March 20 - 40 Days Luke

Wednesday, March 20, 2019 

Why Were They Afraid? 

If you are reading this today, CONGRATULATIONS! You are now nearly 1/3 the way through Lent. I don’t know about you, but I have found this Lent season to be an especially engaging time with God. Over the past couple of weeks, God has been speaking to me about some areas of my life where I still struggle with fear. Our focus today is related to fear and I invite you to think about those places in your life where you, like me, still experience fear. It may be in the area of finances, of health, or you may be someone who fears the changing world. Take a few minutes before you begin and if you are journaling write down those areas where fear is present in your life. Then I encourage you to read the Scripture for today and watch the video before answering the questions below. 

Read: Luke 8:26-39

Questions to Consider:

1.     In the story the man, at first, feared Jesus. Or more rightly, the demons who possessed the man feared Jesus. Often times, when we are experiencing fear, our fear is coming out of some deep place within our soul that we find hard to explain. I’ve often heard people express these as our inner demons. When you experience fear what is your typical response?

2.    Jesus addresses the issues in the man’s life and cast out the demons that haunt him. When we come into the light of Christ and begin to live within his truth our fears are often exposed as something that has arisen from past hurts or struggles. What are some ways that God is calling you to come under the light of Christ’s truth, so that the cause of your fears may be exposed? 

3.    Reflect for a minute on the video and the passage. What do these teach you about walking under the means of Grace?

Activity for the Day:  Hopefully God has led you to do the hard task of examining some of your fears. As you look at those fears, what is the Holy Spirit calling you to do to come into a place of freedom and deliverance? What is something the Holy Spirit is calling you to do, but you are afraid to try? Write about this in your journal and create and action plan.

Blessings, 

Jim