Romans 8:15; For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Which Spirit did you receive when you accepted Christ? Was it the Holy Spirit? Okay then, if that is the case, then why are you still living in fear? Fear is bondage, but it can also be anything that you can imagine it to be. We have a tendency to label fear as an emotion when it is actually an emotional response to perceived threats and impending danger. Fear is also a state of mind or a state of being, or a condition resulting from our individual perception of reality. Fear derives from a complex mix of chemical reactions which begin to interact in the Amygdala region of the brain where the mental images which form the basis of our perception have preeminence over what we actually see, hear, believe, or accept to be the truth. Fear then in its most primal basic form is simply a distortion or perversion of the truth. Fear is also associated with the specific behaviors involved with the escape and avoidance of fear.
2 Timothy 1:7; For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear is not an attribute of the Spirit of God, but is what remains when there is a lack of knowledge of God’s omnipotence, and a twisted understanding of His perfect love, which results in an unsound and unstable mind. This instability is a by-product of doubt, which can manifest as fear from shyness and timidity at one end of the spectrum to paranoia and terror at the other end of the spectrum. This is clearly the work of Satan although many that are gripped by and paralyzed by fear will claim to be the Children of God. This is a dangerous assumption.
1 John 4:18; There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
For the person that lives in fear the love of God is not working in them. It is the Spirit of God that perfects us, but the previous verse clearly says that a person that fears is not being made perfect in love. This means that the fear must be working through something other than love. So then, if not love, then what is it? God is love. Anything other than God must be either the devil, the flesh, or the world, or worse yet, sin.
2 Corinthians 10:4; (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Fear can be overcome, but you are not going to overcome fear in the flesh. Fear works through the flesh so trying to overcome it by the same means will not work. You can go to a psychiatrist and he will put you on medication or have you admitted to a psych ward but the initial problem is not going to go away. You can smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol and use drugs to try to keep from feeling the pain but all you are doing is adding more problems on top of the problems you already have. You have to understand that this is more a spiritual matter which must be attacked with spiritual weapons. Fear will make you a spiritual cripple
Revelation 21:8; But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Where did fear start? It started in the Garden of Eden. It started with a question that the serpent asked Eve; Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? This caused Eve to doubt and question God’s motives which made her unstable. In the midst of this instability the lie was able to take hold and do its twisted work. Once this led to sin and Eve and Adam both ate from the fruit their first reaction was to run and hide. Fear was a reaction to sin. So where is fear going to end? It’s going to end in the lake of fire. That is the last place you will want to have to deal with fear.
If you are still living in fear you really have to take a good look at yourself and examine what is at the root of the fear. If you still have trouble forgiving what someone might have done to you, part of that comes from fear. If you dislike being around other people and prefer to be alone, that is stemming from fear. If you hide behind different personalities and are riding an emotional roller-coaster day by day this is the result of fear. If you have a tendency to criticize and victimize others this is also a reaction to fear. I can go on and on all night but I hope you are catching my drift. I’m not here to condemn you or to make you feel bad. I want you to be set free, but first you are going to have to get past all the half-baked excuses and really make up your mind to repent and seek God with all of your heart. There are consequences to sin.
Leviticus 26:40-42; If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Isaiah 59:2; But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
When our hearts are not right with God is creates a rift, a separation from God. When you walk contrary or against God he walks contrary to us. Even if we do confess our sins and work to get our hearts right we still have to bear the consequences of our sins. Yes God forgives us. He is merciful, but he is also just. God is not mocked; we will reap what we have sown. In due time he will lift his heavy hand from off you and you will walk with him in a newness of fellowship and favor that you haven’t felt in a long time. He will not forget the promises he made to you. He loves you but he will chasten you if you are his child. You have to learn to trust him. You are going to have to trust him enough to get past you own flesh, and put away the things that can contaminate you. Fear will take you to hell! Break free from the grip of fear and walk in the truth. The truth will set you free.
James 4:8; Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Don’t keep moving away from God. Go towards him and he will move towards you. Clean up your act, and admit that you’ve been wrong. Don’t allow pride and fear to keep you a prisoner of your own mind. You are not hurting anyone but yourself. Make up your mind about which direction you want to head in. Don’t procrastinate. God is there for you just waiting, but he won’t keep waiting if you don’t respond.
Isaiah 55:6; Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
There is nothing that you could have ever done that is so bad that God won’t forgive you. If you don’t believe God can forgive you then you might as well stick a fork in yourself because you are so done. That’s the fear talking to you.
Isaiah 1:18-20; Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
