Fear Not!

Every Christian believer is given the command to “Fear Not”. This is because fear is the opposite of faith. When fear comes in, faith goes out. It’s been said that there are 366 “Fear nots” in the Bible. So, that means that there is a “fear not” for each day of the year and an extra “fear not” to have and use for the extra day in a Leap year!

There are different types of fears that a person may encounter. Sometimes, it’s the fear of the unknown, fear of tomorrow, fear about finances, welfare, relationships etc.

Fear is actually a spirit. That is why the Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. “NKJV

Since God has given us the command to “Fear not”, it actually amounts to a sin, if we fail to obey this command. In Revelation 21:7-8, we read of a strange scripture that actually lists the fearful as amongst those that will be punished by God.

It says:

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” KJV

Satan is the father of fear, and this is his favorite weapon of intimidation. Our enemies, who are his children, are expert “Fear mongers”. They always want to ensure that those that they oppress and attack are living in constant fear. We should not fear their weapons and tactics, for the Bible says in 1 John 4:4:

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” KJV

Fear can rob a man of his peace of mind and sleep. It can make a person to be very anxious and afraid. There are several examples of those who experienced fear and the physical manifestation of fear in the Bible. For example, in Daniel 5:1-9:

“Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.” NKJV

The spirit of fear can paralyze a whole army and make them live in fear and dread of their enemies. Fo example, Goliath boasted against the armies of King Saul for forty days and forty nights! This account is found in 1 Samuel 17:4-11:

“And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” NKJV