The Bible has a lot to say about fear. We are told to “Fear not” 76 times in the Bible. God wants us to be free from fear because:
Fear is a Crippler
It can and will keep you from enjoying life. It can keep you from making that sale, asking that certain girl out on a date, or sharing Jesus with your neighbor. It can keep you in torment about what might happen. It can prevent you from fulfilling the destiny and calling God has for you. It can cause you to make crazy decisions that are harmful to you. It can destroy you.
Fear is a Killer
Heart disease, ulcers, and other diseases are caused or at least aggravated by fear. Fear breaks down your immune system. Some doctors estimate that up to 80% of medical conditions are stress related.
Fear is Bondage
Hebrews 2:14-15 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
You might say “I’ve never had an inordinate fear of dying”. The Biblical concept of death does not mean the cessation of life, but the quality of life separated from God. With God you have love, joy, peace… (Galatians 5:22). Without God, you have immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry… (Galatians 5:19-21). ‘Death’ in Biblical terms also means to be rendered ineffective or inoperative, such as “Faith without works is dead”, or like a dead battery.
Fear Draws Oppression
(Isa 54:14) In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
If you will be far from oppression if you do not fear, then you will be near to oppression if you do fear. Faith and fear are similar in operation but opposite in effect. Just as faith believes for the blessings of God and gives God the opportunity to work in your life, fear believes for the worst to happen and gives Satan the opportunity to work in your life.
Job 3:25 25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.
What happened to Job? All his children were killed, and his stuff stolen. Look at Job 1:4-5: Job continually made sacrifices for his kids, saying “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” In Job’s eyes, being ignorant of the scene in heaven where we see it was Satan who was attacking him, that’s what it looked like happened – his kids must have cursed God in their hearts, and God sent a great wind to crumble the house on top of them.
The Spirit of Fear
You could take “God has not given us a spirit of fear” to mean that God has not given us a demon to harass us and cripple us with fear, but it means more than that.
Fear is no longer part of our spiritual makeup. Fear is an integral part of the spiritual nature of someone who is not born again. But God has given us a new, regenerated spirit – we are new creatures in Christ – of which fear is not a part.
Romans 8:14-15 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 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.”
If fear is no longer part of our spiritual makeup, why do Christians still fear?
When we are born again, our spiritual nature is regenerated/renewed, but our soul – the mind, will, and emotions – is not. If we had a pattern of fearfulness or timidity before we were born again, we might still have that afterwards. We have to be trained otherwise, and let the new spiritual nature on the inside work its way out to change our soul, and therefore our behavior. This is the process of renewing the mind (Romans 12:1-3).
Tools to Combat Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
This verse lists three tools that God has given us to combat fear: Power, Love, and a Sound Mind.
Power
The Greek word translated power is dunameos, from which the word dynamite comes from. It means power, strength, ability, might.
A lot of the fear that Christians experience stems from feelings of inferiority or a fear of failure. What if I can’t perform? What if I don’t measure up? What if people don’t accept me?
God has put power and ability into your spirit. You are not inadequate. You can do it. You can be a success.
Does this sound like positive thinking? Well, it is! A good deal of what is required to be a success is believing you can.
1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Our sufficiency comes from the fact that God indwells us. We can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Ephesians 6:10).
Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
What does strengthen mean? To give power and ability. God will empower us to do all He has called us to do – to something as simple as overcoming shyness or doing well at our jobs, to preaching the gospel with boldness.
Mark 9:23 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Authority over evil spirits
Our ability to overcome fear is also related to our authority over spirits that cause fear. We no longer have fear in our spiritual nature, but if we listen and heed the deceptions of the evil one, we can fall into fear.
We are no match for demonic spirits in a head to head comparison of strength since we are humans and demons have angelic-like powers, but we have the power of God backing up what we say and command.
The President of the United States does not have any greater strength physically than any other man, but he exercises great authority. When he speaks, there are tremendous forces backing up his words, as long as he stays within the boundaries of his authority.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
We can have the devil running scared. The Lord told my wife Emily a number of years ago when she was struggling with shyness and feeling inadequate, “Fear is afraid of you”.
The devil takes a chance every time he attacks a Christian. He knows your past behavior, but what if a revelation of your authority has dropped into your spirit since the last time he attacked? It would be like you were an instant karate expert and he’s going to try to mug you.
Love
1 John 4:15-19 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 We love Him because He first loved us.
In vs. 18 it says that perfect love will kick out fear. Fear and love are incompatible, they cannot coexist, and love is stronger.
Perfect love – love that has been brought to completion. If you fear, it does not mean that you have no love, but that your love has not been completed/perfected yet.
Love for who?
Jesus summarized the commandments of the Old Testamentinto two: Love God, and your neighbor as yourself. But there is another revelation concerning love that supersedes any love that we could have: God is love, and He loves us.
In vs. 16 it says we must come to know and believe the love which God has for us. This is the revelation of love which will cast out fear.
We must realize that God loves us and cares for us, and not just in the sense that God loved us enough to send Jesus to die for our sins. Tremendous as that is, it is not enough to get you through your everyday life. You must also believe that He takes an active interest in even the small details of your life.
Luke 12:7 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Why did God put that in there? Just to show us how detailed His database on us is? Does He just enjoy collecting trivia?
Jesus is saying He is concerned with the minutiae and details of your life. Men, He is concerned if your “number” seems to be decreasing. Women, He is concerned if you can’t do a thing with your “number”.
What is to be the effect on us that God knows how many hairs we have? “Do not fear, therefore…”
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
We can develop a trust in a God that cares for us so much.
Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Hebrews 13:5-6 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper;I will not fear.What can man do to me?”
You want to get rid of fear? Concentrate on how much God loves you.
