OUR FEAR OF FEAR!

Sunday’s Monday

God gave me this thought during a lunch meeting I recently had with a brother in Christ. Which by the way I suggest you do as often as possible as we desperately need these iron sharpening iron moments to experience a recharge of our soul. One of the most overwhelming shared emotions inside each of us is fear and it doesn’t seem to be the fear of life and death, as it better fits the category of dread. This feeling is most commonly associated with change and the anxiety that comes with the threat of stepping out of our comfort zone. I have found that most of us view fear as a curse that is to be avoided at all costs, when in fact it should be respected as a highly useful gift. You see our mind understands fear to have the value of opposite poles, like a magnet (if you will) with a positive and negative attraction. The problem is many of us have been taught to be afraid of fear as something bad is on the way. Therefore, many people choose to view fear as the big bad curse of Satan when in fact it may very well be a great gift from God.

First off let’s get a better understanding of the word fear. After researching fear in several bible dictionaries which I found to be quite wordy, and somewhat confusing. I chose to use thriveyard.com as my reference which explains that fear, at the basic level guides our fight or flight responses and helps to keep us safe and alive. Fear heightens your senses and awareness; it keeps you alert and helps in better preparation. However, it also explains the negative side of fear appears when it holds you back from doing something positive. Fear is an emotion designed to be a tool of caution, therefore easily availing itself to be used by Satan to make one so afraid that they will not even attempt the task. To be afraid or scared is merely the negative feelings derived from fear as they are more often used as an excuse to avoid uneasy situations. Ergo, we all should learn and actively choose to believe fear is a gift from God. The psalmist writes in Psalm 23:4 (ESV), Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Fear used in the positive sense has the energy to build, however, used in the negative context it equally has the ability to destroy. In the negative form, fear has the power to cause Phobias, Anxiety, Tension, Heart Damage (both physical and spiritual), low self-esteem, isolation, and I’m sure you can think of a few more. But on the flip side of this coin, we find the opposite effect on all these attributes when fear is used as a positive reinforcement that acutely sharpens our physical and spiritual survival instincts. God tells us in His scriptures, Psalm 34:4 (ESV), I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. In seeking Jesus for the answers, we learn a level of respect, understanding, and courage that can be obtained no other way. We climb outside this fragile framework of prideful flesh to allow our spirit to experience the humility of saying “I’m alone, confused, and full of fear. I can’t and don’t want to continue like this! Help me, please!”

If we are truly sincere in our heart of hearts as we cry out to God, He promises in Romans 8:15 (ESV), For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” God has given you His Holy Spirit as a helper to aid you as needed to bare what this life has for you. The Holy Spirit will help turn your fear of God into “fear God and yes there is a humungous difference. Your fear of God has you afraid to be in His presence as is written in Genesis 3:8 (ESV), 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Whereas to fear God becomes positive in respect, reverence, affection, appreciation, and dedication to name a few. To fear God is to look forward to spending time with Him while desiring to fall in love with Him because we know Him as our Savior. Pleasing Him should become so ingrained that it becomes our lifestyle. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "There is Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself." My take on it is, “fear is a mere word with two implications, negative to weaken our ability of discovery and positive for strengthening one’s discernment in overcoming the negative!”

Lord, I boldly come before you today asking that you bless the readers and open their minds to receive the nuggets you have inspired for them. But most of all Father, I desire your mercy and grace for the many who are struggling with fear. Help us to build faith in Romans 8:38-39 (ESV), 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Abba Father, have us learn that you are our only stability in fear. Amen

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

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