You may not feel like the most fearless person in the world. Maybe you’re actually someone who tends to always choose the safer route, rather than taking risks. While we all fall at different places on the “fear” scale, we all know what it means to be afraid.
But at the same time, there are about 365 instances in the Bible where we’re commanded to not be afraid. 365. One for each day of the year.
This means that God knows and understands how hard it can be for us to combat fear each and every day. Fear can be paralyzing. Fear is overwhelming, heavy, and crippling. Fear is manipulative and can make us think and feel things we wouldn’t normally. If we let it, fear can be a huge roadblock that stands in between us and a flourishing relationship with God.
The great news for us is that we have some incredible words from God about how we can overcome fear and how much He wants us to live in complete victory and freedom from fear. His plan for you is to navigate your fear through His power and strength, and with His presence right at your side.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self- discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
If a spirit of fear does not come from God, then where does fear come from? And why is it that we—followers of Jesus—face and experience fear in our lives?
Let’s start with the first truth: God has not given us a spirit of fear! That part is clear in the scripture.
Fear—in all of its many shapes, forms, and expressions— does not originate with God, nor is it caused by God. Rather, fear is a mechanism of our common enemy, Satan, that is used to distract, discourage, and deter us from the plans of God for our lives.
As Jesus famously spoke, the enemy “comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” And more often than not, fear is Satan’s weapon of choice. Being aware that fear is from the enemy helps us to understand how we can defeat it.
We can have power over our fears because of the power we have over Satan. Equipped with the Holy Spirit, we have what it takes to fight back and stand up against even our greatest fears.
“He [Satan] has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” – John 8:44
Say this out loud: Fear is a liar.
From the very beginning of creation, Satan has used fear to manipulate people. In the Garden of Eden, Satan used fear as a lie to convince Eve that she was missing out on something… “God knows when you eat the fruit, you will be just like him in knowing good and evil.”
Still to this day, Satan uses the same tactic to tempt us into believing this same lie to incite fear and cause uneasiness in us exactly how he did to Eve and Adam.
But this is just who Satan has been since the beginning. He opposes the truth and he uses fear to convince us otherwise.
The truth is you are loved, you are whole, you are forgiven, and you are worthy—and you will never miss out on something good that God has specifically for you. These are the truths you can use to defeat the enemy today!