Overcoming Fear

We all have to face up to fear at some point in our lives, if not every day. Friends, it doesn’t have to be this way, there are ways to overcome unnecessary fear in your life. I say unnecessary because a certain level of fear (anxiety) is normal.

Our bodies are biologically programmed (by God) to react with flight or fright in threatening situations and for this, it needs to enter a state of heightened anxiety. This is normal and we can’t control it, it is an automatic response.

But what starts out as worry can lead to anxiety, panic attacks, and fear. This is an abnormal fear which is crippling, debilitating and unhealthy. For many people, it stands in the way of their desires and God’s will; it robs them of a peaceful and effective life. This is a ‘worldly fear’ which we is what we will address in this blog post.

The 5 basic fears of mankind

According to Psychology Today, there are 5 basic fears from which all other fears originate:

Extinction-fear of death.
Mutilation-fear of something happening to our bodies, such as pain.
Loss of autonomy-fear of being restricted which can be either physical (claustrophobia) or social (relationships).
Separation-fear of abandonment and rejection.
Ego-death-fear of humiliation and shame.

All the fears we face can supposedly be related back to these 5 categories. What are some of your fears? Do they fit in here?

The well known Christian author and speaker, John Mc Arthur said: “There are two causes of fear basically, one is a guilty conscience. (Sin you haven’t dealt with) The other is a lack of trust.” (Believing God can’t handle the situation)

Opponents use fear tactics to control and manipulate

Competitors, rivals, opponents and enemies will use fear tactics to subdue, control and manipulate the opposition. Fear rattles people, intimidates and weakens them. Our enemies love to use fear to achieve their goal because they know how effective it is.

It doesn’t have to be in sport or on a battlefield either, it can be at work or amongst friends and family. Fear can be in our own minds too. A person’s own fear may drive them to try and control another person, resulting in destroyed relationships. People are conditioned by previous experience, and a bad experience can develop a need to control lives and situations so as to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Consequences of abnormal fear

This type of destructive fear is not from God. The Bible says quite a bit about fear, worry, and anxiety. It is important to God because He knows how debilitating it can be and that it will prevent us from walking in His blessings. God does not want us to be fearful of anything in this world.

Fear can cause us to be fiercely independent, which leads to pride and self-protection. We depend on our own strength instead of trusting God. Independence is worn as a comfortable identity to prevent us from feeling rejection and abandonment.

Let none but the servants of sin be the slaves of fear ~ John Flavel

God’s promise to overcome fears of this world

God is greater than anything we may face in this world. He gives us the knowledge (in His word) and strength (through His Holy Spirit) to live courageously, boldly and fearlessly in this life. If you find yourself in a fearful situation, allow His truth to whisper strong and sure to the deepest core of your spirit “Do not fear.”

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

5 Reasons why we need not fear

God is always with us, we are never alone (Joshua 1:9)
God will keep us safe (Psalm 145:19-20); Proverbs 29:25)
He gives us strength. (Isaiah 41:10)
He helps us. (Isaiah 41:13)
He provides for us. (Psalm 111:5)

In the midst of the raging storms, in the core of your deepest hurt, He is there.

The enemy

As much as God tells us not to fear, the enemy tells us the opposite, because he knows that is how he can destroy lives. It is his number 1 weapon against us. There is so much crazy going on in the world around us today: wars, conflicts, persecution, violence, crime, shootings, sickness, human trafficking, earthquakes, plane crashes, terrorism, economic disasters, unemployment, cancer, death. Uncertainties loom, reminding us of every possible “what if.” We are often in a constant state of anxiety and worry.

These worries are fueled by false messages on social media until we are left feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and helpless. Yet reality tells us that so much of what we spend time and energy fearing and worrying about in this life never even happens. Living under the weight of the “what if’s” is a hard place to dwell. Until we choose not to let it win anymore. And we say “enough.” No longer allowing it to wield such control. No longer listening to its deception and falling victim to its paralyzing grasp.

Trusting God is Faith

Anxiety happens most when people somehow falsely believe that God is not big enough or fully able to take care of the problems that surround them. Or they believe that He doesn’t want to because He doesn’t really care.

This unhealthy fear is generated by unbelief. Faith and fear cannot co-exist. We can fall for the lies of the enemy, or we can choose to believe God’s word and put our trust fully in Him. Believing that God is in control of every situation and choosing to live in a place of trust is powerful. It doesn’t mean we will never “feel” fear. It just means we won’t allow it to control us anymore.

God will never let you down

No matter what you believe, the truth is this – He is still there. With us. Present. Constantly. He will never be found pacing heaven’s floors, nervously wringing his hands, wondering what in the world he’s going to do next. He’s never up there pondering how to get us all out of this big mess or struggling to find new solutions to age-old problems. He’s on the throne. Fully in control. Always aware. And he fights for us.

In the end, He will always win. He was, and is, and will forever be, victorious. Though the enemy tries his best to gain as much ground as he can right now, knowing full well that his time is limited, he will never win this battle. Because his fate has already been sealed. Don’t let him fool you into believing otherwise.

Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”

Fear leads to disobedience

Sometimes we are so afraid to do something, even if we know it is God’s will, we procrastinate or don’t do it at all. To God, this is equivalent to disobedience. Disobedience is despicable in Gods eyes. The enemy knows this which is why he uses fear as a weapon.

When I was delaying starting the blog I felt God wanted me to do, this revelation hit me hard. There I was wallowing in a pool of negativity and self-pity and thinking up all manner of excuses. Until I realized that I was disobeying God. I could not be complacent any longer and it was that knowledge that torpedoed me into action.

Trust in the small things

Start to trust God in your everyday fears and see how faith grows. I have learned to trust God explicitly over the years and I believed my faith was unshakeable. That is until the day I found myself in every mother’s worst nightmare, the 2 am phone call to tell you your child has been in an accident. In that instant, fear grips you, consumes you and suddenly you anticipate the worst. Your thoughts are all over the place. But God was there for me in the midst of it and soon His promises were fulfilled, the peace, the strength, and the trust.

Faith and fear cannot co-exist.

How do we overcome fear in our lives?

1. Know the word of God.

God’s word is full of His promises to us. It equips us for the battle, highlights the truth, and gives us hope in the knowledge that we are never alone. Spend time in the word to familiarize yourself with these passages.

Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (specific requests) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

2. Pray

Seek the Lord daily through prayer. Take all your fears, anxieties and worries to Him.

Psalm 34:4: “I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 118:5-6: “From my distress, I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Memorize Psalm 27 to read in times of fear

3. Give thanks and praise

Give praise that we have nothing to fear with Him watching over us. Thank the Lord each time He does deliver you from fear. He is so worthy.

And finally ask yourself these questions: What is in your heart? Faith or fear? Who do you serve? God or the enemy?

Resources

Psychology Today: The (Only) 5 Fears we share

Precept Austin

Activities

Write a list of all the things you fear in this world, excluding God. Dig deep. They may not be immediately obvious. Then take them to the Lord and lay them at His feet.

Memorize some favorite scriptures on fear that can be called to mind when you are feeling anxious.

If you would like more information on fear, preceptaustin.org has the most extensive amount of information I have ever seen on the subject. Visit their webpage and type “fear” into the search box.

Prayer Corner

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How to overcome fear in your life