Stormie Omartian - The Power of Praying Through Fear

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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THE POWER OF PRAYING THROUGH FEAR

Copyright 2017 by Stormie Omartian

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-6595-8 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6596-5 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Omartian, Stormie, author.

Title: The power of praying through fear / Stormie Omartian.

Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017029355 (print) | LCCN 2017036193 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736965965 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736965958 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: FearReligious aspectsChristianity. | PrayerChristianity.

Classification: LCC BV4908.5 (ebook) | LCC BV4908.5 .O43 2017 (print) | DDC 242/.4dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017029355

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God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 T IMOTHY 1:7

Contents

M uch is written in the Bible about the words we say and whether we speak the truth or a lie. Some people speak a lie to themselves over and over so many times that they start to believe it, and then it becomes true for them. In other words, they talk themselves into believing what they want to believe. Other people believe a lie without realizing it because they dont know what the real truth is. But real truth survives and ultimately wins out. So people who speak a lie, or believe a lie, can only live on that false premise for so long until the truth surfaceswhich it eventually will because real truth never dies.

This book is about finding the Truthwith a capital Tconcerning our fears and then learning to speak the truth until our heart and mind accept and believe it wholeheartedly. Its about praying to know the truth that sets you free and then taking the necessary steps to receive all the freedom God has for you.

In order to live the life God has for us, we cannot allow our fears to control us .

In the following chapters are tools to help you not only discover your own hidden fears and face them, but also to build a strong foundation of scriptural truth upon which you can stand in order to get completely free of them. Included are steps you can take immediately, at the first fear-filled thought you have, to help you identify the kind of fear God allows , and how that can be a good thing. Also, there needs to be in all of us a clearer understanding of the only kind of fear God wants you to haveand how to live accordingly. There are also lists of powerful thoughts and words you can quickly and deliberately think , say , and pray when you are struggling with fear of any kind that will help you overcome it. And there are many things you can do whenever fear threatens to take away your peace that will help restore calm to your soul, as well as prevent the debilitating aspects of fear. The most common fears, such as fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of loss, fear of insignificance, fear of evil, fear of death, and fear of the future can affect our lives more than we may think. When we conquer these major fears, the rest of our fears will lose their power as well. And that is what I pray for you and everyone who reads this book.

Stormie Omartian

I f I could sum up the first 30 years of my life in one word, it would be FEAR. Thats because I experienced so many terrifying things when I was a child that fear carried over into adulthood. I never had anyone to talk to about what was happening to me, or who could reassure me that things would get better, or who would help me feel safe, so fear became a way of life for me.

We all experience some kind of fear in our lives. Each one of us is afraid of something. We know fear to be the familiar feeling that comes as a result of believing certain persons, situations, or conditions might threaten our well-being, or the well-being of those we love and care about the most. Other words that describe fear are dread, anxiety, apprehension, alarm, agitation, panic, worry, deep concern, or terror. Show me an honest personone reasonably in touch with realitywho never experiences any of these emotions. I have actually heard people say, I dont have fear. I just have some anxiety, dread, worry, and occasional panic attacks. I feel like saying, Hello! Fear is the root of all of that! But I dont want to scare anyone.

There is much to be afraid of in this world because no place is completely safe. We only need to turn on the news to see reasons we may have to be frightened. And the evil behind them is increasingly horrifying. Thats why fear in the heart of many people appears to be at an all-time high. Its an emotional epidemic.

Besides all the external reasons to have fear, we suffer just as much from the fears that come from within us. And those fears can interfere with our life more than we may even realize. They could be caused by bad memories of fearful things that happened in the past, and we fear they could happen again at any moment. Or we may have had these fears for so long that we dont even know why anymore. We may even think, This is just the way I amanxious, overly concerned, and apprehensive .

Whatever the reason, fear affects us mentally, emotionally, and physically. It weakens us and makes us sick in our mind, body, and soul. It shackles us. It interferes with our relationships and work. It can build within us until we become emotionally paralyzed by it. When we believe there is no way out of a terrifying or threatening situation for an extended period of time, that belief can affect every part of us with fear that leaves us incapacitated.

When we are fearful, we lose our joy, energy, and strengthespecially if fear has been with us long term. If we dont do something to either remove the threat or remove ourselves from the threatening situation, fear will affect us in countless negative ways and take away more from our life than we may even know.

Panic and anxiety, for example, can freeze your mind so that you cannot think straight. Fear can emotionally incapacitate you until you are unable to act in a calm and rational manner. Fear affects your health so that your blood pressure rises and your heart beats so hard you constantly hear it and feel it pulsing in your ears. It can make you feel as if you are dying. I know this because I experienced paralyzing fear, anxiety, and panic attacks so intrusive I didnt know if I could pull it together to do even the simplest things I needed to do.