Defeating Fear!

Bats.

Witches.

Skeletons.

Halloween celebrates fear.

Terrorists.

Natural Disasters.

Nuclear War.

The media peddles fear.

What are Christians supposed to do?

There are positive steps we can take to defeat fear in our own lives and let God shine His light into the darkness of the fear and anxiety in our culture.

1. Let the world know that God is the ONLY thing worth being afraid of.  Fearing Him is the beginning of all wisdom.  When we fear Him first and most, we understand that the things in the world via-ing for our fear are foolish pretenders. (Check out these visuals with verses about fearing the Lord).

•  Pharaoh couldn't terrify the Hebrew midwives into infanticide.  They feared God first and most! Read "Fearless Defiance."
• The King of Jericho couldn't stop Rahab from committing treason.  She KNEW that the only salvation for herself and her family meant getting on the right side of the great God of Israel.  Read Rahab the Terrified."
• Even Satan, though we should be very wary of the "Roaring Lion," should not cause us to fear. Read "If the Devil Doesn't Like It." 

2. There are very specific issues that drive many Christians to be afraid.  These are addressed in scripture.  Check out the scriptures first and if you have time click through and read blog posts about the various issues.

• Death: Psalm 116: 15, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Read "The End of a Love Story."
• Change in our lives: Lamentations 3:23, Zephaniah 3:5 Read "There and Back Again How to Fearlessly Face a Changing life."
• Our changing world: Psalm 4, Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Read Comfort in a Scary World.
• Aging: Proverbs 16:31, Leviticus 19:32, Read "Pew Putrifaction."
• Sorrow: Isaiah 53:3-5, Psalms 56:8, Read "Letting Go."
• Others and their criticism/judgment: 1 Peter 3:13-17, Matthew 10:24-31 Read: "The Parable of the Trolls", "The Parable of the Trolls Explained", "The Care and Feeding of Trolls."

3. Fear is not confined to simple circumstances or single issues. Sometimes we are just generally worrisome or anxious.  But Jesus urges us to not to worry...

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33)

For some unpacking on how to put these convicting words into practical action, read "5 Ways to Combat Sinful Anxiety." (And although the post makes the point clearly, let me point out again there is a distinction between the anxiety that is a symptom of mental illness and the worry that sometimes plagues Christians.)  Similiary if you have a child who is afraid, please read "9 Christian Strategies for Helping Kids Overcome Fear."

4. Should we live in terror of the Lord?  Fearing Him as if He were the eye of Sauron, looking down from the sky? (Read "The Eye.") No.  

Consider this little parable: 

Once there was a little girl with a great dad.  He was big.  He was tough.  And he ALWAYS did what was right.  One day she was standing in the check-out line at the grocery store. Out of the corner of her eye she saw some gum.  She fingered the coins in her pocket and knew she didn't have quite enough.  She almost reached over and slipped it in her pocket but then she though about her dad.  He'd march her right back down here when he found out.  He always found out.  He'd be heartbroken, she thought.  She kept her hands in her pockets and walked out of the store.  Later that day, she was playing Barbies in the yard when the neighborhood bully rode up on his bike.  When she didn't respond to his name calling, he got down off that bike and headed right for her.  For a moment, just a moment, she was afraid, but then her dad came striding out of the house.  The bully took one look and headed straight back to his bike.  

We are that little girl.  On the one hand because we know that our Father knows our sin, because we know that we will disappoint Him, because we know His wrath, we chose the right and reject the wrong.  On the other hand, with God on our side, there's not a bully on earth we have to fear.  Little girls don't live in terror of their loving Father rather they thrive under His protection.  

May God in His grace teach you to fear Him, show you His great love, and bring justice when you are downtrodden.  May He defeat the fear of all others in your life and thereby bring you confidence, victory, and peace!


Helene


PS.  Leave a comment below and tell me what you are most tempted to be afraid of!





Does your family celebrate Halloween? Why or why not?  My handsome husband, Kevin Smith, has a video talking about the pros and cons!  




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