Fighting Fear

Scriptures: 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15, Proverbs 9:10, Isaiah 41:10, John 10:10

WHAT IS FEAR?

Did you know that humans are only born with two innate fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises? These are survival fears that trigger a fight, flight or freeze response in us. Therefore, all other fears are learnt, taught or developed. For example, if a child grows up watching their parents freak out anytime a grasshopper jumps across their line of sight, there is a good chance that the child will also develop an irrational fear of grasshoppers. Fears can be triggered by a wide range of dynamics, such as objects and their perceived danger, real or not. By future events based on imagined or worrying concerns. They can also be based on life-threatening experiences and the potential of pain. For some, it is simply the vast space of the unknown, such as the deep waters of the ocean, coupled with an overly vivid imagination highly influenced by the movie “Jaws.” (Raise your hands if you are with me on that one?) 

The four biggest fears most people struggle with are: 

1. The fear of failure. 
2. The fear of not being good enough. 
3. The fear of disappointing others. 
4. The fear of rejection. 

Other fears include uncertainty, FOMO, change, losing control, being judged, getting hurt and death. These types of fears are all linked to some experience of emotional, psychological or physical pain and the concern that it may happen again. The fact that we are born into a fallen, broken world means that we all will, at some point or another, experience pain, which ends up feeding our fears and our need to try and control everything around us.

The Bible tells us over 300 times to “fear not” and uses 35 different words to describe the concept of fear, some even stating that fear is good. Let’s take a look at three different fear contexts. 

Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” 

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear.” 

These three scriptures speak different messages about fear. Isaiah 41:10 clearly states that we should not fear anything except God because He is greater than everything. Proverbs 9:10 instructs us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. This expression of fear is not about being afraid but having reverent awe and respect for his sovereignty. 2 Timothy 1:7, however, speaks about not being controlled or impacted by a spirit of fear that steals, kills and destroys. 

As a counsellor, I hear stories of how painful life experiences, coupled with lies, result in crippling fears that rob and make people’s worlds very small. It is safe to conclude that it is crucial to discern the roots of fear and know how to fight against the spirit of fear, which seeks to make our worlds very small. Understanding this type of fear is the goal of this reading plan. 

Pray:

Lord, as I seek to walk this journey of fighting my fears with you, I pray for your protection, wisdom and discernment and for you to surround me with your truth. 

Scriptures: Hebrews 2:14-15, Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:3-4, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

FEAR HAS AN AUTHOR

A spirit of fear is better understood in the reality that this fear has an author. This concept is crucial if we are going to know how to fight against fear successfully. The online publication “Psychology Today,” wrote an article called “The Five Deceptions of Fear” and had this to say: “For fear to successfully convince us to see the reality it wants us to see and not the reality that is, it must first distort the truth about how it distorts the truth. We must not know that fear is a distortion, or we would no longer believe in it. So, fear draws a veil of obscurity over the way things are and then keeps us in darkness about what it has done.” I found this article fascinating in the way that fear was personified. 

The biblical root starting point of fear is based on the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” 

Remember, death was NOT God’s plan for us. This is why even the idea of death causes so much fear in us as human beings. Death resulted from not obeying God’s clear instructions, which was not eating from the knowledge of good and evil. In Genesis 3:4, who was the author of the lie “you won’t die“? 

Fear has an author. The fruit of agreeing with the lies of this author is fear. 

I used to love flying until I became a parent, then fear crept in through the thought of what would happen to my children if I had to die in a plane crash. (Note: I had no fear if my kids were with me on the same flight.) The fear thought’s goal was to get me to doubt the goodness of God towards my kids and get me to live a small life by never flying again or crippling me with anxiety that I had no energy for ministry. Fear has an author and agenda. 

The good news, however, is based on the truth that through the death of Jesus, the power of the author of fear – the devil has been broken according to Hebrews 2:14-15.This is an incredible hope handle to align our minds to the freedom found in Christ. “Oh, death, where is your sting?”

Reflections:

• Consider the fears you struggle with. 
• Think back on the thoughts that entered your mind when you first felt fear. 
• Consider the lies spoken into your mind that triggered the rippling effects of fear. 

Pray:

Lord, I pray you reveal the root lies behind my fears. I pray for your wisdom to discern the lies that seek to prevent me from trusting in your goodness, power and strength. Thank you, Lord, that your perfect love casts out fear. I pray for a fresh experience of your love today. Amen.

