GOD’S STRATEGY TO OVERCOME FEAR
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 4:18
The one who fears is not made perfect in love. To me the primary strategy to overcome fear is to know God (Ephesians 1:17). To know Him is to know His love (Ephesians 3:19). As you know Him you should come to know one incredible benefit of the New Covenant in Christ (Hebrews 8:10-12); your sins are forgiven.
The Apostle John wrote, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sakes.” 1 John 2:12
That benefit establishes the primary New Covenant benefit. When you know your sins are forgiven, you can believe Hebrews 4:15 and 16; that you can come boldly to the throne of Grace – without fear of punishment. At the throne of grace you encounter the perfect love of Jesus and your Father in Heaven together.
Perfect love casts out fear. That’s what God wants His love to do for us because fear has torment; the fear of exposure which we believe would lead to punishment.
Can we come to God without fear, no matter what has just happened or what we have just done? Isn’t this the promise of Hebrews 4:15-16? With Jesus as our High Priest, we are encouraged to come to His throne of grace when we are in need of mercy. This word encourages and empowers us to so trust His love that we come and discover His word is good; it’s a faithful word. In Christ, we really are forgiven. We can rest in His love and thereby become the young men and women of God as John wrote to, saying, “I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
God’s love is so perfect that it drives out fear. As we stay in His love we grow and mature to be the fathers and mothers John wrote to, “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. 1 John 2:13
So the primary strategy for a believer in Jesus is to come to the throne of grace with bold confidence, no matter what is going on in the believer’s life and rest in His love. This is the price Jesus paid in His blood for us to come to our Father in Heaven with full assurance of faith.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23
And what did God promise in the New Covenant?
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:10-12
A solid healing ministry friend of ours, Liz Gregg, from the UK, encouraged me to reinforce the truth concerning God’s character. As she said, “Fear can come from thinking God is a punishing, harsh God and not the good loving Father that He is. If we have a view that says He is going to punish us, then in circumstances like this (Coronavirus) we will be afraid that He is punishing us. However, if we know that God is always good, He’s a good Father; always good in all His ways. Then we will not fear punishment and be able to know that such circumstances were not caused by Him.”
BUT SIN DECEIVES US
We must not allow sin to deceive us about God’s nature. But, we have judged God as the source of our troubles. Why should we trust Him? Like Adam and Eve, we may have listened to the same deceiver without recognizing the same tactic; to separate us from the God who loves us. Once we recognize how we have been duped we may have to renounce the judgment against God and come to Him to hear the truth (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Let God show you the lies the enemy told you in the midst of trauma or repeatedly in isolated moments. Those lies alienated you from the source of your security – God the Father. Though God sent Moses to Israel and Jesus to all the world with the words of life which can keep us secure in God’s love, we listen to other voices.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13. but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15. while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16. For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Hebrews 3:12-16
Sin deceives us. God warns us that sin will do that. But we listen and we listen and we stop listening to God. We stop believing what we knew God had said and we harden our own hearts. “Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
BUT GOD HAS A STRATEGY
So now let’s take a look at Cain’s choices.
2. Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5. but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.6. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 7. But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:2-7
First things first. Notice that Cain had access to God the Father. Here we see that God was offering to help Cain deal with the reason he was angry and sullen. In other words, what lie was Cain believing about God? I believe that Cain could have stayed talking with God, had his fear of rejection removed and become able to walk through the door and rule over sin.
God had a strategy for Cain. His love was available. Can we repent of our strategy and turn to God to hear His? God always has a strategy! Would Cain confess his fear of rejection or spin an excuse? What about us; do we repent of our plan so we can hear God’s? Whatever Cain believed about God, it was not the truth. So he walked through the door unprepared to rule over sin.
14. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace; slaves to righteousness
16. Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:14, 16
We know what happened. Cain killed his brother Abel. 8. Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know, ” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”10. The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. ”13. Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15. But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over. ” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Genesis 4:8-16
GOD WAS STILL TALKING TO CAIN
After this evil deed was done, God was still talking to Cain. Would he finally listen to God and deal with the fear of rejection in his heart, which now also included the fear of reprisal and the fear of no provision without produce from the ground?
17. To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. Genesis 3:17, 18
Did Cain now see God as an adversary? Who was Cain’s adversary? Had it been Abel? Was it God? Actually, Cain was his own adversary. Yes, sin and the devil were adversaries. But God was talking to him. What was God offering Cain?
If Cain could have listened to God he would have found a partner to help him solve his problem. Why not listen to God and partner with Him?
Don’t you realize that grace frees you to choose your own master? But choose carefully, for you surrender yourself to become a servant—bound to the one you choose to obey. If you choose to love sin, it will become your master, and it will own you and reward you with death. But if you choose to love and obey God, he will lead you into perfect righteousness. Romans 6:16 The Passion Translation
If we repent of listening to sin and turn and listen to God, we may start out feeling like a slave to righteousness (an excellent slave master). The outcome? We will learn how God’s grace teaches us to say, “No!” to sin and, “Yes!” to righteousness. We will end up ruling over sin as a child of God and a friend of Jesus (John 15:15).
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, Titus 2:11, 12
OUR CHOICE
Human Strategies Against Fear: *Do it afraid /// *Hang around strong confident people /// *Meditate on the opposite /// Systematic Desensitization /// Stress Management /// Medication for anxiety /// Coping skills /// Avoid situations that trigger fear /// Stay busy /// Suck up to people you fear /// Intimidate those you fear
*Some of these human strategies can be God’s leading, either to get you started in the right direction or help you clinch your confidence in God. The following six are mostly human. The last two are strictly from fallen human nature.
