Fighting fear with Faith

     Fighting fear with faith.  This is our long, hard battle... and it wages fiercely right now.  Yesterday Janie spiked a high fever, and fear nearly suffocated me as I paced and prayed, paced and prayed.  Words failed me.  All I could whisper was, "Help her, Jesus.  Help her,  Jesus.  Heal her,  Father.  Heal her, Father."  A dear friend stood with me as we prayed the fever would go down, but the icy tentacles of fear squeezed this mama's heart like a vise, and I could scarcely breathe.
      But what an unimaginable comfort it was to have her by my side, warring against this enemy with prayer to the Almighty One.  And so many others are praying--friends, relatives, people I've never heard of and will never know, are interceding fervently on behalf of our precious Janie.  O thank You, Lord.  I am so humbled and so grateful.  Again, this mighty army, this body of Christ, lifting her up, claiming Your promises, praying big bold prayers for healing, and I am strengthened to fight on and pray on and hope on in the One who never falters or fails.
     Praise God He calmed the fever, and we rejoiced.  Lord, help us to remember to praise You for every victory, large or small, that You, in Your grace, give us.  Praise You for that EMT on the scene of the accident within moments--the wreck right in front of his house on a desolate stretch of road and he had just gotten off work.  He certainly saved her life.  Thank You Lord that Janie has gotten past the first crucial 72 hours where swelling of the brain can be so catastrophic. And thank You, Lord, for the innumerable ways people have encouraged and helped and comforted us all through this battle--Father, You surely place Your people at just right the time, at just the right place.  We praise You for Your sovereignty.
     Help us Lord, in the midst of the battles of our lives, to remember Your faithfulness.  When the battle wages and fear overwhelms, Lord, forgive us for forgetting.  Help us to recall how You have helped us and kept us and strengthened us all along the way.  Counsel us by Your Word to recall Your great deeds and draw courage from our Mighty God.
     "Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord.  Repeat them in our day, in our time, make them known; in wrath remember mercy." (Habakkuk 3:2)  That has been my heart's cry so many times over the past week.  Help us to remember Your faithfulness and greatness and power, and renew them in our day, in this battle for Janie, that Your Name might be mightily glorified.
     She prayed after her mission trip to Africa this summer that her life would count for Christ this year and that she would really make a difference.  Well, she is doing that even in her silence.  But I whisper, "Lord, renew them in our day.  Do it again, Lord; do it again" as I pray for her healing.
     The high fever returned late last night, and the battle waged on. Again, the fear returned--squeezing, black and icy.  The Lord awoke me early this morning, fear gripping me, so I went to His Word, desperate for calm in this storm and reinforcements and help for Janie in her battle.
     And the God that never fails came through once again.  Forever faithful.  "Fear not, O Zion, let not your hands grow weak.  The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One to save;  He will rejoice over Janie with gladness;  He will quiet her by His love; He will exult over Janie with loud singing." (Zeph. 3:16-17)  O Lord, help her to hear You singing over her as You quiet her by Your love. Be mighty to save her, Father.
     And "So do not fear, for I am with Janie; Do not be dismayed, for I am Janie's God.  I will strengthen Janie and uphold her; I will uphold Janie with my righteous right hand.  For I am the Lord Your God, who takes hold of Janie's right hand and says to her, 'Do not fear; I will help you.'"
      Thank You Lord for helping Janie's fearful, desperate mother even in the midst of the battle.  Father, You know I fear... but help me to trust in You and to fight this fear with faith.  Already Lord, I feel those icy tentacles of fear losing their vise-like grip.  Lord, by faith, I will not fear and know that You will help Janie.
     And thank You that right at this moment, You are rejoicing over her,  singing to her, quieting her, saving her, strengthening her, upholding her, taking hold of her right hand and speaking words of courage and help.  In You I rest.
     Lord, there are many reading this who may feel that same fear, that same overwhelming terror and desperation in the midst of their own, or their loved one's, battles. As I've said so many times, we are all fighting battles. Father, right this minute, would You, in Your mercy and grace, remind them that You are with them and for them.  Help them to know that You are speaking Your supernatural Word--Your love letter--to them.  Help us all,  Father, to remember that You are mighty to save, in Your own perfect way and in Your own perfect timing.  Father, we pray that You would repeat Your awesome deeds in all of our lives, so that You, and You alone, would be glorified.
     Lord, we will not fear for You will help us.  Might we hear You singing.  And Father, help us to join in, by faith.
     To God, the Mighty One who saves and sings, be all the glory.