INTRODUCED TO FEAR

INTRODUCED TO FEAR

  • Authority, Fear

INTRODUCED TO FEAR

I vividly remember the day I was introduced to the fear of not being safe as a little girl. We were out of town on vacation with another family. My friend and I asked for money to walk down to the store. We laughed the whole way there and giggled the whole way back. We didn’t have a care in the world except being a child on a mission for candy. The next day we asked to go again, but this time our moms were hesitant, and you could feel something strange in the atmosphere. We continued to beg them to let us go, and finally, they shared with us that a man had done something really bad and that the police were still looking for him. They allowed us to go but firmly warned us to ‘be careful.’ Our eyes were as wide as they could be the whole way down. Fear had shut down our joy, and when we got back to the cabin, we sprinted the last few feet as if something was chasing us. I was introduced to fear that day, and it remained with me for decades. Did a man do something bad? Yes. Was he still at risk of harming others? Yes. Was there a real danger? Potentially. But what I needed as a child whose brain wasn’t fully developed was not the introduction of fear but to be empowered with HOW to keep safe. John 10:10 outlines that we all have an enemy wanting to bring harm, but the rest of the verse is how we should position our parenting. Jesus has tools to overcome every strategy of the enemy. We can camp out in fear of the enemy OR the strategy and tools of heaven – we pick. 

P.S. I am fairly certain my mom witnessed me partnering with fear in the days ahead but she just didn’t have the language or tools to help me. We can parent our children differently.

AUTHORITY OVER ATMOSTPHERES

There is the natural realm – all things on earth. There is the heavenly realm – all things in heaven. There is also the unseen spiritual realm that operates between the two. Have you ever walked into a room or house and felt so much love? Have you ever gone somewhere, and fear met you at the door? Someone is releasing that into the atmosphere, and you are coming into that presence. Sometimes children walk into an atmosphere and react as if it is coming from them. Those most sensitive to feeling atmospheres are often described as ‘flip of a switch’ since they can be fine one moment and a ball of emotions the next. Chances are, they walked into the atmosphere. The sensitivity to atmospheres is generally a sign they have the gift of discernment, but until one understands how to use it, they often feel like they are tossed against the waves of atmospheres all around them. I often stop and ask, “What are you feeling in the atmosphere right now?” They never cease to amaze me at how strongly they feel JUNK! We simply take authority over it. We do this with certain people, in a new situation, over their classrooms, at Wal-Mart, after an interaction with a rude person, at a restaurant, etc. I am training them to first discern the atmosphere and then second to use their authority over it.

THAT’S YOUR JOB

There are some things that no leader, pastor, mentor, friend, or counselor can do for you. Only YOU can use your God-given authority in your own home. There is a spirit attacking our homes (and one of the reasons I believe there has been a demonic attack on our elderly to silence them with C-19), and that is through the spirit of unbelief.

What is the biblical definition of unbelief? Skepticism (doubt as to the truth of something), especially in matters of religious faith. Unbelief is a POISON that gets into the mind and dilutes truth to the point of death (death of belief, conviction, truth, life, and connection). While we all battle unbelief on some level at different seasons in life, there is a real demonic spirit working people’s minds hoping they will bite the bait. There are many ways to open the door, but sexual sin and rebellion (disobedience) are major ones because they seek to find satisfaction outside of Jesus. I have received countless messages this past week alone from parents crying out, “What happened?” The story goes on to say their children had great faith and many God stories but are now doubting everything and turning against Him.

BIND that spirit in your home and LOOSEN it to go. When you deal with the bad, the Bible says you must invite the good to fill their minds, eyes, and hearts with His spirit, power, and love. You do not need to put up with the lying spirit of unbelief in your family. Pray, declare, and cover the minds of your loved ones and children.

PASSING FEAR ON TO OUR CHILDREN

Ask any adult who grew up in Minnesota in the ’80s who Jacob Wetterling is, and they will tell you. He was an 11-year-old boy who was abducted while riding his bike home, and his body was not found for 27 years. It left a bone-chilling fear in parents that the same thing could happen to their child. Parents kept their children safe by not letting them go out at night or roam the neighborhood like they once did. Countless parents partnered with FEAR over what happened to Jacob, and it shaped their parenting. The children watched their responses and learned how to handle uncertainty and danger. As a mother now myself, I get it, but what happened is that it taught a generation in that region about fear and feeling unsafe. Those kids, myself included, grew up with an undying fear that something terrible could happen. It was nearly 30 years later that I broke agreement with the fear and learned that I was safe at night.