If we reject God’s offer, we may feel that we are free to choose to partner with sin for a season, but we will end up a slave to sin and it will rule over us. Sin will have free access to our ear to lie to us about God, our family, our friends and anyone who does not heartily agree with us. Sin leads us to be afraid of God, family, friends, our employers (or employees). The enemy loves separating us from the ones who love us and are most able to help us.
On the other hand, God is constantly offering us a way out; a strategy to defeat fear and walk with Him in righteousness as dear children.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16.
9. What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
Today, as believers, we have the Holy Spirit within to enlighten us to the truth needed in the word of God to lay hold of hope. And He empowers us to choose the words and actions of faith which can overcome fear.
This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John5:4
In the New Covenant we have a new High Priest who knows exactly how we feel and, therefore, is able to help us face our fear side-by-side with Him. He brings us to His Father’s throne of mercy and grace to discover the loving kindness of the One Who sits on the throne, waiting patiently to help us rise up as sons and daughters.
1. But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; . . . Isaiah 43:1-3
We all go through tough times. Our nation is going through a time of testing right now. We need to hear what God is saying through Isaiah.
Waters are likened to nations of the world. Some people get anxious in large crowds. Why? Maybe in a large crowd they were separated from their family. God has a word of comfort for that! He longs to speak into that historical moment.
Rivers are like the flow of everyday life – sometimes slow and smooth, sometimes fast and rocky. Some people are afraid of the future. Why? Maybe their sources of security have been removed. God has an answer for that!
Fire is likened to the fear of punishments for failure or sin. Why? Most of us have been raised in a culture with a paradigm of punishment. God has an answer for that! His name is Jesus!
These are the kinds of events or issues that people would say, “Of course I’m afraid! Who wouldn’t be?” But Jesus said to the father of a young boy who threw himself into the water and into the fire, “With God all things are possible.” Jesus gave His disciples many opportunities to discover this truth.
35. That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36. Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. . . . 37. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”39. He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41. They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41
In a boat in the middle of a storm, with waves filling their boat, the disciples woke Jesus, who was asleep on a cushion. They asked Him, “Don’t You care that we may perish?” Clearly, they were afraid. No one, we might think, in their right mind would question their fear. Nevertheless, Jesus asked them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Did Jesus expect that faith would settle the matter and fear would have no place in them? He had not brought them into the New Covenant yet; still He did confront their lack of confidence in Him.
Had they never read Isaiah 43? Maybe not. Had they never read Psalm 91? Sometimes in the face of sudden calamity we forget what we know.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for (within) us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Today the Holy Spirit is within us in every trial to speak faith into our hearts. He is our strategy to overcome storms, fire and every fear we face. What does He have to say when we hear the devil’s lie of fear? Take hold of the Holy Spirit’s word and step into your freedom!
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, GodH410 is my salvation;H3444 I will trust (Jesus), and not be afraid: for the LORD H3050 JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.H3444
H410 ale Shortened from H352; strength; as adjective mighty; especially the Almighty: – God. Compare names in “-el.” H3444 yesh-oo’-aw Feminine passive participle of H3467; something saved, deliverance; hence aid, victory, prosperity: – health, help (-ing), salvation, save, saving (health), welfare. H3050 yaw Contracted for H3068, and meaning the same; Jah, the sacred name: – Jah, the Lord, most vehement.
Behold, The Almighty is my Yeshua (Jesus),
I will trust and not be afraid;
For Yah, Jehovah, is my strength and song;
He also has become my Yeshua. Isaiah 12:2 My Choice Translation (MCT)
God’s Strategy: Take your fears and your questions directly to Him. How? Try the exercise below.
An Exercise to Dethrone Fear
What you can do here is very simple and effective. However, you may need some assistance from someone who knows their authority in Christ the first time you do this. Those who are trained in Bethel Sozo prayer ministry are certainly able.
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a specific fear in your life. “Holy Spirit, what fear has power in my life?”
2. Ask Holy Spirit what event(s) gave the spirit of fear an opening to put fear on you. “Holy Spirit, what happened in my life that opened a door for a spirit of fear to have some measure of control over me?”
3. Ask Holy Spirit if there are any people who were involved that you need to forgive. “Holy Spirit, who do I need to forgive?”
4. Forgive those people. “Holy Spirit, I choose to forgive (name the people) for being part of fear getting power in my life. I release them from the hurt and the effects that fear has had on me since then.”
5. Hand the spirit of fear to Father God or Jesus and ask what He gives you in exchange. “Jesus, I hand this spirit of fear of (name the fear) to You. What do You give me in exchange?”
6. Finally, be brave and ask, “Father God, what do You think of me?”
Write God’s answers to the last two questions for meditation in His presence. The first thing you hear, see or sense is likely God’s answer. Do they bring peace to your heart? Write them down and thank God for His answers. You may need to allow more than just a minute or two. It’s worth waiting. When God speaks, His words are more powerful than anything even a prophet can say to you. Go back to step one. Why be content with exposing one fear? There are usually more.
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If nothing changes, find someone to minister Bethel Sozo prayer ministry, maybe schedule a Sozo session. That’s a quick and easy approach. If you prefer to tackle fear alone with God, download “Fear No Evil” from keminternational.com.