Fearless: Conquer Your Demons and Love with Abandon

by Sonja Corbitt

What are the sources of anxiety, stress, and fear you experience in your life? Popular Catholic speaker and author Sonja Corbitt believes that these often-paralyzing emotions are the direct result of our everyday battles against sin and temptation. In Fearless, she equips us with the spiritual tools we need to restore our spiritual well-being.
The term “spiritual warfare” conjures images of heavenly battles between archangels and demons, but Sonja Corbitt insists that there is a realm of spiritual warfare that is more domestic than it is cosmic—in the trenches of dirty bathrooms, fighting children, irritable spouses, the struggle to stop smoking or overeating, crazy schedules, and overwhelming workloads.

In her new book, the author of Unleashed takes us deep into scripture and the spiritual practices of the Church in order to show us how to resist the avalanche of temptations that can threaten us and lead to paralyzing anxiety and fear. Through her powerful personal story and teaching, Corbitt shows us how to put on the armor of Christ and learn to live fearlessly, love with abandon, and embrace life with confidence.

In Unleashed, Corbitt identified the spiritual wounds that reveal themselves through the harmful patterns and relationships in our lives. In Fearless, she offers scriptural tools that help us understand and conquer the demons of sin, Satan, self, and sloth. She helps us recognize the methods the devil uses to keep us enslaved and she immerses us in a profound contemplation of love, which is the only possible weapon against the spirit of fear.

In this book you will come to understand

the spiritual roots of fear, depression, and anxiety;

ways to “abide” in Christ and find freedom from fear;

signs of negative spiritual suggestion and influence in your daily life;

the deep, personal lies we believe that keep us slaves to fear;

specific truths about the limitations of Satan’s power and character;

the “pieces” of spiritual armor that protect us from fear; and

how to rest fully in God’s goodness and love.

Each chapter contains features that will make it a popular resource for personal and group study: review notes, an invitation to prayer, and a series of probing questions (called God Prompts) that encourage you to explore the content in a deeply personal way. Fearless offers encouragement to those who are anxious or fearful about the future and who seek a spiritual solution.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Catholic

256 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2016

About the author

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She's a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller's gift - a Southern Belle with a warrior's heart and a poet's pen.

We're all sweating and dirty with the effort to love and lift all He's given to us - those people, duties, callings, and longings that break our hearts and make them sing, sometimes at the same time. But most times, we need to be loved and lifted ourselves.

So her Bible study media are created with you in mind, bites of spinach that taste like cake, to help you make space in your busy heart and schedule for God to love and lift you all the way up into His great lap, where all you've been given is loved and lifted too.

Reviews

[Monica Zeringue · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and accessible read. I truly appreciate all the references and allusions to scripture throughout this book, and felt that Corbitt applied her references very well, and often felt pleasantly surprised by her unique perspectives.

I was especially drawn to the author's psychological and historical analysis of Judas and St. Peter. While primarily a book for pastoral use, Corbitt, with her vast knowledge and experience of scripture and understanding of the Catholic faith, offers much more in her writing than just a layman's perspective.

[Janka H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gained a lot of useful insights in this book on the spiritual warfare; mostly about the real power of submission to God and waiting on God to fulfill His promises not in my time, but on His time and will; and also about the power of giving. I also got some answers about the questions I am fighting rght now, and I am thankful.

Yet, suffice to say that this is not the all-covering read on the subject. For two reasons:
1. The book covers only the "basic" spiritual warfare (think the realm of sins, not always the grave ones) and does not cover the heavy attacks or demonic possessions (think the need of exorcism). Maybe because we all are experiencing this "basic" temptations, yet only few (thanks be to God!) experience the real demonic possessions? Sure, the authoress is no exorcist and I also do not wish to read the scary stuff (I am honest here). Yet, the certain depth can be missing when covering just the "basics".
2. The book goes quite deep, yet is based on the authoress' (subjective) experience (and thus is structured like such). Which is not a bad thing per se and I am not in any means criticizing it, yet mine and your experience are not always the same.

Take this as a (warm and personal) starter on the subject, but also go deeper and read more sources, would be my advice.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of Corbitt’s I’ve read and I find her quite profound and accessible. I will probably own this book forever and really wanted to give it five stars but am seriously hung up on the fact that neither she nor her editors thought that judging Kim Kardashian, the only person I believe mentioned in the ENTIRE BOOK not in a context of their involvement in the Catholic faith, and showing her less empathy and compassion than Judas might go a bit against the “be like Jesus” goals we’re trying to achieve.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!

This book will definitely be my new "go to" book during my life's spiritual journey. I absolutely love her no nonsense approach and all of the biblical background information!!!!

[Deborah Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I love Sonya''s advice for anxiety and depression or God's advice to Elijah. Get in the word,go to church, get moving. There were other tips but these 3 were what stuck with me. Thanks Sonya for your work.

[Lynn Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I've ever read. It really helped me put my own issues in perspective.

[Amber Wilfahrt]

DNF

[Amanda Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book on spiritual warfare. I have to say that I began it at a time when I really needed to read this. Spiritual warfare is really real, people. It comes to us every single day through fear and anxiety and so much more.

I don’t know how to really review this without sharing a lot of things I would rather not share with the internet public. Rather, I will just say that it is life-changing. Really, go read this book.

There are Scripture passages for various needs, reflection questions that make great starts for journaling, and Corbitt’s own personal experiences. This book really contains A LOT more than I can even put into words.

This is probably one of the most incoherent reviews I’ve ever written but that is just the way it is going to be. This is a book that has the possibility of changing your life, especially if you use the reflection questions as journal prompts.

Seriously though, GO READ THIS BOOK! It is rather amazing and I know that I learned a lot about myself and how I react to the world around me. It is just rather great. So, get this book and let it change your life.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration. This in no way affects my opinion of the title nor the content of this review.

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legendi.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonja Corbitt’s Fearless puts fear and anxiety into a different perspective, framing them as spiritual attacks and providing tools with which to vanquish them. In short, Fearless is all about spiritual warfare. A mix of personal testimony, quotes from Scripture and the saints and plenty of wise counsel round out this book, which begs to be read (and reread) slowly and with pen and journal close by.

Read my full review.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Others have said it better

I found the book tiresome, repetitive, and the use of "Dear One" annoying. At times the book is disjointed.
Read Fr Jacques Philippe instead: shorter and clearer

[Erinn Ross Vahlkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, I took a book study through our women's group at church. She is real and full of life and truth. So much deeper than I expected. Must read!