How you respond to current events NOW has the potential to shape your child and how they respond to future crises. Are you teaching and modeling for them how to walk in fear and panic or confidence and faith? They are watching you and are learning how to respond in times of crisis.  If you are partnering with fear and want to be free from it, let’s talk about it. We have got to realign our children so that they do not grow up being afraid and managing fear. There is a difference between truth-based concern that should move us into wisdom vs. creating a demonic stronghold.

PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN

This will be a hard thing to read, but God woke me up at 1:11 one morning, and I felt led to share it. When things first broke out in 2020, I spent a lot of time with the Lord, asking Him what He wanted me to know, what His strategy was, and how to respond. Not so much for ministry, but as a single mom of my own four children. Please pray before reading. 

I had an open vision last spring that was haunting. I saw a makeshift tunnel that was sectioned off into cages. Children were in their own cages, but they were almost sub-human from the torture they had received. So demonized they were zombie-like, unable to move. It was fear like I have never encountered before. Some cages were closed and locked, others were closed but unlocked, and others were wide open. Suddenly the lights went out, and wild animals that had been starved were let loose in the caves. The pure horror of hearing the sounds of the animals, not knowing if their cage was locked or not. Worse yet, hearing the tormenting cries of the human next to you being ravaged to death. The moment it was over, I asked, “What was that?” If it was the enemy, I would have used my authority to rebuke it. If it was God, I wanted to know what He is allowing me to see. I pondered with Him for some time on this and heard Him say, “Pray for the children.” Something so deep, so strong, and mighty comes out of me when I pray for the children. This has anchored my strategy in this season of utter chaos and confusion, where our land is so divided amongst beliefs and opinions. Go low and focus on the children. 

As the parents in this nation, we must go low under the loud crashing waves and pray for the children with everything we have. Fight for them. Declare light where there is darkness. Wage war in the spiritual realm, where they are bound up by the enemy. Sound the alarm of freedom for those held captive. Drive your stake of righteousness deep into the ground. Rise up and declare, “Not on my watch.” Invite the angels and Kingdom of God to flood their minds, bodies, and emotions. With authority, declare Luke 17:2 (better to throw yourself overboard than lead a child astray). Cling to His truth. Be unmovable in your pursuit of the children around you. They are dependent upon you to cover and protect them. 

I strongly encourage you to spend some intentional time praying not only over your children but those in your family line, friends, and community. NOT ON MY WATCH! We declare freedom, protection, and safety for our children and children’s children.

THE SPIRIT BEHIND IT

When the virus broke out, people freaked emotionally, and it was confusing to so many people why they ‘couldn’t handle it.’ Their minds told them it was not that big of a deal, but their emotions told them otherwise. I kept telling people, “The reason why this is affecting you so much is not because of the virus but because you are FEELING THE SPIRIT BEHIND IT.” So many things have come out in the past months, and I just want to zoom in on the fact many of you were feeling in the spirit but did not know it. It was overwhelming to you because, yes, you were feeling it, but it was NOT you. It was the atmosphere. This is a spiritual muscle to be strengthened. For those of you who felt ‘something’ intensely, take a moment and thank God for allowing you to feel in the spirit realm. Second, ask Him to increase the gift of DISCERNING what you are feeling. God does not allow us to feel things just to overwhelm us. He allows us to feel it SO THAT we can partner with Him and be agents of heaven on earth in the midst of it. More than ever, this is the hour to walk in discernment.

DO NOT SPEAK TO ME

How would you feel if you walked into a room and saw your child talking to a demon? It would be most upsetting. Say you asked your child why they were talking to them, and they said, “Oh, they came into my room and wanted to chat.” Mama bear would rise up within me to teach them they do not need to enter conversation but can walk away! And yet God watches His children dialogue with shame, fear, and condemnation all the time. These are three voices that we should never entertain, reason with, or enter a discussion with. Ask God to give you increased discernment when you are engaging with the wrong voices.

THIS IS YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE

Sometimes I think the most powerful prayer we can pray is simply, “That which is in darkness bring into the light.” The enemy works in the dark to keep things hidden. God brings things into the light so they can heal. Teach your children this declaration prayer over their future and DECLARE it every time you feel the injustice of what is happening around us. 

THAT WHICH IS IN THE DARKNESS BRING INTO THE LIGHT!!!

AUTHORITY OVER FEAR

We do not manage fear. We do not become a slave to overcome it. We do not coddle fear. We use our authority OVER it so that it is resolved once and for all. I see so many parents living life managing their fear. This is spiritual orphan living and a recipe for defeat. Christ died to give you authority over fear. I declare that it can be resolved and dissolved in your life!

GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY

Giving up control-based parenting does not mean giving up your God-given authority. It does not mean the child is in control, nor does it mean they get to make the decisions. I am not sure which is worse – a parent who partners with the spirit of control or a parent who allows the child to be in control.