Don't Fear Failure and Rejection

  I have this fear of starting something and failing, making me feel totally inadequate and dumb. So rather than start and find out what I can't do I'd rather just never start and imagine that if  I tried I actually would be successful.  
 I have a fear of speaking. Speaking in crowds or speaking on a one-to-one level. I just know I'll fail at appearing to be the halfway intelligent person they might think I am if I just hadn't opened my mouth. Or I might offend someone or end up looking like a fool because maybe my ideas won't match the general run of popularity.
 I have a fear of writing, fear that I won't be able to do it properly or that what I write won't make sense or that it will read just plain stupid.
 As I was thinking about fear and what it can do to a person I realized- thats exactly what satan wants us to do! He wants us to fear failure so we never start, therefore thwarting any plans God might have for our lives, never fulfilling the dreams He has placed in our hearts.
 I think sometimes 'If God would just speak audibly to me and tell me what to do I wouldn't be so afraid of failing'. Probably not true. Moses apparently felt fear and inadequacy even though God was speaking directly to him. When God spoke to him from the burning bush he argued with God and said (Exodus 3) "Who am I that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? and God told Him, "Certainly I will be with thee." Moses says, But who am I supposed to say sent me? God said, Tell them I AM THAT I AM sent you. (chapter 4) Moses says, But they won't believe me. They'll say 'The Lord didn't appear unto you'. God said (paraphrased), If they don't believe you start showing them these signs I just showed you. Moses says, But Lord I'm not eloquent, I'm slow of speech and slow of tongue. God said, who made mans mouth, or who made the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind? Didn't I? Now go and I'll be your mouth and teach you what to say.
  After pondering over this I came to the conclusion that fear is the devils #1 tool and we so easily fall prey to it.
 God didn't tell Joshua- 'Be very careful you don't fail in this important mission I have given you'. He said (Joshua 1:6 )"Be strong and of a good courage..." (v.7) "Only be thou strong and very courageous..." (v.9) Be strong and of a good courage;be not afraid neither be thou dismayed..."
 God can't steer a ship that's not moving (well he can but He won't force us). If we never move off the spot because we're afraid we're not even giving Him the chance to show us the supernatural things He would do in our lives. Fear of failure and rejection paralizes! God gave us a vision bigger than we are so we have to grow to fulfill it but it takes Him to pull it off. If God put a dream in our heart than at some point it will require the supernatural to fulfill it. That's what satan does not want! He wants us to fear failure to the point that we just sit back and do nothing therefore not giving God the chance to work the supernatural.
 So if there is something in your life you fear- embrace it! That is probably the very area that you will succeed in and satan wants to stop you.
 There will be times when you will fail. But don't be defeated. God says, Be strong and couragous I will be with you.
 Failure doesn't mean you done for- it just means you figured out what doesn't work. One less thing to figure out before success. God says you stand up and I'll stand with you!