It’s crazy to think that we are now in the last week of October! Before we know it, the year will be over and a new one will begin, but, before all that, we still have one last movie to get to in this series! All month long I have been talking about how to face fear. Week one we looked at the importance of having people in your corner, then week two we looked at how to face fear that you created, and last week we looked at how to face fear that is out of our control. In each of those weeks, facing fear comes down to our relationship with our creator. Different circumstances, but the same loving God in all things. Today, I want to talk about how being in an active relationship with Christ, allows us to tap into great power. Power that can be used to face any fear, no matter how dark it may seem.
Today’s movie is one of my favorites. It’s got the cheese factor, a menacing villain, and it’s a sequel of sequels! The perfect recipe for a good b-movie, and that movie is Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. Yes, that is part seven of this series and yes, that is a mouthful of a title. This is actually my favorite of the Friday the 13th franchise, which if you’re a film buff you may question that, but I love it because of the main character, Tina. Tina is a teenager who we come to find out, has telekinetic powers! She unknowingly brings Jason back to life, by some hand-wavey weirdness, causing the killer to do his thing and kill. Very spooky stuff, but I love at the end of the movie, there is a showdown between the killer and Tina. What happens is Tina decides to face this very real danger and tap in to the power inside her.
It’s a great moment where a character fully uses the power they possess to defeat their fear.
You’re stronger than you think.
Fear can be overwhelming. There’s a lot happening in the world and a lot happening in our own lives. These moments can cause us to doubt our worth, fear wants to break us down, but the truth is that we have a mighty creator. When we walk in a relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells inside of us, giving us great power. You were not created worthless, God made you uniquely and wants you to step into the fullness of that creation.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God gave us His Spirit. And the Spirit doesn’t make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love.” When we enter a relationship with Christ, we have access to an incredible power, we become stronger than we once thought. We were not created to be afraid, but to allow the Holy Spirit to empower us in all things.
Live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we understand that our worth comes from a perfect God, we no longer need to be held back by fear. What this means is that we need to begin living in the power of the Holy Spirit, choosing not to be a victim but a victor. I know for me, when life has been tough and people have been unkind to me, I want to shut down and begin to see myself as not having value. I still battle these feelings, because like all of us, life is tough. When I choose to remember that God loves me and designed me with purpose, I begin to see myself the way my creator sees me.
When we live in the power of the Holy Spirit, we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us. We begin to face fear, knowing that the power of the Spirit that defeated death on a cross is within us.
This whole month I have been writing on facing fear. The truth is that we will always have fear in our lives, but how we confront fear is what matters the most. I didn’t write these past weeks as a simple method of how to not have fear, because that simply isn’t how life works. What I hope is that you understand that by having a relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit is with you and there to empower you. You just need to know that God loves you, you are stronger than you think so begin living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t let the mess of your past or the things you can’t control give you fear. Live surrounded by a community that will listen and believe you, while giving guidance at the same time. There is a great power inside of you when you have a relationship with Christ. You can face your fears, they don’t have to drive you any longer. I know using a Friday the 13th movie is a little bizarre for this week’s post, but the reason I love part seven is because the enemy that seems unstoppable is stopped by an incredible power that our hero taps into. I think that is such a beautiful picture of Christ alive and active in our lives, when it seems like there is too great a fear, God reminds us that He is more powerful than anything we may face. That doesn’t mean the issue will be solved, but the power of Christ inside of us will help us navigate and grow in the midst of all things.
As this month of spooky fun ends, I want you to remember that when you have a relationship with Christ, you can face fear with power. Even when it seems too dark or impossible to make it through the storm or season you find yourself in, God has a plan for you in all things. He created you with purpose, now go live in that power.
-Joshua Thomas
About the Author: Joshua Thomas is a writer by day and superhero by night. When he’s not writing and crimefighting, you can find him reading a good book, sipping warm tea, taking pictures, or dreaming. The young writer doesn’t fully know what he’s doing, but is enjoying the journey of it all. You can follow his hipster photos and Jack Kerouac musings on Instagram @joshua_thomas__
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