Victoria Osteen - Fearless and Free

Copyright 2020 by Victoria Osteen

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All Scripture quotations indicated NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Scripture quotations marked ( ESV ) are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked ( AMPC ) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. | Scripture quotations marked ( NLT ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked ( NLV) are taken from the New Life Version, copyright 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked ( KJV ) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked ( TLB ) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Living Bible, TLB , and The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers. | Scripture quotations marked ( CEV ) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. | Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked ( MSG ) are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. | Scripture taken from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020932459

ISBN: 978-1-5460-1070-8 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-1796-7 (large print), 978-1-5460-1756-1 (special edition), 978-1-5460-1067-8 (ebook)

E3-20200310-JV-NF-ORI

To every person who is on their journey to live fearlessly in the truth that God has already set them free

W hat does it take to live a life that is fearless and free? Is it even possible in these frantic times when the demands of our lives are in a constant state of acceleration? God promises us that living a life of fearlessness and freedom is not only possible but a natural outflow of the interaction between His goodness and grace and our attitudes and actions. Choosing to believe this promise is the first very important step to living the life you want to live.

Your thoughts, attitudes, and actions have incredible power in your life. Are you embracing the promises of God during the season youre living in? Do you have an attitude of abundance and of gratitude for Gods grace and goodness? Are you being intentional with your time? Are you being faithful with the small stuff? Are you storing up Gods Word? Are you committed to love? Are you delighting in God? With the go-go-go of daily life, its so important you ask yourself questions like these so you can stay grounded in the gifts with which God has graced you. Take a moment to refresh your perspective, because God has already given you everything you need to live fearlessly and freely.

Think about the lives of many people in the Bible. Esther was a young Jewish orphan living in exile in Persia. Her future would, by its very nature and circumstances, be extremely difficult. Like other young girls in her position, there was little promise for a full, happy life. But through her trials, she always believed in the promises of God and what they meant for heruniquely and personally. For years, she remembered the words of faith and hope she received from her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai would look at Esther and say, You have what it takes. You were put on this earth to do great things and your life is meant to make a difference. Those words stuck with her and shaped her thoughts. Esther was able to believe in and become the champion God made her to be. She embraced a life of victory, and Mordecais encouragement helped her recognize her value and potential.

Nehemiah also lived in exile in Persia and was the cupbearer of another king. When he heard that the walls of Jerusalem remained broken down, he had a desire to go and rebuild, but he had no resources, no money, no expertise, and no influence. He wasnt a cabinet member or a general or even a builder. But he prayed and prayed. He asked for Gods help and through his faith in Gods promises, the king not only granted Nehemiahs request but sent with him the resources and the official papers to do the work. Still, people from various lands who had settled near Jerusalem resisted Nehemiahs work. Nehemiah persevered through strong opposition, suffering, and discouragement, and God sustained him as the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt.

Joshua and Caleb, two among the Israelites God delivered from Egypt, were tasked with scouting the unknown Promised Land and determining what their people would face when they tried to enter. They saw beyond the obstacles of walled cities and fearsome giants; they saw an opportunity for God to work in their lives, for God to provide for them. They saw an opportunity to possess a promise and let God fight their battles for them. When the other spies came back and warned everyone that the giants were too big to be overcome, Joshua and Caleb believed, and declared, otherwise. Their positive attitudes and their faith allowed them to see what the other leaders were blind to. While everyone else was paralyzed by fear, Joshua and Caleb saw the goodness of God in front of them.