Scriptures: John 10:10, Ephesians 6:11, 2 Timothy 1:7, Jeremiah 29:11

FEAR HAS AN AGENDA

When we process the reality that fear has an author and an agenda, it automatically places us in a position of power. In the same way that a good army would invest in obtaining intel on their enemy, scripture is clear that we need to stand firm against the schemes and strategies of our enemy. The King James Version of Ephesians 6:11used the word “wiles” for schemes. The Greek word for “wiles” is “Methodeia,” which means to “lie in wait, to follow craftily framed devices, to investigate by methods and plans.” It is very clear from these descriptions that the enemy has an agenda and a strategy for that agenda. 

John 10:10 tells us his agenda is to Steal, Kill and Destroy. 

1. To steal is to take away by theft. Consider in your life what aspects of your authority, confidence, beliefs, purpose, potential or passions have been robbed due to lies thrown at you with the agenda of disqualifying you. How differently would you have lived your life had you not made agreements with those lies? 

2. To kill is to slay or slaughter. Consider aspects of yourself you have put to death because of fear. Putting to death the desire to trust others due to the fear of betrayal and the desire to be vulnerable due to the fear of being shamed or the fear of trying something new due to the fear of failure. So we make vows that we will never trust again, never be vulnerable again, never attempt anything new again. We put to death desires, dreams or hopes. 

3. To destroy is to abolish or put an end to. Consider the desires, dreams and hopes that you have not even allowed yourself to face; they are not just dead but buried. To live in a permanent place of hopelessness will make the heart sick with despair. This, too often than not, is the driving force behind suicide. The ultimate final blow of the enemy is to blind a person to any potential hope in the Lord.

Yes, the enemy has an agenda, but the good news is that God has an agenda, too. 2 Timothy 1:7 makes it very clear that God’s agenda for us is to live in love, power and with a sound mind. These power tools of truth empower us to fight fear with freedom. 

PRAY:

Jesus, I thank you that I don’t have to live in fear. Thank you that your plans for me are for good, to prosper me and not bring harm, to give me hope and a future. Help me align my mind to these truths as I fight the agenda of fear. 

Scriptures: John 8:31-32, James 1:21-25, Philippians 4:8, 2 Timothy 1:7

TRUTH RESULTS IN FREEDOM FROM FEAR

One of the key strategies the enemy uses is based on discrediting God’s character, His word (truth) and His goodness. He knows this because scripture is clear that “truth will set us free.” He knows that if he can get you to believe the lie and doubt the truth, he has got you. Therefore, the opposite is true. 

When we fight fear with truth, the result is freedom. 

Do you know the truth? 

In John 8:31-32, Jesus gives us context for knowing the truth that will set us free. Jesus tells us that faithfulness to his teachings is where truth is found. The fact is this: even the Devil knows what truth is. However, he is “not faithful” to the teaching of Jesus. An action follows up faithfulness. To remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus requires a choice of action, in other words, an alignment of behaviour. James 1:21-25 captures the choice of action so beautifully. James states that listening to the word of God must be followed up by an action; otherwise, we are only fooling ourselves. (Added to that, the enemy is deceiving you.) 

For example, I know that exercise is good for me; this is a truth. However, I don’t always “feel” like exercising; therefore, do my feelings then nullify this as truth? Absolute not. Truth is unchanging, whether I apply it or not. However, truth only brings freedom when applied. I will only learn the truth of how good exercise is for me after I have done it. Application of truth becomes experienced wisdom. 

I encourage this: the more you focus on aligning every aspect of your life with Jesus’ teaching, the less fear will have a foothold over you. Don’t let the focus be fear; let the focus be finding truth. Let your focus be truth, and the by-product of that will be freedom from fears. Every time I climb on an aeroplane, I thank God for His projection and tell Him that I trust in the goodness of His heart for my kids, even if something should happen to that plane. The more I focus on who He is, the less fear has room to grow roots. However, if I climb on the plane and my thoughts start playing through every noise and possible worst-case scenario, I will fear the entire flight. What you focus on is what you will see. 

Hence, Philippians 4:8 tells us to fix our thoughts on truth. This is the most powerful weapon for fighting fears. 

As we wrap up this reading plan, please consider how disciplined your mind is regarding its focus. List your fear thoughts, then look up scriptures that speak the truth to those fears. Meditate on those truths and turn them into declarations of thanks and prayers of invitation. God’s heart for us is to live with the power of His Spirit, along side the revelation of His love for us, which produces a sound mind of peace. 

PRAY

Jesus, I thank you that you are for me and not against me. I thank you that freedom is found in you. I invite you today into every fearful thought, and I pray that you shine a light exposing the lie whilst declaring your truth over my life. I am so grateful that I don’t have to walk this life journey alone; thank you for never leaving me.