We have been looking at the things that can hinder your faith. So today we shall look at the last enemy to faith – “FEAR!”
The only fight every Christian is called to fight is “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). To win in this battle of faith, you MUST keep fear away from your life!
The first thing we must realize is that fears are real and natural in every man. Jesus Himself expressed fear to the point of sweating blood, so God the Father understands that fear is natural.
“And being in an agony Jesus prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Lk. 22:44).
God actually commands us not to be anxious, worry or fear. The phrase “fear not” is used at least 80 times in the Bible.
Jesus said, “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue (Jairus), “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mk. 5:36).
In Matthew 14:27 Jesus spoke unto His disciples, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
The Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, saying, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).
Why does God not want us to be afraid of anything? This is because fear is a major enemy to faith. God knows that the enemy uses fear to decrease our faith and limit our victories.
Fear is the opposite of faith. Wherever there is fear, there is no faith. Fears may leave you anxious or unsettled in your mind, insecure, doubting your self-worth, having sleep problems or health problems, worrying about how tomorrow will treat you or even if there will be a tomorrow.
Fear is the weapon of Satan. There is nothing the devil can do against a fearless believer. Satan’s first step to attacking you is to get you to fear through words you hear and what you see. But if you refuse to fear, you’ll always be more than a conqueror.
Satan uses fear to hold us in bondage. For instance, many people are afraid of death.
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through (the) fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14-15).
Know that if you are afraid of anything, you are in bondage, but God will set you free today, in Jesus’ name.
The man who will not be touched in any way by the Kingdom of darkness is the one who will not fear no matter what is happening.
If you have no fear in your situation, you’ll always be victorious. That you are afraid of anything is a sign that you have no confidence in God. In reality, fear is designed to destroy your confidence in God. A fearful believer is a powerless believer.
Fear can torment you! “…fear hath torment…” (1 Jn. 4:18).
Fear alerts us to the presence of danger or the threat of harm, whether that danger is physical or psychological. Sometimes fear stems from real threats, but it can also originate from imagined dangers.
Fear is a spirit. “For God hath not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
A sound mind is a mind that is free from fear. When you are thinking fear, you don’t have a sound mind.
What is fear? Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
KJV defines fear this way, “A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger.
Fear is an important human emotion that can help protect you from danger and prepare you to take action, but it can also lead to a longer-lasting feelings of anxiety.
Fear is accompanied by a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us. Fear is the passion of our nature which excites us to provide for our security, on the approach of evil. Fear can also be a symptom of some mental health conditions including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, PHOBIAS, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Fear is an emotion induced by perceived danger or threat, which causes physiological changes and ultimately behavioural changes, such as fleeing, hiding, or freezing from perceived traumatic events.
Fear in human beings may occur in response to a certain stimulus occurring in the present, or in anticipation or expectation of a future threat perceived as a risk to oneself.
The fear response arises from the perception of danger leading to confrontation with or escape from the threat (also known as the fight-or-flight response), which in extreme cases of fear (horror and terror) can be a freeze response or paralysis.
What is a phobia? Phobia is the persistent fear of a situation, activity or thing that causes the victim to want to avoid it. Phobia is an irrational or inappropriate fear.
It just does not add up because the fear is directed toward an object or situation that does not present any real danger.
Though you recognize that the fear is unreasonable, you can't help the reaction. Over time, the fear tends to worsen as the fear of fear response takes hold.
While there are almost as many phobias as situations, the most common kinds of phobias include:
- Social phobia (fear of public speaking; meeting new people),
- Agoraphobia (Fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating), and
- Specific phobias (fear of other items or situations).
If not treated a phobia may worsen to a point where the person’s life is seriously impacted by the phobia and by the attempts to hide or avoid it, resulting in problems with physical health, friends and family, failure in school, and/or being unable to maintain employment.
For instance, the fear of flying can result in the victim being unable to travel.
Symptoms of phobia often include: Panic attacks – in that the victim may have feelings of intense fear, dread, or terror, despite understanding that those feelings are out of proportion to any real threat.
In addition the victim could experience:
- Tremors (an involuntary quivering movement; to quiver is to tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion),
- Sweating,
- Mind going blank,
- Nausea (feeling sick including an urge to vomit),
- Rapid heartbeat,
- Shortness of breath,
- Upset stomach, and
- An overwhelming desire to withdraw from the situation that is causing the phobic reaction.
What is a panic attack? Panic attacks are repeated attacks of fear that can last for several minutes.
Fear is closely related to the emotion, anxiety: Anxiety occurs as a result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.
Conclusion: Beloved, what are you afraid of today? Realize that fear denies God access into your life. Fear blocks the power of God from flowing into your life to break that yoke of bondage – sickness, poverty, failure, untimely death. I challenge you to start living a fearless life from today!
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
- Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor) May 3rd, 2020
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