Ticks stealthily deposit their bacteria that brings disease. The spirochetes are like little spirals that screw into our central nervous system, organs, eyes, brains, etc. They can multiply and create co-infections.

Spiritual ticks burrow into the lining of our heart. They deposit toxic substances that destroy our health. You may have heard expressions such as burr in their saddle, something stuck in their craw, or prickly person ~ descriptions of folks with unresolved issues.

Bitter root judgments. Hebrews 12:15. Unforgiveness. Matthew 18:34-35. Perverse tongue. James 3:6. Bitterness. Acts 8:23. Negative thoughts. Matthew 15:19. Adultery. Proverbs 6:32. Stuck in the past. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Anger. Ephesians 4:26-27.

Walking in the fear of the Lord protects us from spiritual diseases. Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” 

Our character is defined by what we do behind closed doors. Are we the same in private as we are in public? Paul could encourage his readers to imitate him. Can you? The secret dialogues of our hearts, pave the way for our spoken words and visible actions.

I love Hebrews 1:3. It says of Jesus, “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…” The Greek word for express image is charakter. It means an exact representation. We are called with a holy calling to exemplify the Lord in every aspect of our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that inner transformation takes place as we gaze on Him. As we behold Him, a spiritual metamorphosis takes place. Our progressive sanctification journey is designed to conform us more and more to His image. The pressures from our trials bring up the hidden dross that would taint our testimony.

James 1:14 is a behind the scenes look at the bait used to entrap us through temptations. It says, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”

I want to couple this with Judges 16. Samson was a Nazarite from birth. His parents were given specific instructions. Samson violated them on several occasions. He was a judge in Israel for twenty years, and a mortal enemy of the Philistines.

Samson also was an immoral man. He was tempted, drawn away by his own desires, and enticed. In verse 5 the lord of the Philistines said to Delilah, a harlot, “…Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him…” 

The secret hidden sins in our hearts, ignite our smoldering desires which will lead us right into the trap set to overpower and defeat us.

If you struggle with fear, take Isaiah 41:10 like medicine ~ three times a day. God is with us, because He is IN us. Entertaining fearful thoughts causes dirt to be piled upon our gift of heart peace. Though it is there, fear has distracted us from its presence.

Peace is an irrevocable gift, but it is maintained through our thoughts. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” The Hebrew word for stayed means to lean upon.

I love Psalm 55:22. It says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Here is my working definition for casting something on the Lord. In Acts 28:3 a poisonous viper fastened on his hand. Verse 4 says he shook it off. When a thought of fear comes ~ shake off the distraction!

It is good to remember Paul’s instruction in 2 Timothy 1:7. It says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The Greek definition for sound mind is: good judgement, disciplined thought patterns, and the ability to understand and make right decisions.

Fear is the enemy of disciplined thoughts. Fear, like worry, divides the mind. I often remind myself of Job’s words. Job 3:25 says, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Fear plots a mental pathway that can become a rut we fall into. I’ve heard that fear is misplaced faith. Since faith is in One Who never changes, fear is therefore the fruit of worry which may never happen. As children of the Living God, we have nothing to fear. 

Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore…” What is the therefore there for? Verse 25 clearly states that no one can serve two masters. Let’s continue the verse, “…do not worry about your life…” 

The Greek word’s definition for worry: to divide into two parts. Worry is a distraction, a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress, and pressure. Well we all know the word stress. Did you know that stress can serve us?

We can use stress as a signal to remind us that we are absolutely dependent on the Lord. We tend to forget that when we feel overwhelmed. John 15:5 is my reminder. It says, “…without Me you can do nothing.” It is so succinct.

Since our thoughts control our brain, worry tells our brain that all is not well. It then signals our body which throws us into perpetual fight or flight ~ generating stress hormones.