I was especially intimidated in certain meetings where other ministers were gathered. I remember praying, “Lord, deliver me from being intimidated around my peers, and help me to overcome fear and to be bold!”
After I went to Bible School, I began to receive invitations to minister. Speaking in front of people was a strong area of intimidation for me as a schoolgirl. Well, I started to preach. I shook, quivered, and trembled, but remained determined to overcome the intimidation of people and hold on tightly to God’s hand.
I confessed over and over, “…I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isa. 41:13).
I was especially intimidated in certain meetings where other ministers were gathered. I remember praying, “Lord, deliver me from being intimidated around my peers, and help me to overcome fear and to be bold!” And then I confessed, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and I am as bold as a lion!”
Then I learned a very important lesson: we should be careful what we pray for!
Suddenly, well-known preachers and teachers were in almost every meeting I attended. When I prayed for God to deliver me, He sent me right into that situation! If I allowed the devil to get the best of me by taking over my thoughts, I would just fold up—and I couldn’t do that!
Rev. Kenneth Hagin hosted a series of Holy Ghost meetings about that time, and I attended as many of those meetings as I could. One particular evening, after a day off that had turned into a entire day of shopping, I decided to slip into the meeting to hear some good preaching.
I hadn’t spent a lot of time in prayer that day. I hadn’t even washed my hair! I thought, “This is my day off. I’m not going to have to do anything there. I’m just going to go over there and receive the Word of the Lord.”
I grabbed a Bible on my way out the door and found a seat in the auditorium just as Brother Hagin stepped to the podium. He said, “The Lord is using women in ministry today….” I praised the Lord and thought, “I’m glad he said that. That’s good news for me!”
Brother Hagin continued, “As a matter of fact, we’re going to have a woman preach tonight.” I thought, “Wow! Cool! I wonder who it is. This is going to be good.” He said, “Kate….” And my heart went…whomp!
Then I thought, “Maybe there’s another Kate out hear somewhere. I sure hope so.” But Brother Hagin said, “Kate McVeigh, come on up here and preach.” Talk about intimidation trying to get a stronghold!
Once I recovered from the shock and finally stood to my feet, I started walking toward the front of the auditorium when someone reminded me that I didn’t have my Bible, so I went back to my seat, grabbed my Bible, and took off.
You can imagine what went through my mind when I got to the podium and realized that the Bible I had picked up as I ran out of the house was one of those daily devotional Bibles laid out with selected passage of Scripture from the Old and New Testaments, Psalms, and Proverbs. It isn’t really designed as a reference book. It’s a method of reading through the Bible in a year.
I knew I couldn’t preach from that Bible! I wouldn’t be able to locate scriptures quickly enough, so I didn’t read them, I quoted them.
Praise the Lord! He moved powerfully that evening, and after the first few minutes of crippling fear, I became very bold. I learned that God can do anything…through anyone…in spite of all kinds of uncomfortable circumstances.
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Kate McVeigh has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad for over 35 years! Kate teaches people how to rise above challenging circumstances and win in life through a personal relationship with a loving God!
Kate’s testimony is truly inspiring. She struggled in school as a teen being painfully shy and vowed never to speak in front of people. However, after receiving the Lord at age 16, she was healed of a learning disability and immediately began speaking in front of crowds big and small, boldly sharing that God can take your hurt and turn it into healing. Your mess can become a message of Victory, and your test can be turned into a powerful testimony helping others to receive God’s goodness and love!
After high school, Kate graduated from Rhema Bible College and began her full-time traveling ministry more than 35 years ago. Speaking hundreds of times each year in churches, conferences, TV appearances, and through her daily radio broadcast, The Voice of Faith. Kate has authored many books, and some of her best-selling books such as The Blessing of Favor, Get Over It, and others have been translated into more than ten different languages.
As your Faith Coach, Kate will help teach you how to win in life by applying and standing on the powerful promises found in God’s Word.