Deuteronomy 31:8 -- "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Fear is a subject that has been relevant to intelligent life since the beginning of creation.
This video showed up, you know how that happens, so I watched it. It intrigued me instantly and inspired thoughts that lead to this blog post. Janie Winship tells amazing stories and offers a powerful teaching about fear.
Most everyone has felt fear. Fear is a God given emotion/instinct. You might say that it is a built-in survival mechanism which all animals have. Like all our emotions, fear can also work against us.
Fear is not an accusation. Fear saves us from stupid. Sadly, it doesn't always work out that way! Often times, fear leads to guilt and shame, which can destroy relationships and us.
People have all sorts fears for many reasons. They can be boiled down to some basic common reasons, such as fear of loss, shame, and pain.
People process fear and react to fear in different ways. Some people are crippled by fear. Others hide or run from their fears. Others face and overcome fear. Fear is a personal "thing," but the Bible offers ways we can all deal with fear. In this blog post I am going to think about fear.
Before I dive into this, I'll say that I had a personal spiritual experience regarding fear in 2016 that I wrote about then. Here is a more recent but related blog post titled "How to Cast Off Fear."
Cause & Effect
James 4.1 -- What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
Janie Winship, the man in the video says people struggle with internal conflicts that are rooted in from fear. He says that fear is the result of being "upside-down," rather than having the great commandment to love God and love your neighbor" on top. He says that fear is built on a false sense of ourself which says "it is me, against them."
The world view that separates us from God is the belief that their is not enough to go around and the other person is going to take what we have. This world view creates fear that others are going to steal our identity. Our fear is based on the lie that we are not enough for God. It is a lie which creates shame and separates us from God.
The bible speaks of two types of fear:
Fear of the Lord: This is a positive, reverent awe of God-respecting His power and glory. The Bible teaches that fearing God is the beginning of wisdom and leads to life, security, and peace (Psalm 27, Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 19:23; Luke 12).
Unhealthy Fear: This is a spirit of fearfulness or anxiety that God does not give. The Bible encourages believers to overcome this fear by trusting in God’s love and power (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).
God gives us assurances which when taken on faith can melt away fear.
Psalm 27.1 -- The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; from whom shall I be frightened?
What if we could remove fear? Is it possible to give up fear? In other words, can we smash the assumptions we have about fear.
Isaiah 41:10 says explicitly -- “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Imagine the potential that might be derived from not fearing? What possibilities open up for us if our only fears are healthy? What can happen if we step out boldly, knowing God goes before us? This is what Jamie Winship's incredible stories are about.
Janie Winship and hundreds of thousands of others have amazing testimonies of what happens when they put their faith in God. It is never to late.
In the bible, old and new, there are many promises. Removing fear and giving us a sense of peace is highly prevalent. Clearly, the bible's authors recognize the priority people place on those mental states.
Even from a secular standpoint, fear is probably the most exploited emotion in presidential politics. People want a "ruler" who will deliver peace. To do so, that ruler must be strong. It is no wonder that the 1st letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet is symbolically an Ox. "Peace through strength." Psalm 29:11 states, "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
What is the Kingdom?
Conclusion
Draw your own conclusion friend.
Deuteronomy 10:12 -- "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and love him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
My Christian brothers & sisters will recognize 2 Philippians 4:6-7 -- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
