How To Face and Conquer fear

How to Face and Conquer Fear
By Pastor Joe Bennett Edited by Lynne Cole
July 2009


Discovering and Identifying the problem of Fear and how it attempts to take control of our life and mind.

It is obvious that the times we live in are very uncertain. In too many areas that we normally seek to find security, there is no longer any. Things have changed rapidly over the past two years and continue to keep changing daily. The broad range of issues that many of us face today have left many of us confused, depressed and full of anxiety and fear.

Fear is not to be a controlling force in the life of the Christian person that believes in God. Yet, it is in many believers lives.

I would like to tell you a few things that will encourage and strengthen you that have had or now experiencing fear. These things will help you to understand how you can have peace - even when you see unsettling things going on all around you and in the world. These things seem so impossible that fear attempts to take over our mind.

First of all, I want to set you believers free from any self criticism or doubt because of you experiencing fear. I simply want to help you understand the reality of fear. My goal is to show you those things, in all our lives, that become ways for fear to come into our minds and steal our peace and joy.

If you read the first chapter of 2 Timothy you will discover that the reason why Paul is talking about the issue of fear is because Timothy was evidently having problems with fear himself. You are not alone! The fear of persecution was real and Timothy was facing certain difficulties because he was a Christian. He was a person that freely told any one that would listen the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m impressed and glad that Paul did not condemn Timothy. Instead he encouraged him and corrected his wrong thinking that had allowed fear to come in.

In this passage of Scripture, (2 Tim 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.) Paul identifies where fear “does not” come from. It does not seem to matter where fear comes from, for fear can come from many different things. The term spirit here is from the Greek word “pneuma”. There are a wide variety of uses for this word. It describes the breath / life force of man and or God. It is used to describe spirits in general, good or evil. It is also used in relation to the soul.

Regardless of where the fear came from, Paul said that the spirit of fear was not produced by and did NOT come from God. He goes on to say that God produces power, love and a sound mind in us. Therefore this means, if God has not given us the spirit of fear, then we do not have to give in to it.

When I identify and understand that fear is trying to take control of my mind and life; and I understand that fear does not come from God. Then what can I do to keep fear from taking control of my life and mind when situations become overwhelming and/or beyond my understanding and comprehension?

Discovering, Identifying and closing the entry points of fear.

In this passage of Scripture we discover answers as to how fear finds a way to enter and try to take control of our mind.

I John 4:13-21
13) By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
15) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19) We love Him because He first loved us.
20) If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

1. Fear finds a way to enter in when we are not sure of Gods love for us. We must be confident of Gods love. We must be convinced and grounded in our belief of what Jesus’ death on the cross did to bring us back to God. This is the starting point of our identity and security in our relationship with God

2. Fear finds a place when we choose to not love. As we abide in His love we must choose to love one another. As we abide in His Love we begin to understand and experience Gods love for us we must choose to love one another. So many people including Christians, are not loving one another! Remember, it is a choice.

John establishes the fact that if we confess (believe in our hearts and speak with our mouths) that Jesus is the Son of God, then God ABIDES (lives and takes up residence) in us. (God actually comes into us as the Holy Spirit and lives in us.) John goes on to say that we have known the LOVE that God has for US and that as we make up our minds (purpose) to live the same way, by loving others, that we are actually living in God. As we bide in Love we abide in God. Therefore OUR love is becoming just like Gods love when we choose to love others and is being perfected as we Abide in God for God is love. God in us is Love.
He then tells us that “there is NO fear in LOVE” and that perfect love (God’s love in us) casts out fear because fear brings torment of the mind and soul. God’s love brings peace, fear brings torment. God’s love will get rid of fear.

As John writes to the church these passages of scripture, we begin to see the entrance points of fear. Fear finds a way to get in when we are not confident in Gods love for us and when we have chosen to NOT love one another. In other words, ignorance or unbelief of Gods Love for us and hatred towards and thus not loving a fellow believer produces an entrance and a welcome place for fear to stay and control you. Making you feel hopeless in your attempt to have God’s love in place of the fear you have.

I encourage you today to be convinced and confidently established in Gods love for you. Stay in the mindset that God loves you and wants you to love other people.
This is how God expresses Himself through us. Abide in His love, for in so doing He abides in you. The purpose of doing this is to walk in the forgiveness you have in Jesus, by His death on the cross for you, and allow His love to control every choice you make every day. You will then find that fear has no place to control you regardless of the uncertain and frightening circumstances of life.

If fear has been dominating your life then I want to encourage you to remember Gods love for you and that He wants you to love others. He wants you to return to that place of first Love. He is calling you to stop doing those things that have gotten in the way and caused you to feel down and thus have hindered you from thinking and having God’s peace. Shut the door on fear by thinking about how much He loves and cares for you. His Love will get rid of ALL fear and replace it with His peace.