Introducing the 50 Day Spiritual Adventure Standing Tall: Facing Fears that Grip the Soul. When we really get down to it, everyone struggles with fear of some sort at different times in their lives. But those harassing fears, the ones that are deep in our soul that probably no one knows about but you and God and perhaps a close friend, are the ones that the enemy of our soul loves to use to wreak havoc in our lives. Our Heavenly Father knows our fears and longs for us to realize that He can help us to stand tall and strong against them. In this 50 Day Spiritual Adventure we will look at eight fears that are common to mankind and learn new ways to rely on our Great God for His strength for our weakness.

Theme 1 - Stand Tall in terrorism and war - Living where terrorists strike repeatedly is like having the same bad dream night after night. War is worse. So we can understand why Israel might have been resistant to Joshua's plans for the conquest of a "promised land." Joshua's troops were neither trained nor equipped for the battles they faced. But God had given him promises about being victorious. "Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you." To stand tall in this day of terrorism and war, confront the unknown with confidence because God's Word can always be relied on. Theme 2 - Stand Tall in financial insecurity - "I have learned the secret of living in every situation whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little," writes Paul in Philippians 4:12. Most of us will admit we haven't reached this level of spiritual maturity. Financial insecurity can be terrifying. It's a tactic of Satan to strike when his victims are the most vulnerable. Not having adequate resources opens people to his devilish attacks. To stand tall and not be consumed by the fear of financial insecurity requires open communication and a deep trust in God that says, "I know God always has my best interests at heart." Theme 3 - Stand Tall in rejection and betrayal - To the believers in Jerusalem Paul was considered a terrorist. They spoke of him in hushed tones. They heard he had a change of heart and switched sides. Could they trust this "strange conversion?" Most remained skeptical. But Barnabas stood tall and took a chance on this former persecutor, bringing him before the apostles in Jerusalem. It's easy to keep people out of our lives and play it safe. But rejection was not the way of Barnabas or his Lord and it shouldn't be our way either. Theme 4 - Stand Tall at skeletons in the closet - We all fear being exposed in one way or another. It could be terrifying if the proverbial skeleton in the closet got out! King David experienced this horror. His secret sins were made public. But with that exposure he found that "The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him," and "I confessed all my sins and you forgave me!" Most believers would testify that God gives them more grace than they deserve. It is this side of the Lord we will explore. Theme 5 - Stand Tall in failure and disgrace - On a stormy night in the middle of the sea, the disciples were fighting heavy winds when what appeared to be a ghost came walking on the rough water toward them. It was Jesus. Peter said to him, "If it's really you tell me to come to you by walking on the water." The invitation was given. What a horrendous position for Peter to get into. If the sea held him up, he'd be a hero. But failure seemed the more likely outcome. Peter stepped out of the boat and . . . when he began to sink, Jesus reached out and grabbed him. Theme 6 - Stand Tall in disease and death - There are valid reasons to dread disease and death. But there are also powerful truths that enable us to stand tall in the face of these fears. How important it is to know the Great Physician! And when walking through the dark valley of death, what truth could come close to what Jesus said in John 11? "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again." The Bible addresses disease and death and though the passages don't give us all the answers, they certainly provide enough help to calm our fears. Theme 7 - Stand Tall in paralyzing "what-ifs" - Worry and fear are closely related. Sometimes it's hard to tell where one stops and the other begins. Worry usually relates to what might happen in the future. "What if my car breaks down?" or "What if I get a serious illness?" can be paralyzing "what ifs". Jesus made a clear contrast between worry and exercising faith in a caring and compassionate God. "Don't worry about tomorrow," were his words, "Today's trouble is enough for today." Theme 8 - Stand Tall in gathering doom - Some people prefer not to think about the future. World problems like nuclear weapons, AIDS, water shortages, human trafficking and "superbug" infectious diseases are too overwhelming. Knowing the resurrected Christ personally helps us stand tall against these global fears. Because of his promises we can anticipate that wonderful day when he is revealed to the whole world and all is made right.