How to Remove Fear & Get Strength – Life Is a Journey, part 17
Do fears overwhelm you? Do they hinder your life or get in the way of God’s plans for you? Learn how to get rid of unhealthy fears and, instead, gain the strength that comes from God’s promises.
God wants you to move forward in the faith and strength that comes from his gifts to you as a Christian. And he’ll be with you every step of the way!
Through this series, you’ll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.
Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.
There is no need to fear with God in your corner.
overcoming fear starts with understanding it.
There are two types of fear: healthy fear and unhealthy fear. We need to learn the difference between unhealthy and healthy fear as people of faith in Christ. I think at times we all have some type of fear. Surprisingly, the Bible has plenty to say about fear.
“Fear not” appears 63 times in the Bible. But variations on this theme are found over 300 times in scripture. It is directed to individuals and/or groups in a variety of circumstances. It is clear that God doesn’t want his people to fear in the face of adversity or decision.
The apostle Paul gave some advice to young Timothy:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV).
Let me emphasize the truth that Paul was trying to instill in Timothy: God gives his followers a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Not of fear.
What is healthy fear?
Healthy fear is good and beneficial. Healthy fear can literally save your life. It might be likened to a seatbelt in a car. It is to keep you safe from harm.
Personally, I don’t like snakes. I have a great respect for snakes, and I give them all the space they want. Some snakes are poisonous, and I don’t know the difference between one or the other. However, I do know one type of snake, the rattle snake. The rattle snake has a tail that rattles and it is poisonous, but that is about all I know. I know snakes like warm areas like a rock or pavement. I also know they may be found on the back side of a log, or in high grass in a field.
I have a healthy fear or respect for bears, lions, and tigers as well. They are fine in a zoo but to face one out in the open…no thank you.
A healthy fear can heighten or sharpen one’s senses to danger and it can be beneficial. There is evidence that a person’s internal fight or flight sense is a natural response to situations that you may find yourself in at times.
As Christians, it is good to understand that having a healthy fear of the Lord is biblical and beneficial. It leads to wisdom:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise” (Psalm 111:10, NIV).
It points us in the right direction:
“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27).
God does not give us a spirit of fear, but having a healthy fear, that is a respect or reverence for the Lord is good and is how, as Christians, we should live.
It is always good to hold the Lord in a place of reverence and awe in your heart. It may even keep you from drifting spiritually away. After all, he is the creator and the giver of life. God holds the universe together. God is sovereign and all authority and power is his.
A Godly fear and reverence are healthy and should give everyone the heart to revere, honor, and praise God as he deserves. After all, he is worthy, he is God Almighty.
Again, healthy fear is not being afraid but of having respect and reverence for God Almighty. A respect for physical danger as well as a healthy respect for the consequences of sin and rebellion towards God.
What is unhealthy fear?
Unhealthy or unreasonable fear is fear that can paralyze you. Fear that will stop you from moving forward. Fear that will keep you emotionally, physically, and spiritually bound. It is a fear that comes from the enemy of your soul.
It is a fear that wants to keep you from being the person of God that he desires you to become. It is an unreasonable fear that is often based on lies and misinformation.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fear
Healthy fear is much like a red light on a car’s dash. It may be a warning or caution in your spirit of some danger ahead or about to happen. Healthy fear is a fear that sometimes slows you down in order for you to give the situation more attention before doing something reckless or dangerous.
Unhealthy fear is much like a fear without having any basis. There is no real threat of physical, financial, or spiritual danger yet you feel fearful and emotionally frozen. It can be a thinking or feeling that something bad may happen but is based on the unknown. Unhealthy fear is often negative and will hold you back. Unhealthy fear will keep you from advancing and can keep you from doing things God desires you to do.
Healthy fear gives you a sense of respect for God and for what is ahead. Unhealthy fear has a lack of respect for God.
A healthy fear is one that is from God and is for your benefit. Unhealthy fear will limit your ability to build healthy relationships. Unhealthy fear will cause you to stop advancing and in areas of growth and development and keep you from fulfilling the plan of God for your life. Unhealthy fear will cause you to doubt and keep you from growing spiritually mature in Christ.
“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).
How to Get rid of unhealthy fear
God does not want you to be fearful or be afraid. But he does want you to have a healthy respect and reverence for the things of God. God’s desire is that you lack no good thing and he will help you to persevere in your trials of life.
I am sure each of you can attest that there are many different trials and adversities in life. Trials and adversities can cause you to shut down and incite unhealthy fears if you allow them. But understand, God has not given you a spirit of fear but that of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Knowing he is with you, knowing that he has a plan for your life, you can be confident that he will lead you through it; you have no need to fear.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:4-6).
The early church Christians faced many trials. They knew they were not alone and that God was with them. They knew that there was nothing to fear even when they faced death at times for their faith. In the midst of persecution, the church grew and believers refused to submit to unhealthy fears because they trusted God with all their hearts.