What was the downfall of the Israelites in the wilderness? You can quote Hebrews 3:19 and say it was their unbelief, but what did that unbelief stem from?
It was from fear. In Numbers 13:30-33, they feared the people of the land, and therefore brought the bad report to discourage the people of Israel.
Why did they have fear, what was its root? They really didn’t believe that God loved them. They were constantly complaining, “Why did God bring us out into this wilderness, to kill us?”.
Deuteronomy 1:27-28 27 and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
28 Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.” ‘
The unbelief the children of Israel had was not in God’s ability to deliver them and bring them into the promised land – He had demonstrated His ability over the mightiest army in the earth, the Egyptians. They doubted God’s willingness and His intentions for them. They doubted His love for them.
It was a fear of the unknown. In Egypt, they were in bondage; but it was a known bondage. They had no freedom, but they were fed. And they weren’t the ones doing the fighting in Egypt – they just sat back and watched what God was doing.
In the wilderness, things were turned around. They didn’t know where their next meal would come from – until God sent the manna. God was teaching them how to trust.
And when it came time to enter the Promised Land at the first – it was they that were going to have to do the fighting. They did not yet believe that God could work wonders through them. And they would rather go back into the bondage that they had known, than face the unknown.
That lack of belief in God’s love for them allowed fear to be in them, and that fear caused them to rebel against God. And the very thing that they were dreading – that they were going to die in the wilderness – is what came upon them. Like Job, their fear drew the oppression upon them.
A Sound Mind
The Greek word translated “sound mind” is sophronismou – it means sound minded, self control, or disciplined. From the root words sozo, to save, and phren, mind. So it literally means a saved mind.
The way fear attacks us is through thoughts. A mind full of fear is uncontrolled, undisciplined. God has not only provided for the spiritual side of fear, but for the mental and emotional side.
The most common form of fear is worry and anxiety, or care. Care: a state of mental anguish over circumstances or people.
The Bible is clear in its position on worry and anxiety: don’t do it!
Philippians 4:6-8 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.
The Bible says that instead of worrying, we should pray – make our requests, what we want to happen, known to God. And we should thank Him at the same time. In turn, He will send His peace.
You cannot just stop worrying – you have to replace it with something else.
Matthew 12:24 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…
Like losing weight, which happens when you take in less calories than you burn. Either eat less calories (watch what you eat), or burn more (exercise). And it’s doubly effective when you do both.
You can either decrease your exposure to things that cause anxiety, or, you can increase your intake of the Word of God.
Don’t Act on Fear
John 14:1 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
John 14:27 27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jesus told us not to let – not to allow – our hearts to be troubled, or be afraid. One thing we can take comfort in, is that if the Word of God tells us to do something, then it is possible for us to do it. To help us do this, Jesus has left His peace with us. This is the “peace that passes understanding” that Paul talked about in Phillipians 4.
Mark 4:35-41 35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Jesus and the disciples get in a boat, He says, “Let’s go to the other side”, then lays down for a nap.
Vs. 37 a great windstorm arises, and the waves beat against the boat so that it was filling up. And what is Jesus doing during all this? He’s still asleep! The boat had to be tossed all about on the waves, and He must have been getting wet from the water filling the boat up, but He’s still peacefully sleeping in the back! How could He do this?
He could because He believed the Father loved Him. He knew His end would not come by drowning in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. He must have had direction from the Father to cross to the other side since He only did what the Father told Him to, so He knew He would make it.
Vs. 38 the disciples wake Him with, “Master don’t you care that we perish?” They are questioning His care and His love for them. It is interesting also that that very day He had just taught them how the cares of this world come to steal the Word of God from our hearts.
After He rebuked the wind, He turned to them and said “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
Don’t be led by fear
Romans 8:14-1614 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 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.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Let’s look at these verses from Romans 8 from a slightly different angle, that of guidance. The sons of God should be led by the Spirit of God. But there is another spirit around that will attempt to lead you – the spirit of bondage. That of course is Satan. And the way Satan leads people and gets them to do what he wants is through fear.
Unfortunately, most Christians allow themselves to be led by fear at least at some time or another. If you are being led by fear, you are not being led by the Spirit of God. Are you being pressured to do something right now, to act on your own? That’s not God.
Colossians 3:1515 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
The Amplified version says “Let the peace of God act as umpire in your hearts”. If you are troubled and anxious and worried, you can’t hear what the peace is saying.
Putting it into Practice
The first step to experiencing the controlled mind is to claim it like any other promise of God. For example, we are told in 1 Peter 2:24 “By His stripes we are healed.” It’s purchased. Have we experienced that healing? How do you get that to happen? By putting faith in the promise: believing, confessing, acting.
Instead of saying, “I’m a worrywort; it’s my nature to worry,” say “God has given me a sound, disciplined mind with thoughts under my control and not controlled by fear.”
Dealing with Thoughts
Thoughts have three sources: yourself, God, or Satan/the world. Worry or anxiety can be triggered by your own thought habits in response to a circumstance or something you hear or see, or directly by demonic forces.
Fear can only present itself to you. It cannot control you unless you take the thought as your own.
Matthew 6:31 KJV Therefore take no thought, saying….
You take a thought and make it your own when you begin to repeat it and act on it.
Faith and fear are opposite forces, but they operate in a similar fashion. What is worry? It is being in a distressed state of mind over something that has not happened, and may never happen. Faith gives substance to the things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). Fear gives substance to the things despaired of.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
“Judge” thoughts to determine whether they should be “taken” or not. Do they contradict the Word?
1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God…
You can test/judge thoughts also:
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Are they “good and perfect”? (Note Phillipians 4:8 also talks about this).
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Or do they come to steal, kill, or destroy?
If they don’t measure up, don’t accept them – put them on “reject”.
