Two weeks ago, we learned about fear. There are two kinds of fear: godly fear and ungodly fear. Today we will continue with "How to Overcome the Ungodly Fear?" As I said before, the ungodly fears disturb our daily activities, prevent us from doing what we should do, and cause emotional problems. Here are some examples: Louis Pasteur had such an irrational fear of dirt and infection he refused to shake hands. President and Mrs. Benjamin Harrison were so intimidated by the newfangled electricity installed in the White House they did not dare touch the switches. If there were no servants around to turn off the lights when the Harrisons went to bed, they slept with them on. It is said that the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin so feared for his safety that his residence in Moscow contained eight bedrooms. Each night Stalin chose a bedroom at random to ensure that no one knew where he was sleeping. So, we should overcome the ungodly fears in our lives. Here are seven keys to overcome them:
1. Trust in God. A bumper sticker says: "Every opportunity to fear is also an opportunity to trust God." Every time we are afraid, we must see it as an opportunity to surrender everything in God's hands. We trust Him that God works in all things for good as long as we do our part (Romans 8:28-29). David says in Psalms 56:3-4: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" In most cases, when we are afraid, we are powerless. We really cannot do anything about most things we fear. We cannot control terrorists from bombing shopping malls. We cannot prevent natural disasters from destroying our city. We cannot prevent death from knocking on our doors. It is appointed for all of us to die once (Hebrews 9:27). So, why should we fear? Instead, surrender our fear to God and trust Him that He will do what is best for us. After all, God is our heavenly Father. Like a father who protects his children, so is God, who will protect us from evil. The key to overcoming fear, then, is total and complete trust in God. Trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear. It is a turning to God even in the darkest times and trusting Him to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good. As Job said when he was experiencing some of the most difficult trials recorded in the Bible, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15 NKJV).
Once we have learned to trust God, we will no longer be afraid of the things that come against us. Peter said in 1 Peter 3:14-15a, "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord." Faith is the foe of fear. It is either faith or fear! Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
2. Fear God. Psalm 112:1,7,8a says, "Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear." Fear of the Lord brings with it many blessings and benefits. For example, it is the beginning of wisdom and leads to a good understanding. Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding." Fear of the Lord also leads to life, rest, peace, and contentment. Proverbs 19:23 says, "The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble." Fear of God is the fountain and life (Proverbs 14:27 - The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death) and provides security and a place of safety for us (Proverbs 14:26 - Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children, it will be a refuge).
3. Focus on God and His words. Every day we are bombarded with the news about the coronavirus, violence, conflict, murder, and so many bad things happening in this world. If we spend too much time reading and watching it, we can be stressed and afraid. So, we need to focus on God. He is the great "I Am." God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Immutable, Holy, Righteous, Sovereign, Love, Merciful. It is also essential for us to meditate on His words. Did you know that the terms "Fear not" and "be not afraid" appear in the Bible 180 times? Bible verse like Psalm 23:4 encourages us when we meditate on it. It says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (ESV). That is why Hebrews 12:2 tells us to "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." I believe if we see God as excellent as He truly is, most of our fears will vanish.
4. Remember that God is with you always. People fear a lot of things. People fear what the future brings, corrupt officials, illnesses, death, financial crisis, and the list goes on and on. The problem with fear, when not controlled, may lead to spiritual growth stagnation. Instead of moving forward with faith, we are stuck in our comfort zone. Thankfully, the Bible tells us in Isaiah 41:10 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." This verse gives us the reason never to be fearful. We must not fear because God is with us. Other passages confirm why we should not be afraid, e.g., "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Psalms 118:6).
Having God on our side is more than enough for us never to be afraid of what the future holds. If God protects us from all forms of harm, why should we fear? If God is on our side, what can man do to us? Imagine this for a second: God is with you. The same God is the Supreme Ruler of the entire universe. The same God who made heavens and the earth. The same God who holds all the power to protect you. Will you then still be afraid? The logical answer should be NO. We should never forget what Jesus says in Matthew 28:20 – "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
5. Be filled with love. The Bible assures us that there is one force greater than fear – love. John says in 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear." Love is greater than fear and capable of tossing it out on its fear. That is the good news that we need to hear. Consider this. A woman who usually is afraid of a mouse stands between her child and a wild animal out of love. A soldier on the battlefield, known for shyness under normal conditions, risks life and limb crawling out on the battlefield to rescue a wounded comrade out of love. Or a six-year-old, Bridger Walker, who risked his own life to protect his little sister when a dog began charging at her on July 9, 2020. He saved her. However, the attack left him severely wounded, and his face required 90 stitches. When love prevails, fear stops from existing. And when love reigns, fear disappears. Love is the force that overpowers fear!
6. Be strong and of good courage. When Moses died, Israel lost a great leader. Now, it was time for Joshua to take the baton. However, the Israelites were afraid. They did not know whether Joshua would have the same authority and leadership as what they saw in Moses. During this time, Joshua needed encouragement. The people were afraid, and they also need assurance from God. In Joshua 1, God told Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6,7,9). It is worth noting that God commanded Joshua to be strong and of good courage. It is not a request of God or some mere suggestion, but it is a command. Instead of fearing, God encourages these people to be strong and be courageous. But what does this mean? It means that they should not stay weak. They must be strong in the LORD. They must obtain their strength from the Supreme Eternal God.
Being strong is not enough, but they must also be courageous. Being courageous means that they should have the confidence to do what God wants them to do. Though things may not seem to go your way, being courageous means that you can move forward as you trust God. God describes explicitly the type of courage that they should have, which is good courage. People can be brave without having the right wisdom. They can be reckless, not fearing anything. For them, that is how to be brave. However, God wants Joshua and the Israelites to have a different kind of courage, to have the courage to do what is proper in God's eyes. By being strong and courageous, we can overcome fear.
7. Pray to God. One of the best ways to overcome fear is to surrender all our fear unto God. We can only do so much. There comes the point in our life that we are powerless, that the situation is beyond our control. Thus, what we can do, and we MUST do, is present our fears in the hands of our heavenly Father. Psalms 34:4 tells us: "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." When King David's fears are too challenging to handle, when his mind is tormented by worry, he "sought the Lord."
When we seek God with all our hearts, he will hear us and deliver us from all our fears. When you are fearful, bend your knees, put your hands together, and pray to God. God is more than willing to deliver us and eliminate the disturbance produced by fear.
Closing: By practicing those seven keys, we by God’s grace, can overcome our ungodly fears. May God help us!
