Overcoming The Spirit Of Fear

OVERCOMING THE SPIRIT OF FEAR

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

As we all have learned in Sunday School, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years! However, Moses, the prophet who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land and was buried by God, Himself. Now, it was time for Joshua to take leadership. He was named as Moses’ successor, during the time in which the children of Israel had to cross the Jordan River and take possession of their Promised Land. If they could get over this one last obstacle, they would finally be home. On the other side of Jordan was a land flowing with milk and honey, the fulfillment of all dreams. But standing at the edge of the river, not knowing what events would unfold in the future, Joshua became fearful. And he had every reason to be afraid! Canaan was occupied by giants! The cities, which were to be captured, were fortified with great walls! And yet the Lord tells Joshua, in Chapter 1:6, “Be strong and of good courage." Meaning, in order for him to succeed in his new assignment, Joshua needed to overcome fear. God tells him this again and again. Indeed, God wasn’t “asking,” or "requesting," or “suggesting” Joshua not to fear. God was issuing a command!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." Isaiah 43:2.

As we stand at the beginning of the year 2021, God is telling us not to fear. As we begin a new year, there will be many dangers and obstacles that we will face and become anxious and fearful. But God has given us a sound mind! We are instructed to be strong and courageous! God has given us the power so we can overcome every obstacle in our way; He has given us love. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. So there is no reason for a child of God to be gripped, controlled, paralyzed, or destroyed by fear.

The Almighty Father tells us not to fear, because He is in control of every situation. He is our refuge and strength! God is our help in times of trouble. So we don’t have anything to fear! God will be with us. He knows our name and knows what we are going through, so we don’t have to be fearful of the unknown. We can face the future fearless. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.

Have you ever been afraid? What do you fear? What is weighing heavy on your heart? Like Joshua, we all face fear! Some of us may be scared of heights, or spiders, or failure. Some of us are fearful of criticism? Some fear poverty, old-age, or the idea of separation or divorce. We worry about the future, about politics, and about our health. Fear is a normal human emotion. But, fear often results in depression. It stops your spiritual life. Fear paralyzes; It freezes us. Sometimes, it can rob us of our quality of life, or lead us to make bad decisions. Fear will cripple even the strongest. It can prevent us from moving forward to receiving all that God has for us.

Fear is a torment! Fear brings turmoil in our hearts and minds. When we are filled with so much fear, we do not think straight. Fear is everywhere! Whenever we turn on the news channels or go on social media, we hear the voices of fear. The media industry fills our ears with the noise of unemployment, murders, and a failing economy. The doctor reports flood our ears with cancer, heart attacks, tumors, COVID-19, etc. Friends and family speak their fears within their family lives, and it weakens our faith. "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth." Isaiah 24:17.

Still, we don’t have to listen to those noises. We don’t have to agree with them. "For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." I John 5:4. Therefore, we can overcome these noises of fear by our faith. Even though we hear these noises every day, it does not mean we have to be afraid. God will silence these noises as soon as we activate our faith. We must abide in the presence of God."Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." Ephesians 6:10.