**Let's lift up these requests, everyone!** 
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Keep the door
to faith open.
to faith open.
Mark 4:37-41
37. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39. He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41. They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
A truly fascinating account of faith that can also be found in Matthew 8:24-29.
Here we see the true nature of faith. In verse '40', we clearly see a diametric relationship between faith and fear. Jesus clearly correlates the apostles lack of faith to fear. Faith and Fear are oppose to each other. Now if faith is the substance of things we hoped for (wanting a beneficial outcome) then we can conclude that the opposite is true for fear. Fear is then 'the substance of things we don't hope for' (we dread or we stress over). It is the substance of a non beneficial outcome. This type of fear is not to be confused with reverence, such as the fear of God. They are two different things.
People walking in fear are expecting a negative outcome and whether it happens or not, is not the issue. Rather the issue lies in the mental agony that people subject themself to whenever they percieve a threat. Most panic. Most percieved threats are psychological and not real at all. This form of fear robs your mind of clarity.
The apostles thought they were going to perish. They were manifesting the worst possible outcome. Death. In this state it is not possible to tap into faith. But our Saviour stood up and instructed the storm to 'be still' and it was so. Jesus epitomizes a high standard of Faith.
Clearly the apostles did not comprehend this type of faith at the time, as they wondered what kind of a man (Jesus) could silence a storm.
Faith and fear are powerful tools that ultimately finds its way to the mind. Faith is found in the spirit and serves to calm and assure the mind. Faith is an acceptive
(something that the mind or soul believes it wants) and it opens the door to love, joy, long-suffering, peace, sound mind..
Fear in the other hand, originates from our survival instinct and serves to defend itself. It is a rejective (something that the mind or soul believes it does not want). It creates adrenaline to promote the infamous 'fight or flight' response to a stressor. Unfortunately most fears are not real and purely psychological. Anxieties and worries are but a few of the psychological fears that just like real fear, it elevates your adrenaline. Whatever is causing our anxiety is being perceived as a punishment. We get excited in a non-favourable way depleting you of faith and everything else from your spirit.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Psychological fear is detrimental to your wellbeing. Real and present danger should be the only reason to be afraid. But through God, any storm can be calmed.
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”Keep the door to faith open.
