Fight FEAR

There are different kinds of fear such as the adrenaline producing fear warning of danger and causing the fight or flight response, Fear of the Lord, fear from ongoing trauma, and a pervasive, underlying fear that many people live with today.  Adrenaline producing fear is for our protection and Fear of the Lord is the reverential awe we should feel toward God.  However, fear is often trauma-induced when something big happens like car accidents, break-ins of our home, or being held hostage.  Abuse falls into this category and will probably continue until one is out of the abusive situation.  It can also result from ongoing smaller incidents such as “walking on eggshells” and inconsistent, harsh discipline.  These types of fear need special consideration and will not be dealt with here.  If your every day environment is traumatic, it is optimum to get out or get help.  It is the pervasive, underlying fear that I want to address.  

Fear can be eaten like a poisoned apple--one bite at a time.  The Bible tells us not to fear at least 68 times and the word fear appears 300-350 times depending on the translation so it must be important for our health and well being.  Fear is the opposite of faith, our next blog topic, and is kin to worry, our last blog post.  A nurse friend of mine once asked me to pray for her because she was having all this fear of getting sick.  When she ask Jesus what was wrong, He told her that she had been treating people younger than herself for a variety of scary conditions and with each patient, she had taken on a little more fear that it could be her.  Over a few months, she started having various symptoms and she was growing more and more fearful.  In the Bible, Job says what you fear will come upon you.  When we repented for agreeing with fear and broke it off, the symptoms went away.

Fear and worry are twins.  Quoting Junk or Joy, "Fear breeds worry worms.  It robs you of great experiences and joy" and "Worry is like eating worms and worry recycles "what ifs”.  Fear and worry breed and feed on each other.  The more you walk in and agree with fear, the more it sticks to your thoughts and your life.  Have you ever noticed how fear spreads quickly.  Fear takes people hostage, but especially children can be influenced to be fearful.  There is a difference between helping your child make wise, safe choices (like not running out in front of traffic) and teaching them not to participate in life because it might be scary (like learning to swim or climb).

Mainstream media invokes “poison apple” type of fear every day because we are repeatedly asked to dwell on global tragedies and traumas on a daily basis.  Any traumatic event from around the world is repeated over and over again, often with gruesome images.  COVID was the epitome was media induced fear with the death of toll rolling on the screen all day and night.  The more we see and hear it, the more fearful we become.  The words, "It is not a matter of IF it will happen to you, but WHEN it will happen" keeps us on edge expecting the worst and we cannot enjoy the present.  My answer is simple, Turn the media off and guard your eyes and ears!  I do not listen to main stream media; I choose my media carefully and only partake in enough to be informed and no more.  Starve the fear as you starve worry, by cutting off all contributors.

Like Junk or Joy says, “Fear is like the rotting foundation of a garbage dump - the black, stinky dirt at the bottom.  The more you walk in it, the more it sticks to everything in your life.”  As always, we must recognize the root of the fear.  If it is a habit or has specific triggers, we need to ask Jesus what the reason is or where it came from.  When we are aware of the triggers such as lies or vows we are believing, the we can take steps to deconstruct the lies and pull up the root.  Jesus wants to deliver His children from fear!

We can fight fear with the word as we fight other thoughts and emotions.  As often happens, my best example of fighting fear is from a child.  When my granddaughter was 3 years old, we were upstairs playing a game.  We heard a noise like someone was coming in the front door.  She looked at me with huge, saucer eyes and said, "I have not been given a spirit of fear; but power, love, and a sound mind!" (2 Tim. 1:7)  I went to investigate and found out it was the cat.  I was certainly relieved and when I sat back down she felt she needed to explain.  "Grammy, I said that because I really was afraid!"  She remains my example of becoming like a little child and of overcoming fear.  She invited Jesus into the situation with His words and countered the fear with truth--just like Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness.

Jehoshaphat is another good example of fighting fear in 2 Chronicles 20.  He had a large host of enemies coming against Judah and verse 3 says, "Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."  By verse 12, Jehoshaphat says, "For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You."  God is delighted when we ask Him for help in fearful situations.

Here are some other scriptures that you can memorize to say aloud when you are fearful.  If you can’t think of anything, just “JESUS” is a very effective prayer!

Joshua 1:9. Be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Matthew 6:34 Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today's trouble is enough for today.

Heb. 13:6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear.  What can mere people do to me?”

1 John 4:18 Such love (God’s love) has no fear, because perfect love casts out all fear. . .

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