Unhealthy fears cannot flourish when faith in Christ is present. Unhealthy fears can lead to spiritual death, but a healthy fear and faith in God Almighty brings joy, hope, and the strength to persevere in trials and spiritually grow closer to God Almighty. You may, however, experience a time where the enemy of your soul tries to whisper fear into your spirit, but know that voice is not from God. You may experience ridicule or attacks of some kinds from people because of your faith in Christ. Refuse to shrink back.
Trust the Lord. Know that he is with you and nothing can separate you from him as you walk in faith and victory. There may be spiritual attacks in the form of worldly trials but remember Christ in you is your hope of Glory. Do not let opposition cause you to develop unhealthy fear. Remain steadfast in Christ.
Remain focused on Jesus and ignore the all the distractions that the enemy of your soul wants you to focus upon. As you develop a healthy fear and respect for the things of God, you will have the victory.
Refuse to embrace unhealthy fear. Unhealthy fear will rob you of what God desires for you. Great is your reward in heaven, as you trust God and allow the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind rule in your heart.
God Gives us Power, Love, & a Sound Mind.
I want you to consider three words that are in 2 Timothy 1:7. The words are power, love, and sound mind.
Power
Acts 1:8 tells us that we will receive power:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The kind of power that God gives us has no room for unhealthy fear. When a believer has the Holy Spirit working in and through them there is nothing that cannot be accomplished in accordance to the will of God.
We must take a stance against unhealthy fear and know beyond any doubts that God is with us. As we lean on the Lord and fulfill the plans of God that is in our hearts, we can be assured that we’ll succeed.
If you begin to experience unhealthy fear, seek the Lord and do not allow the enemy to rob you or cause you to doubt. Seek the Lord and his will and God will receive all the glory.
Love
In 1 John 4:18 we see:
“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).
When we walk in the spirit of Love, when we love as Christ loved us, we will not be bound by unhealthy fear.
Perfect love drives out fear.
Perfect love is healthy and it will strengthen our bond and relationship with God and with others.
When we love as Christ loves us there is no need to fear as we walk in the love of God. Everything we do, we will do with the desire to please God and we will honor and glorify God.
This is an agape kind of love—unconditional love. It is considered the highest form of love. It is the love of God for man and of man for God.
Sound Mind
The third idea is sound mind. Self-discipline. I can guess that we all may have struggled with self-discipline at one time or another.
Having a sound mind involves self-discipline.
It takes a sound mind to recognize unhealthy fear and then turn away from it.
It takes a sound mind to remain faithful to God and not become distracted by the enemies’ tricks and lies that he may whisper in your ear.
The enemy may use a person, an advertisement, or you may overhear a conversation and the seed of unhealthy fear can take root. Always be on alert. Those seeds of unhealthy fears are rarely noticed. I believe that is why the apostle Paul wanted to remind young Timothy to remain faithful and to keep the gift of God alive and to burn bright for all to witness.
This would take constant attention on Timothy’s part to remain reliant on God.
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NIV).
We, like Timothy, are to fan into flame the gift of God in our lives and allow the unhealthy fears to melt away. If we are to be the people of God that he desires and has called us to be, it will take us having a sound mind that is firmly focused on the Lord. It can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit as the love of God rules in our hearts because of our faith in Christ.
The process of developing a sound mind and living a life of faith where we have a healthy fear and reverence of the Lord is called sanctification: where we act and live as being set apart unto God.
A person being conformed into the image of Christ is not a person who is bound by unhealthy fears. Rather, we have the spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline and we do not fear life’s trials and struggles.
Will you let God remove unhealthy fears and replace them with his gift?
Unhealthy fears are destructive and will steal your joy. They will keep you from physical and spiritual success. Unhealthy fear will hold you back in every way in life, most importantly regarding your spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.
The unhealthy fear of sharing your faith will keep you from sharing your testimony and faith in Christ with others. It can also hold you back from spiritual victory.
However, in the spirit of power and of love and sound mind, a person who is self-disciplined is able to live a life of faith and obedience in Christ. A person having a sound mind has the ability to be self-disciplined every area of life:
Self-disciplined to read the scriptures on a regular basis.
Self-disciplined to pray according to the scriptures.
Self-disciplined to say no to evil.
Self-disciplined to avoid worldly temptations.
Self-disciplined to avoid bad habits and to embrace good, Godly habits and have faith in Christ that is worth more than all the silver and gold in the world.
Recognize unhealthy fears and turn away from them. Recognize healthy fears and choose to embrace them. Respect and embrace the truth of God and choose to live a life of faith.
Thankfully, through Christ we have been given the spirit of power, of love and a sound mind, and we will be the people of God we are created to be.
Do you have some doubt? Have you experienced some unhealthy fears yourself?
Begin today to pray and ask the Lord to reveal and remove any unhealthy fears and replace them with his gift: the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Make the effort to focus on Christ in every circumstance and not on worldly distractions. Make a decision to remain spiritually steadfast in the word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the word of God. Next, thank the Lord for the gift of God that is in your heart.
In life’s journey you will be tempted by unhealthy fears. You will experience trials and pain at times. But always remember you are never alone. You are a child of God. He is with you and he is preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5). He would not do that if there was any reason to fear the enemy of your soul.
You have no reason to fear as the world fears. God is with you.
Suggested Praise and Worship
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