2Tim:1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In today’s world, there are a lot of problems that
produce fear and guilt in the lives of people. The resulting consequences of
these fear has been very disastrous. Apart from it destroying the Christian
faith, it has torn the Christian apart from the many promises and victories
that God has placed at the disposal of the Christian. The Christian has been
called to boldness and not timidity or fear. So what is this fear that greatly
torments and destroys the Christian? How can we overcome this fear in order to
enjoy the victories over this world?
Causes
of fear
§ Disobedience (Gen.3:8-10)
§ Persecution (Jn. 20:19)
§ Final events
on earth(Lk. 21:26)
§ Impending judgment (Heb.11:7)
§ Guilt
§ Death (Heb. 2:15)
§ Confusion
§ Uncertainty (2corin. 11:5)
§ Suspicion (Act 9:26)
Effects
of fear
§ Timidity/ shyness
§ Leads to disobedience
§ Control of one’s life
§ Limits your potential
§ Lack of growth
§ Indecision
§ Creates doubt
§ Can drive you into bad habits
Characteristics
of fear
§ It is a spirit (2Tim. 1:7)
§ It operates in reverse of faith
§ It anticipates the worst not the best
§ It comes from lack of knowledge
§ It comes when you meditate on the lies of the devil
(Job 3:25)
§ It tears down the Godly hedge/ walls of protection
§ Causes suffering in God’s people
How
to overcome fear
§ Fear not, fret not, worry not and faint not. (Psalm
139:14 kjv).
§ Know that the Lord God is in control of the
unknown.
§ Hear the word of God, believe it and walk in it
(Rom. 15:4 kjv)
§ Be confident, for the Lord is in control and your
guide (Psalm:27:3; Psalm 48:14; Heb. 13:5-6 kjv)
§ Remember that you have the spirit of power and
sound mind (2Tim. 1:7)
§ Change the fearful subject in your mind with
positivity
§ Have the Holy spirit and let Him control your life
(Acts 1:8)
What
to fear
The Christian has only one thing to fear, that is,
the Lord. Fear the Lord because it is the beginning of wisdom.
Finally
Joseph, the Cyrene, had no fear, that when even
Jesus disciples had rejected Him, he boldly requested His body from Pilate for
burial. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had no fear of burning in the furnace
that they did not bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. The Christian has no cause to
fear because we have the spirit of power and of sound mind because God is
sovereign and in control. The devil uses the strategy of fear because that
destroys your first armour of defense – faith! Without faith it is impossible
to please God. Without faith, you cannot cause any ‘small mountain’ to move.
Take that fear of death, rejection, persecution, tomorrow,
sickness and failure out of your life and it will surprise you what the Lord
can do for you and through you. Amen!
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