Jenn Hand thought she was living her yes life of faith. Yes, God, I will go wherever, do whatever, walk in faith however you ask me to. But, in her surrendered yes, she learned how fear can stop you. When she encountered fear, she learned three steps that helped her move from fear stops to faith steps.

Saying yes to God can be both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. What will He ask of us? On a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective podcast, I talked to Jenn about what it means to move past fear and say yes to God. This was a fun episode to record and I know you’ll enjoy it. Listen here: How To Move Past Fear and Say Yes to God – Episode 155

Be sure to read to the end for a book giveaway!

Three Steps for Moving from Fear Stops to Faith Steps
By Jennifer Hand

I thought I was living my yes life of faith. However, I remember when I felt God laid on my heart to write the word YES and lay it down on the table.

To lay it down as a symbol. Yes, God, I will go wherever, do whatever, walk in faith however you ask me to.

I knew I had to put down this surrendered yes before I actually knew what the wherever, whatever, and however was.

What are fear stops?

I don’t know about you, but in my daily surrendered yes, I can easily experience fear stops.

I want to say yes to God but _________.

I can fill in that blank differently depending on the situation and the day or the hour, but I can always find the fear.

I polled hundreds of people on social media and got all kinds of answers for their fear stops.

But what if I experience rejection?
What if I hear God wrong about what the yes is?
What if I fail?
What if I succeed?
What if God doesn’t provide?

I could raise my hand with each one of these at different times.

That’s why I love what God tells Joshua in Joshua 1:9.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I don’t think God was wagging his finger at Joshua and condemning him for his fear.

He knew Joshua would be afraid and was offering the reminder He was with Joshua.

Three ways to move from Fear Stops to Faith Steps

 

1. Recognize your fear stops

How would you fill in the blank to that question? I want to say yes to God but ____________________________________________. Acknowledging our fear stops allows us to pray and ask God to move from these fear stops to faith steps.

For example, one of my fears in saying yes to God is the provision of God. Will He provide? I live on faith-based support raising salary as a single woman. Will God continue to provide for the ministry where I placed my yes? This question can become a fear stop for me. Daily I have to pray and acknowledge my fear. I want to say yes, God, but I am afraid you will not provide. Help move me to faith. To trust you and your provision for me.

2. Remember how God has worked before—Take up stones of remembrance

When it was time for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River, they took some genuine faith steps. Rushing water. What looked like an impossible obstacle.

The priests stepped in first, following the ark of the covenant. The ark represented the presence of God. In Psalm 139, God tells us that His presence is behind us and before us and all around us. We follow His presence.

Once they stepped in, God commanded them to return and take 12 stones of remembrance out of the Jordan river.

Why? Because He knew how quickly we could forget the miracles of God.

Take a moment right now and make a list of times you have seen God show up and show His glory and power in your life before.

Build a memorial in your heart of these stones of remembrance, reminding yourself how He has worked before.

3. Receive the promises and power of God for your faith steps

The book of Joshua ends with Joshua reminding the people how God had been faithful to his promises. How He brought the people into the promised land. Joshua reminded the people to choose to serve God, walking in His promises.

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-16

The Lord had promised land to the people of Israel. He had promised to guide them and provide for them. And in Joshua 24:28, Joshua sent the people away to their inheritance. They were receiving the promise of God.

This week I walked myself through these steps. I was in a horrific car accident that I should not have survived. I miraculously walked away with cuts and bruises, but my car was totaled.

Here I was in my fear stop. I want to say yes to God, but can I trust the provision of God?

I walked myself through these steps.

Daily.

Sometimes minute by minute.

I was reminding myself of God’s provision in the past and His presence in the present.

Moving from fear stops to faith steps.

I have seen God be faithful and remind me I can trust him with my surrendered yes.

I am praying over your faith steps, and fear stops as well.

What is your yes on the table?

 

About Jenn Hand

Jennifer Hand is the Executive director of Coming Alive Ministries. She wishes she could sit down and have a strong cup of coffee with each of you and ask you what makes you come alive? The things that make Jenn come alive are strong coffee (did we mention Jenn loves coffee), Jesus (of course), collecting coffee mugs, missions around the world, and spoiling her nephews and nieces.

Jenn founded Coming Alive Ministries in 2012 and loves the honor of traveling nationally and internationally providing the invitation to come alive in Christ through conferences, retreats, written resources and counseling. Jenn has had the joy of serving in over 30 countries and speaking at around 40 ladies events a year. With her Master’s degree in trauma counseling, God has opened a unique door for Jenn to respond after natural disasters around the world, providing trauma counseling and the hope of Christ on the holy ground of suffering.

Connect with Jenn: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Book Giveaway

In conjunction with this post and the podcast interview,  How To Move Past Fear and Say Yes to God – Episode 155, Jenn Hand is giving away a free copy of her book, My Yes is On the Table.

Leave a comment below sharing with us one thing you learned about learning to move past fear to walk in faith and you will be entered into the contest for your chance to win a copy of her book.

You could also share this blog post on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter then comment here to tell us where you shared it and you’ll also be entered into the drawing.

The winner will be selected at random and announced next Monday, April 11, 2022. Continental United States only.