Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

I heard part of this quote in the good movie Akeelah and the Bee. Akeelah was told to read it from a framed copy on her spelling coach’s wall. They attributed it to no one, and I see that some people falsely claim it comes from Nelson Mandela. But the quote comes from a motivational speaker named Marianne Williamson in her book A Return to Love. She is extracting an idea she draws from A Course in Miracles, which is New Age self-help material from the 60s.

Having learned that, I guess I’m a little embarrassed the quote resonated with me so much. Maybe I’m too hungry for affirmation. Maybe I lust for the golden calf of personal fame. I don’t know, but it can’t be good to desire to hear that I am terrible powerful, should overcome my fear of myself, and run with that enlightening power. I am not who I am living for.

I don’t even live by my own will. But I’m not dead fish either. I must choose to fight in order to overcome my fear of inadequacy and my lust for recognition. That great preacher (have you heard of him?) Thomas Watson said:

Fighting is the best way to have peace. By sitting still, we tempt the enemy to fall upon us and wound us. Our peace is preserved by war with Satan. He who has been skirmishing all day may take David’s pillow at night and say, “I will lay me down in peace.”

QUESTION. How may we fight the good fight so as to overcome?

ANSWER. Let us fight in the strength of Christ. Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Grace itself, if it is not strengthen by Christ, will be beaten out of the field. Some fight against sin in the strength of their vows and resolutions—and so are foiled. We must go out against our spiritual antagonists in the strength of Christ—like David went out against Goliath in the name of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45). “The saints overcame the accuser of the brethren—by the blood of the Lamb” Revelation 12:11.

We must fight on our knees by prayer. Prayer whips the devil. The arrow of prayer, put into the bow of the promise and shot with the hand of faith, pierces the old serpent. Prayer brings God over to our side, and then we are on the strongest side. Let us pray that God will enable us to overcome all our ghostly enemies. While Joshua was fighting, Moses was praying on the mount (Exodus 17:11). So while we are fighting, let us be praying (Ephesians 6:1318). The way to overcome is upon our knees.