This is a message from leading the way with Dr. Michael Youssef. We pray that it will encourage you in your

walk of faith. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Youssef or leading the way, please visit

ltw.org.

Growing up under dictatorship, you are not allowed to verbalize what you think, especially if it's critical of the socialist dictator who's running the country.

And so in public places, what you do, if you ever want to say something even to a family member and you're in public, you have to whisper.

You have to lower your voice.

You have to look around and make sure nobody's listening.

And then you say, what you have to say.

In fact, we had the saying that the walls have ears.

In other words, be very careful.

And that's how we were trained to be terrified.

And that's how dictators dominate and rule and really destroy by the power of fear.

You cannot speak your mind.

You're terrified to speak your mind.

You cannot express your own thoughts.

In school, you basically parrot the dictator's party line, and they're not say anything

to the country, otherwise you'll probably disappear and nobody will know where you are.

So I understand this incredible power. After escaping to the freedom of the West, it took me a long time to get out of that grip of fear.

In fact, I remember one time in a restaurant and I was talking to a friend and I was saying

something and then I turned around, I was looking around, and then I said what I said, and he said,

why did you do that? And for the first time, I came face to face with that incredible power

of fear that had gripped me and continued, even though I have been away from the country

...