Overcoming Fear

So many believers live their lives each day in fear. I’m sure at some point you’ve been there—where fear called your name. You may have listened and followed it to places you didn’t want to go. You received the lie or lies of the enemy resulting in more fear, frustration, condemnation, or worse.

We are not to live in fear as children of God. We know that, yet we don’t always counter and conquer the fear. This makes us more susceptible to following any other fear that we dwell on. Ted Dekker makes this statement: fear draws more fear. The more you stay in fear, the more fear expands in your thinking and finds you. It is like a magnet. When a magnet is put near another magnet, both are pulled toward each other (magnetic attraction). Let’s not forget magnets can also repel or push away other magnets.

In spiritual terms, the enemy uses the magnet of fear to draw you IN to pay further attention to more fear he suggests. If he gets an opportunity, he’ll take it and pull you right along. But we are more aware of his schemes and gaining greater freedom from fear. Know child of God, we are magnets of the power of God. We are learning to repel and push away the enemy’s fear magnets. We don’t want them taking root in our heart and mind.

Christian singer Zach Williams expresses what fear does in his song Fear is a Liar. (I hope you can listen to his song). His song explains how fear affects us by taking our breath away, stopping us in our tracks, robbing us of rest, and stealing our happiness. If any of that sounds familiar to you, you’ve been attacked by fear. But you’re not left to stay under its torment.

TRUTH: The torment of fear is only effective when you give into it and allow it to stay in your thinking. The more you think about it, the more it affects you, and even makes fear bigger to you. One way to combat fear is to refuse to let it into your thinking, AND to concentrate on how much God loves you. It may sound like a simplistic answer, but knowing and understanding God’s love for you and being grounded in His Love is the best offense when fear comes knocking.

Let’s get grounded in knowing how much God loves us. In His love, there is no fear because they are opposite. The God of love can’t be the author of fear or as many think the one who torments.

The Apostle John shares the profound truth there is no fear in God’s love. This truth we need to cement in our hearts and minds. Here’s what he says in 1 John 4:16-18 NASB – “¹⁶We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

There is no fear in God’s love. If you are fearful of God because you think He’ll punish you for something you’ve done, you don’t understand the depth of His love. His love doesn’t include punishment or torment. His love is all encompassing, warm, liberating. He’s a good Abba Father who loves His children. Those who are fearful feel God is out to get them or if they do one single thing wrong, they’ll be bopped on the head do not truly know God’s love. God’s love draws you in and keeps you centered in Jesus. God is NOT mad at you. On the contrary, He’s madly in love with (John 3:16).

APPLICATION: The Word always has a solution to any problem we face. Along with the Word we have the Holy Spirit within us as our teacher. We are not left without help. The Word is our foundation for countering, conquering, and overcoming fear when it raises its ugly head.

The more you know God’s love for you, the more you’ll walk in His love. It’s like falling in love. The person you have come to love is in your thoughts continually and you probably talk to them multiple times during the day. You have no doubt they love you; in fact, their love for you settles your heart and brings joy and peace of heart. That’s how it is when you know God’s love. Nothing will move you from it.

When fear is not in our relationship with God, we continue to enjoy freedom from fear of any kind. Two key scriptures also to keep in mind in this study and following is 2 Timothy 1:7 and Romans 5:17. Plant these verses in your heart and you’ll have peace in the midst of any uncertainty and fear in this world.

1 John 4:16-18 NASB – “¹⁶We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

Make It Personal: I am learning more of God’s love for me, and I am abiding in His love each day. Because He is love, His love casts out fear; therefore, I won’t let fear stay because His love is greater.

John 3:16 KJV – “For God so loved the world, that He gave…”

Make It Personal: God’s is Love and His heart is for the world to know His love. I know the love of God.

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Make It Personal: I do not have the spirit of fear because it is not of God. Rather I have power, His love, and a sound mind. These enable me to defeat fear when it attacks me.

Romans 5:17 – “…those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Make It Personal: Because I have received God’s grace through knowing Jesus, I walk in His righteousness, abundance, and grace that meets all my needs. I am more than conqueror, and fear is far from me.

ASK YOURSELF:

How are you overcoming and not dwelling on fear?

Recall an incident when fear attacked you. How did you react?

What did you learn through that experience that enables you to continue resisting fear?

How are you experiencing the reality of 2 Timothy 1:7 in your life?

How has growing in God’s love for you enabled you to conquer attacks of fear?