whatever the Lord asks me to do since my desire is to please Him.
Although my circumstances did not change, I changed on the inside. I am no longer struggling with whether I am in the will of God. I know that I am!
Often I think of the day that I wrote a date in my Bible and resigned from resigning. What a life-changing day that was. My destiny was set on a course designed by God.
What God did for me that day, He will do for you. Take a pen right now. Open your Bible and put today’s date in it. Say to the Lord, “Today, I resign from resigning.” Now, start to experience the freedom of fulfilling your call from the Lord!
Barbara Wentroble is the founder and president of International Breakthrough Ministries.