AS FOR ME – I WILL NOT FEAR

How to let faith, not fear, define my life?

Beck McKay | Empower Church

Have you ever played ‘stuck in the mud’? You’re running around, having fun, until someone tags you... and suddenly you’re frozen. You can’t move until a teammate comes to free you. That’s exactly what fear does. It tags you, and suddenly you feel stuck - unable to take the next step forward in your life, faith, or into what God has called you to do. If you’ve ever felt like that, the good news is you’re not alone. All the great heroes of faith in the Bible faced fear; Esther, David, Paul, and Abraham (just to name a few). Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’ll never feel afraid, but it does mean fear doesn’t have to call the shots. You can either let it freeze you... or push you forward.

Let’s look at the story of Peter walking on water (yeah, you read that right)!

(Matthew 14) The disciples get caught in a crazy storm whilst sailing on the ocean – the winds are roaring, waves crashing, and their boat is rocking! Then they suddenly see Jesus walking toward them on the water... and they were then even more terrified (can you blame them?) But then they hear Jesus say, “Take heart! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter boldly responds, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus tells him to “Come” and invites him to walk on the water! Peter’s heart is pounding, the wind is blowing, the boat’s rocking - yet he steps out. He takes one step. Two steps. Three steps. He’s walking on water - storm and all, towards Jesus! Peter didn’t let his fear keep him in the boat, but let it fuel his faith to push him out of it – how? Because he kept his eyes fixed on Jesus, not the storm around him.

Peter didn’t wait for the storm to stop to walk on the water; he walked knowing who was on the water with him. Jesus is bigger than any storm, and Peter stayed above the water as long as he kept his eyes on Him!

We are called to be a generation that doesn’t play it safe, doesn’t back down, and doesn’t let fear freeze us - but boldly steps out of the boat, keeps our eyes on Jesus, and walks on the water, storm or no storm.

How to let faith, not fear, define your life:

1. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Faith isn’t about having confidence in your own ability; it’s having confidence in who Jesus is. Focus on Him, not the size of the storm around you.
2. You’re never alone. God says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). Let this promise strengthen your faith and keep moving forward - He’s right there with you.
3. You have power. The Holy Spirit inside you isn’t timid or fearful. He gives you power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7) to face whatever comes your way.

Daily Declaration: “I step out in faith - fear has no hold on me.”