There is a lot of fear going around. Fear is a common thing we have to fight. ‘Do Not Fear’ is the #1 Command in the Bible. King James Version says “Fear not” or “Be not afraid” 103 times. The Bible talks about fear so much because it is devil uses it to cut us off from our life source – God. The phrase ‘do not fear’ in the Bible is not said to shame us, but to show us there is grace to deal with fear.

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 41:13

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self. 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear wants you to listen to it instead of Holy Spirit.

“because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.’ 2 Timothy 1:6-7

What Does Fear Cause?

Hopelessness. It’s not a sin to feel fear. It becomes a sin when we partner with it, give our heart to it, agree with it. Any area of our life where there is no hope is under the influence of a lie. When we embrace fear, we lose sight of God and his ability to free us.

Oppressed. A heaviness of spirit weighs you down.

Paralyzes. We don’t know what to do when fear comes, so we do nothing. Fear causes us to be afraid of doing the wrong thing, so we do nothing. We must remove fear to move forward in God’s will for our life. Where we are going, we need to get rid of fear or it will determine our direction instead of Holy Spirit.

Can’t adequately hear from God. Fear’s voice drowns out all other voices. Reason is left behind.

Can’t make correct decisions. You will almost always make the wrong decision when controlled by fear. The fear keeps us from processing events correctly and rationally. You almost always over respond when fear is around.

Stealer of Future. Fear keeps Christians from walking in their destiny. It keeps you from walking into the future with faith in God.

Where Does Fear Come From?

We disobeyed God when we ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is when fear came. Fear comes from the demonic realm. We know this is true because of the fruit that came from this.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Genesis 3:8-10

By eating from this tree it exposed us to a realm that was not God. Our disobedience caused us to come out from under the protection and covering of God. 

How To Fight Fear

Capture Thoughts of Fear

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

When intimidation strikes, turn that message around. Confess, ‘God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self discipline! He has given me a sound mind!’ 2 Timothy 1:7

There is no situation you can face you are not prepared for or God doesn’t have an answer for. He creates detours around battles if we are not ready to win. So if you are in battle, he has decided you are ready to win.

Pause, Don’t Panic

When whatever causes you to fear comes in, don’t panic! You must pause! That means stop whatever you are doing and breathe deeply, walk outside, turn on worship music, etc. but pause! Do something else and refuse to make a decision till the panic is gone! If you make a decision in panic mode, you will overreact, most likely be wrong and regret it later. When panic comes, pause! 

Reduce the Wrong Voices

Fear comes from voices other than God. Separate yourself from these voices. You have to guard your heart. Much of the fear today is media driven. The Bible tells us the devil is a liar.

Jesus said, ‘…When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies’ John 8:44b, NIV

By contrast, the Holy Spirit is the ‘Spirit of truth’.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

Hang around people and voices that have the Spirit of truth. Voices that speak from God’s viewpoint.

‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.’ 1 Peter 5:8-9

Live in His Presence

I used to think that Faith was the cure to fear. But the Bible says love is the cure to fear. Dwell on Him loving you and fear will go away.

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 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 – 1 John 4:17-18

Give Praise

“Devil talk” will bring the devil on the scene, and “God talk” will bring God on the scene. Start praising him by faith if you need to. Praise turns our heart from fear to a realization that God is still on the throne. Faith and hope will come.

Prophesy

Prophesy to your fear! Don’t be more impressed with your problem than you are impressed with God. Don’t be more impressed by the size of a problem more than the size of your promise.

Mark 11:22-24 (NIV 1984) Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Don’t believe what you see more than what you don’t see.  We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Dry Bones in your life? Ezekial 37:1-14

When giants appeared in the Old Testament, the effect of their presence was to produce intimidation. The giant Goliath had the whole of the Israelite army quaking in fear.

Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 1 Samuel 17:10-11

The enemy is bellowing today. We may feel like a little David. What is the characteristic of a giant? A giant is physically large, appearing to loom over you. Such size, whether through physical circumstances or in the realm of our imagination, is a lying message that says, ‘You cannot overcome me!’ The enemy wants us to overestimate his power and underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Never forget, you have the Spirit of God—and the enemy is no match for Him. John writes, ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.’ 1 John 4:4

Don’t Quit

In a relationship? In business? In reaching your personal goals? The devil brings fear to get you to quit trying.

What you fear indicates where you are to have victory. The enemy attacks you at that place of your future. Face fear with the above tactics and you will overcome. When you overcome what you are afraid of, his authority and commissioning comes on you to move forward. Forward to where he wants you to take territory for his kingdom. Exciting indeed.