Last week we looked at our mission. The Enemy has plenty of weapons to hinder us, including anger, pride, and self-absorption. Perhaps the most effective weapon, though, is fear. If we are going to be effective, fighting fear is going to be a key skill.
What is fear?
We don’t usually think of it this way, but fear is the absence of trust. When we don’t trust the quality of our studying, we are afraid to take a chemistry test. When we don’t trust physics and Boeing, we don’t get on airplanes. When we don’t trust people, we are afraid to invest ourselves in friendships and relationships. When we don’t trust God… nothing else works.
How to fight fear
God, in His grace, knows that fear is a major issue, so He talks about it a lot in the Bible. There are hundreds of references dealing with fear, worry, and anxiety — all different heads of the same monster. Here are a few to implement:
(2 Tim 1:7 – KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear NEVER comes from God. He gives us a spirit of power (yes I can do what He gives me to do) a spirit of love (loving others is the key to carrying out the mission) and a sound mind (thinking clearly and truthfully about ourselves and our situation.)
(Psalm 118:6) The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
That’s IS. Present tense. Right now. Count on it. Not “I hope He’s with me”, or “He might be if…” If I get the IS part, the ” I will not be afraid” part is a piece of cake. And that’s GOD with me. What can a man do to frustrate the purposes of Almighty God? Nothing… (Why don’t I remember that?)
(1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
GOD IS PERFECT LOVE. He defines it. He loves me perfectly and so seeks only my best interest. Granted His definition of ‘my best interest’ and mine often clash, but that’s my lack of trust popping up again. His perfect love carries an eternal perspective that I can’t always see or wrap my mind around.
God called us to go forth and conquer, not stay home and whimper. Fight that fear!
