Faith Builders A-Z  (C)

Challenging Your Fears

If the enemy can keep us fearful he will keep us from many great adventures with God.

Many Christians could make a major difference on the mission field, but they are unable to go because of a fear of flying.

Many Christians could go and heal the sick, but their fear of sickness keeps them from this wonderful ministry.

Many Christians could go and preach the Gospel in areas dominated by demons, but they are fearful of witchcraft.

Below is the inspiring story of someone who overcame a terrible experience that could have kept him out of the sea forever, but he challenged his fear and overcame it.

As Christians we have the Almighty God dwelling within us.

I believe the Lord searches for faith. He looks for people who will trust Him and believe that He will be with them no matter what happens.

A reading of Joshua 1 will demonstrate God’s desire for His people, and especially His leaders, to “Fear not, be strong and very courageous.” There was a Promised Land to be taken. Forty years previously the leaders had allowed fear to prevent them leading the people of Israel into the land.

What is God calling you to do?

Are there any fears that you need to challenge?

Fear not! Be strong and very courageous and do it!

Rodney Fox was attacked by a great white shark and badly bitten around the chest and arm in December 1963.  His story of the attack and escape has been published many times.  He is regarded as a miracle survivor of one of the world’s worst non-fatal shark attacks.

In the attack Rodney’s abdomen was fully exposed and all ribs broken on his left hand side.  His diaphragm was punctured, lung ripped open, scapula was pierced, spleen uncovered, the main artery from his heart was exposed and he was minutes away from his veins collapsing due to the loss of large amounts of blood.  Tendons, fingers and thumb in his right hand were all cut and to this day he still has part of a great white tooth embedded in his wrist.  Many stitches (462) were required to sew him together after the attack.

His wetsuit is credited with holding him together. One lung was punctured. His ribs were exposed and bone was showing along his right hand and arm.

RODNEY FOX’S OWN TESTIMONY:

December 8, 1963 is a date that I’ll never forget. I was the South Australian spear fishing champion, and I was trying to regain my title. Halfway through the competition, I’d swum off shore trying to find a big strong fish.

And I dived down, I saw one.  I was within split seconds of shooting it — when all of a sudden this huge crunch, and it hit me in the chest, knocked my gun out of my hand, the mask off my face, and I was hurled through the water faster than I’ve ever swam before.

It was just a nightmare.

In the hospital, they cut my wetsuit off me, and they found that there were these huge gashes and teeth marks, and every rib in my chest had been broken, hole through the shoulder blade, the lung had been punctured.

Another miracle is the main artery from the heart to the stomach was left exposed, together with the spleen. One nick and I would have died. Nothing was missing, so when they stitched me up, and I — I repaired, and I’ve really nothing wrong with me today, except the scars.

Amazingly, Fox returned to the sea and diving after his attack.  He went on to design and build the first under water observation cage to dive with the great white shark (white pointer shark), and for over 40 years has now led major expeditions to film and study his attacker.  He is now regarded as a world authority on the great white shark and has a great reputation as an expedition leader and producer of shark films.  Rodney was involved in some way with most great white shark films made in the 20th century.  Rodney’s life since the attack has involved consulting and coordinating film crews and arranging and guiding ecotourism adventure trips and expeditions specializing in great white sharks (white pointer shark) and other marine creatures.

Comment – Dealing with Fear

Rodney Fox returned to the same beach after his wounds healed and went diving again – to face the fear that engulfed him after the initial attack, and overcome it.

When David encountered Goliath, a giant that had filled Israel’s finest soldiers with great fear, the Bible tells us (in 1 Samuel 17:48-51) that David ran quickly at him! 

There are times when we too must face our worst fear, and “run quickly at it” in some way – breaking its paralysing hold on our mindset and life.