The Rock Church - A contemporary church in Asheville, North Carolina

It's hard to watch the news these days without seeing that everything is a mess. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low - unemployment is at its highest rate since 1974 - our national debt is at $11 trillion...

According to the media, we have several reasons to be fearful.

2 Timothy 1:7

There is a spirit of fear.  Fear causes you to shrink back - to be overly cautious. Fear makes you afraid to give, to love and to try.

But God has given us a spirit of confidence.

His will is that we live powerfully, full of faith, and full of His word.

Proverbs 28:1

It's easy to follow the crowd and their attitude. It's God's will for us to break away from the pack of fear!

John 16:33

Tribulation can mean "pressure". You know this - in the world there is pressure!

It's the nature of the world to treat you badly. When this happens we can second-guess ourselves and shrink down.

Instead of getting in a smaller place, take courage - cheer up.

Happiness is a choice. Faith is a choice. Choose to cheer up. Choose to walk in courage!

1 John 4:4

Greater is He who is in you than the pressures of this world.

Life is difficult - but you have a friend, an advocate, a helper.  When the world is pressing you down - God is lifting you higher!

When your center of gravity is in God, your perspective is completely different than when your center of life is in your circumstances.

1 John 5:4-5

A word from God can overcome any obstacle. The nature of God in you is the nature of an overcomer.  When you embrace God as the Lord of your life you inherit a spirit of overcoming.

All things born of God overcome.

No matter what life throws at you - it's not enough to defeat you!

2 Peter 1:4

We are building our life on the promise of God - not on the pressure of the world.  The promise of God feeds the nature of God in me.

John 1:12-13

Your best days are still ahead of you.

In life we are either overcoming or being overcome.  Live in the victory God has bought for us.  

1 Corinthians 15:57

2 Corinthians 2:14

The spirit of the kingdom of God is a spirit of victory.

Romans 12:21

Don't be overcome with evil - overcome evil with good.

Overcome sin with obedience - Overcome hate with love

Overcome negative with positive - Overcome doubt with faith.

Write a great last chapter. Get back up again. The righteous man falls seven times and gets up eight.

1 Peter 5:6 -7

1 Peter 5:6 -7 (Message)

Bring your fear and nail it to the cross. Defeated is an attitude. Give your fear to God and don't take it back. Choose courage!  Choose faith!