Fear happens in the life of a believer when we choose to allow a situation to decrease our awe for God and increase our awe for it.

Think about that for a moment. When circumstances loom larger in our minds than the God who created the universe, we've allowed a subtle form of idolatry to take root. We've given more weight to the visible than the invisible, more credence to the temporal than the eternal.

But here's the truth: God has already given us everything we need to overcome.

In 2 Timothy 1:7, the Bible reminds us: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Notice that God doesn't just take away fear – He replaces it with something infinitely better. When fear comes knocking, you don't answer the door empty-handed. You're holding power in one hand, love in the other, and your mind is protected by divine clarity.

This is why we must continually ask ourselves: "WHY FEAR?"

Why choose to magnify the problem when we serve the Problem Solver? Why allow temporary circumstances to overshadow eternal promises? Why surrender our God-given authority to the very enemy who has no real power over us?

The enemy's three-step strategy is always the same: steal, kill, and destroy. But the first thing he tries to steal is your faith – because once that's gone, you're voluntarily defenseless against whatever comes next.

It's time to recognize fear for what it really is: not just an emotion, but a strategic weapon designed to derail your God-given destiny.

Will you choose fear... or will you choose faith?

Hope requires ongoing maintenance, especially during challenges. Watch for warning signs of diminishing hope: ceasing to confess what you believe for, losing peace, and relying solely on your own efforts.

To maintain unshakeable hope:

• Know God's Word: Find specific promises for your situation and meditate on them daily.

• Know God's Power: Remember that nothing can compete with His ability or circumvent His plan.

• Understand God's Love: Trust that His unconditional love always motivates Him to fulfill His Word in your life.

Different seasons require specific strategies—practice gratitude during waiting periods, recognize spiritual attacks on your hope, distinguish between God's promises and your expectations when confused, and find hope anchors during loss or transition.

Remember, challenges can actually strengthen hope through the divine cycle of endurance and character development. Each victory becomes evidence for future victories, creating an upward spiral of ever-increasing hope.

Hope isn't just a spiritual concept—it's a powerful force that produces tangible rewards in your daily life. As Hebrews 6:19 tells us, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast."

Just as a ship's anchor prevents drifting during storms, biblical hope anchors your soul when life's challenges threaten to carry you away. This isn't wishful thinking—it's confident expectation based on God's unchanging promises.

When you cultivate genuine hope:

• Joy and peace become your emotional foundation, even in difficult circumstances

• Divine protection surrounds you in times of vulnerability

• Supernatural strength and courage empower you to face intimidating situations

• Endurance carries you through extended trials with confidence

• Stability keeps you anchored when everything around you is shaking

Hope works alongside faith and love as one of three essential spiritual virtues. While faith receives God's promises and love reflects His character, hope maintains our expectation for future fulfillment.

Biblical hope transforms us in three key ways: it aligns our self-perception with our identity in Christ, prevents desperate reactions during challenges, and influences how we invest our resources.

The rewards of hope include joy and peace that transcend circumstances, divine protection, strength to face difficulties, and endurance through trials.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

Faith and hope work together in divine partnership. Faith provides the foundation; hope builds upon it. Faith receives God's promise in the present; hope expects its manifestation in the future.

Everything visible was once invisible. Your breakthrough begins with God's Word, is received through faith, maintained by hope, and finally appears as manifestation. This is why Scripture tells us faith is "the substance of things hoped for" – it gives tangible substance to your expectations before they ever become visible.

When these two forces align in your life, you'll stand firm regardless of circumstances, knowing that what God has promised, He will bring to pass.

Holding On to Hope: A Five-Part Journey to Unshakeable Faith

In a world that seems to grow more uncertain by the day, where do you find lasting hope? Not just wishful thinking or temporary optimism, but the kind of hope that anchors your soul through life's storms?

Join us for "Holding On to Hope," a powerful five-part series that explores the transformative power of biblical hope. Each week, we'll dive deep into understanding, building, and maintaining the kind of hope that doesn't just help you survive – it helps you thrive.

What You'll Discover:

• The profound difference between worldly optimism and biblical hope

• How to build an unshakeable foundation of hope in your life

• Practical ways to maintain hope during challenging times

• The powerful connection between faith, hope, and love

• Keys to experiencing the peace and joy that true hope brings

Whether you're feeling strong or struggling to hold on, this series will equip you with biblical truths and practical tools to develop a hope that lasts.

Don't miss this opportunity to transform your understanding of hope and discover the strength it brings to every area of your life.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

Breaking the stronghold by developing the mind of the forgiver!

Are You Trapped in the Prison of Unforgiveness?

Discover how letting go can set you free. In this powerful blog post, William Bantom shares his raw, personal journey from bitterness to breakthrough. Learn the divine pattern of forgiveness that transformed his life and could change yours.

You'll discover:

• Why holding onto hurt hurts you more than them

• The surprising connection between God's grace and your freedom

• A practical path to releasing past pain

• How forgiveness can restore broken relationships

Stop carrying the weight of yesterday's wounds. Your freedom awaits.

Are you carrying the weight of past hurts? Many of us feel stuck, unable to move forward, not realizing that unforgiveness might be the very thing holding us back. In our new 4-part series, "The Power of Forgiveness," we're exploring the transformative journey from pain to freedom through biblical forgiveness.

This isn't just another teaching on letting go. We're diving deep into why forgiveness isn't optional but essential for your breakthrough, God's divine pattern for healing through forgiveness, the hidden costs of holding onto hurt, and practical steps to break free from emotional strongholds. Whether you're struggling with broken relationships, unanswered prayers, or feeling spiritually stuck, this series offers real solutions rooted in biblical truth.

This December, prepare for your best year yet! Join Pastor Will's 31-day journey to transform year-end reflection into purposeful action. Break free from what held you back and step into the new year with renewed focus and faith. Get your free guide at WBGM.

Ezekiel 22:30 is one of the most sobering verses in Scripture: "I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."

"Life's challenges often feel like random setbacks, but God works like a master sculptor - every chisel stroke has purpose. Through the story of Joseph's journey from pit to palace, this post explores how today's obstacles are shaping tomorrow's breakthrough. If you're in a difficult season, discover how to see your situation not as a detour, but as development in God's perfect plan.

It’s not uncommon for believers to make mistakes, take wrong turns, or make bad choices that can potentially throw our lives spiraling out of control. At this point, we may feel separated from God and estranged from ourselves. Our moral compass has been compromised and our commitment to God, self, and others has been fractured.

It’s during these times that we must remember that God still loves us dearly and will always show us a pathway to finding our way back to Him. I pray this weekly blog series will be an encouragement and a reminder that no matter how far we God off course we can always find out way back to Him.