I woke to the most clear visual of why fear should have absolutely no hold on us.

Do you have a pen and paper handy?

If you’re up for participation points ( 🙂 ), draw your hand.  You know – trace around it like we did in kindergarten.  Only this time, instead of drawing in a Thanksgiving turkey, it will be the base of our analogy.

But now, this hand is no longer yours.  It represents the hand of God Himself.

Four fingers and a thumb are sticking up.  We’re going to embellish them with phrases of truth that we know about God.

Let’s start with the thumb:  Write, “God is good.”

Pointer finger:  “God is forgiving.”

Middle finger:  “God loves me.”

Ring Finger:  “God will never leave me.”

Pinky:  “God has a plan.”

GOD IS GOOD – (Psalm 145:0 – The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.)

If I know that God is good, then I know that anything that comes from His hand is also good.  This should eliminate my fear that God is “out to get me”.  Anything that He allows or gives or takes away, flows through the filter of goodness that is His nature.  His hands are good hands.  (I love that it’s on the thumb – BIG thumbs up!)

GOD IS FORGIVING – (1 john 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.)

If I know that God is forgiving, then the fear that my faults and failures are immovable obstacles falls flat.  His hands were nailed to a cross for me, for my forgiveness.  The blood that He shed covers EVERYTHING.  Not just my “acceptable” sins.  He died to drive home that truth.  (When Satan points that finger of accusation at us, we can remember God’s pointer finger pointing right back at Him, telling Him that He paid the price and we are forgiven.)

GOD LOVES ME  – (Romans 8:38-39 – For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

If I know that God loves me with the kind of love that can’t be touched or affected or stopped  by ANYTHING in this world, whether physical or spiritual, fear can take a flying leap out the nearest window.  No matter my circumstances or the lies the enemy tries to feed me, I am passionately loved by God.  (Coincidence that this is on the middle finger, central to the hand, tall and obvious and strong?  I think not….)

GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE ME  – (Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.)

If I know that God will never leave me, then the fear of abandonment or facing anything alone evaporates into thin air.  His hand is continually extended to mine to know His presence, His partnership, His commitment to me.  That fact should bring incredible confidence that there is NEVER a point when I am truly flying solo.  (No mistake that this is placed on the ring finger – we are His bride and He has “become one” with us.  “Divorce” will never enter His mind.)

GOD HAS A PLAN – (Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”)

If I know that God has a plan for me, then my fear that things are happening haphazardly and seem out of control is silenced.  He KNOWS the plan He has for me.  He is not winging this.  And not only is it a plan, but it’s a plan with “hope and a future”!  It’s a really, really good plan, regardless of what today might look like.  (The pinky is little, but it’s been proven that without it the hand loses 50% of its power.  Knowing God has a plan is powerful in our fight against fear.)

Now we have our whole hand filled in.

Well, not quite filled in.

Now look at the palm of the hand on the paper.  Write your name in the center of that palm.  (Isaiah 49:16 – See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.)  YOUR NAME is in the center of His hand!

Right where He holds you, protects you, defends you, comforts you.

Look at your real hand.  Imagine, every phrase we just talked about on the thumb and fingers.  Imagine your name in the center.

Now slowly make a fist.  Watch what happens.  All of the digits come together, surrounding the palm.  All the truths and promises about God –

GOD IS GOOD.

GOD IS FORGIVING.

GOD LOVES ME.

GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE ME.

GOD HAS A PLAN.

All of those combine, protecting the palm and forming a weapon of defense.  A weapon against fear!  Ready to undercut the lies that fear tells us.  Ready to use the right hook of truth against the ploys of the enemy.

Keep the hand.  Remember the analogy. Truth – It packs a punch. 🙂