John 18:38“What is truth?” retorted Pilate.
Facts are logical consistency that fits into a belief system. Scientific, mathematical or philosophical ideologies are factual as if they don’t contradict each other. The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth”. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13). He speaks to us predominantly through the Word of God and God’s Word is the truth that trumps over the facts. Adverse facts on the contrary can instill fear. The spirit of fear comes from the devil to deceive. So, when attacked by the spirit of fear, anxiety or worry, stop and ask the question – “What is the truth in this situation?”.
Fear produces foolishness while truth nurtures wisdom. Fear of the attacking Philistines gripped Saul and his army. They were quaking in fear and some hid themselves in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns while others crossed over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Obsessed by fear, Saul disobeyed the commandment of the Lord. “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time (1 Samuel 13:13). The spirit of fear turned a warrior Saul into a weakling and forced him to react foolishly.
Anxiety clogs the mind, blocking clarity and choking peace. When we are anxious the amygdala in the brain that processes fear, threats, and emotional memories become overactive. It keeps scanning for danger and probabilities and floods our mind with anxiety and worry. When we fixate on perceived threats and dwell on the negative, our thinking narrows into tunnel vision, causing us to overlook the positive.
Seek the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit to lead when attacked by the spirit of fear.
The evidences of being led by the Spirit of Truth:
- Calmness: The Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit leads us into calmness, serenity and peace.
- Clarity: There will be clarity in our thoughts and actions.
- Confidence: The Spirit of Truth will drive out fear and instill confidence and courage.
“The Spirit of Truth makes us wise while the spirit of fear drives us into foolish actions and repercussions”.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, guide me every moment of my day with your wisdom and power. Amen.
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