Getting to Grips with Fear

Fear is an emotion caused by the belief that something or someone poses a threat to us. We can all remember feeling this destructive emotion at some time, and we are familiar with how it affects our ability to do what needs to be done. Fear in any area is never okay, especially if it keeps us from fulfilling God’s mission for us. However, trusting His Word to us in this area strengthens us to overcome it and keep moving forward.

We are not ordinary people, but children of God Himself. When we truly believe this, fear loses its grip on us. “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). The spirit of fear causes us to weaken our resolve and shrink back. The Spirit of God enables us to overcome whatever adversity or trouble presents itself. Fear is a distressing emotion caused by impending danger, whether it is real or imagined. What’s the difference? Real fear is when you encounter a situation that is real in every sense of the word, for example being chased by a lion, or coming face to face with a king cobra! Imagined fear, on the other hand, is when a situation is not physically happening but your mind says it is! For example, when you experience a 3-D drawing as in a picture when you visit a Museum of Illusions!

FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real! In 2 Tim.1:7, Paul writes, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind”. The Bible makes it clear that fear is a spirit first, not just a human emotion. Its root is an evil spirit that is in competition with God’s spirit. It does not mean that a person is necessarily “possessed” as we know it, but it is an open door for evil spirits to come in. This spirit draws us backward and paralyses us from moving forward. Its assignment is to stop you from progressing in your walk with God.

Here are some Hebrew and Greek words that describe fear in the Bible:

Yira (Hebrew) – fear or terror towards something

Yare (Hebrew) – to be frightened when put in a fearful situation

Deilia (Hebrew) – to be timid, cowardice and remain silent without doing anything

Tremo (Greek) a.k.a Tremor – to shudder, shake, or shiver

Agonia (Greek) a.k.a. Agony – to experience mental anguish or emotional struggle

Phobos (Greek) a.k.a. Phobia – to have an irrational fear or something unlikely to happen

For a Christian, understanding fear can help us shake off a lot of consequences that will follow us when we live a life that has fear in it. Understanding fear will help us deal with it.

1. Fear Will Cause Us To Run And Hide From God & Man

2. Fear Will Cause Us To Lie

In Genesis 12:11-13& Genesis 26:6-7, we read how Abraham and Isaac lied about their wives! It was a case of like father like son! Abraham lied to the Egyptians that Sarai was his sister. But God warned Pharaoh about Sarai and Pharaoh questioned Abraham. By Pharaoh’s line of questioning, we know that he heard it from Abraham himself. Then in Genesis 26, Isaac lies to King Abimelech in the same manner about Rebekah. They were both afraid, the Bible says, and that fear caused them to lie. We often think that lying can get us out of a situation. That is a lie of the enemy. The truth always sets us free. How many of us fall into this trap almost regularly? The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves (Prov.13:5). Let us be righteous before God and be a sweet-smelling aroma and not a stench!

3. Fear Causes Us To Back Out

In Psalm 78:9, we read about the tribe of Ephraim. They were one of the largest tribes in Israel armed with weapons of war. But on the day of battle, the Bible says they turned back from battle. Cowardice set in. What happened? Fear crept in and caused them to be cowards! Because they had not kept the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law, the enemy crept in. How many of us have taken our fellowship with God for granted and not kept His ways? Do we only fellowship with God on Sunday at church or is it every moment of the day?“But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments (Nehemiah 9:16). Let us keep the Lord always before us and never forget His goodness in our lives.

4. Fear Causes Us To Want To End It All

We see this happening in the life of Elijah in 1 Kings 18 & 19. In one moment, Elijah was teasing the 450 prophets of Baal and defeating them with the fire of God. The next, he was fleeing for his life when Jezebel threatened him! When things get difficult, fear causes us to run away rather than push forward. It makes us want to give up and stop everything. You feel like there is no point in carrying on. Are you in that phase of life today? God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). Instead of running away, run to God. He will give you grace in times of trouble.

In closing, Nelson Mandela had this to say: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear!”

Whatever you are struggling with today in terms of fear in your life, don’t let it fester and take dominion over you. It is a spirit that needs to be overcome. We are called to live righteously and not demonstrate a spirit of fear. Instead, we are to show forth power, love, and a sound mind. The enemy has had his way for far too long in our lives. Let us stop that cycle and live a fear-free life in Jesus’ name!