Day 5 - Jacob

6:04am - Stumbling to the kitchen.
6:12am - Coffee on.
6:15am - Opening up the Bible to the next fear reference.

Genesis 32: 9-12

Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! 11 O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. 12 But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’”

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the major points:

Jacob acknowledged:
- Who God is.
- What God promised.
- His unworthiness of God's unfailing love and faithfulness.
- What God has given him.
- His need for God to rescue him.
- His fear.
- Again God's promises to him.

3. Pull out the spiritual principles:

i)  Talk to God about everything - don't just pray fluffy prayers - He wants to hear all my fears.
ii) Believe God's promises.  Remind myself of them often.
iii) Override my fear with God's promises.  God says, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
iv) Jacob's fear was legitimate.  His brother genuinely wanted to kill him.
v) If God said it, I believe it.  Don't allow fear of current circumstances to keep me from believing in the things God promised He would do.  His promises are forever!

4. Pose the question:

- What fear do I have that is over-riding God's promises?
- What difficult conflict is causing me to run about frantically instead of me praying about it and believing God?

5. Plan obedience and pin down the date:

- When I start to feel afraid, I will read/remember God's promises and pray to Him.
- I don't need to fear, but when I do, I need to talk to God about it - wherever I am.

6. Pray:

God, help me and remind me to talk to You first.  When I am afraid, help my first thought to be of You and Your promises.  Renew my mind so the promises can override my fear instead of the other way around.

Renew my mind - put a right spirit within me.  Teach me to take every thought captive.  Teach me to take every emotion captive. 

I want to reach out to You.  I want to believe in Your promises.  In times of fear, help me turn my attention to You.