“Fear makes us live in the land of “What if?””
Fear is the most dominating emotion on the planet (can I get a witness?). When we are full of it, our minds get completely hijacked. It has the ability to make us irrational, subservient to people we don’t even like, full of stress and anxiety, lower our morals, and very needy. Fear makes us live in the land of “What if?”
What if:
- I lose my job.
- My spouse has an affair.
- People find out I don’t have it all together.
- I get sick and die.
- I lose a child.
- Somebody gets mad at me.
- I’m alone for the rest of my life.
- People really knew me.
- My kids never go back to school.
What or who we fear will totally dominate our minds…always.
No wonder the Bible says something we consider strange about the Being we are to love and call our Father.
Over and over again it says to “fear the Lord.”
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.
Proverbs 14:26-27
How can strong confidence, a refuge, and a fountain of life come from something like fear?
“Fear was not a part of creation in the beginning.”
Fear was not a part of creation in the beginning. God’s commands were only twofold: Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and be fruitful and multiply.
For Adam and Eve, God was their life and His Presence brought them no fear at all.
Enter sin.
And he (Adam) said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:10
Satan knew fear would turn us into his slaves and make us look at God as our enemy. He knew it would drive us away from the only source of safety, comfort, life, and love.
“God hijacked that most powerful emotion for Himself. God stole fear from the enemy and made his weapon a doorway to Himself!”
God saw that love was no longer the vehicle to get us to Him. What did He do? God hijacked that most powerful emotion for Himself. God stole fear from the enemy and made his weapon a doorway to Himself!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 9:10
“Through the doorway of fear, God is on the other side to grab us up, wrap us in His love and drive fear out.”
Our relationship with God now has to begin with fear because that’s what our fallen self understands. However, it is only the beginning. Through the doorway of fear, God is on the other side to grab us up, wrap us in His love and drive fear out.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
1 John 4:18
“Fear drives us to God so God can drive out the fear.”
Fear drives us to God so God can drive out the fear. If we only knew how powerful and loving our God is, we wouldn’t let anything stop us from living in His Presence. Fear is a liar.
Don’t let any fear you have be wasted. The moment fear starts to wrap its icy fingers around your neck, it’s a reminder of where to run. Fear is an alarm inside of us to get us to the safety of God.
When we fear mankind and look to any human for our safety, it’s a dangerous trap.
The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.
Proverbs 29:25
“When we fear God above all else, He puts us out of reach of our enemies. Our place is secure with Him.”
Exalted in Hebrew means inaccessibly high. When we fear God above all else, He puts us out of reach of our enemies. Our place is secure with Him.
How could Daniel go into his room, open the windows and pray when he knew it would cost him his life in a den of lions? He feared God over the king of Babylon.
How could Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stand up to Nebuchadnezzer when he told them to worship him knowing they would be burned to death barring a miracle? They feared God over death.
How could Jesus stand before Pilate calm, cool, and collected when flogging and the cross were in His near future?
Jesus feared no one… period. He submitted to authority, loved people who hated Him, spoke hard truth to people in power, but was never motivated by fear of man… ever.
Pilate: “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
Jesus: “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.
“His motivation was love for His Father. Until that is our motivation, our lives will never be full of anything but anxiety.”
Jesus knew He wouldn’t die until God’s time for Him to die came, He knew He was completely loved and always had the ear of God, He knew suffering was a huge part of His life. Every single day unfolded in front of Him and He was never motivated by fear. His motivation was love for His Father. Until that is our motivation, our lives will never be full of anything but anxiety.
I’ve noticed in my life as I sit before God and ponder why my soul has no rest, a common denominator is always there… fear. When I start to let fear of anything other than God come into my soul, I am no longer living hooked up to the fountain of life. I start to be dominated by fear of “what ifs” and my psyche no longer experiences peace, only turmoil.
How foolish we are to fear any human or any circumstance when we have been invited by God to live in the fortress (the safe place) called “fear of the Lord.”
“I want all fear to drive me to the place God intended it to.”
I once read something by Madame Guyon and I want to live my life this way. I want all fear to drive me to the place God intended it to.
She wrote in her book, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ:
As you turn (to God), you draw nearer to your Lord. It is that simple. What does a little child do when he sees something that frightens him or confuses him? He doesn’t stand there and try to fight the thing. He will, in fact, hardly look at the thing that frightens him. Rather, the child will quickly run into the arms of his mother. In exactly the same way, you should turn from the dangerous temptations and run to your God! You and I are very weak. At our best we are very weak.
“The God who created all we see is stronger than any person or circumstance we will ever face.”
The God who sustained Daniel, the three Hebrews and Jesus can become our focus. Don’t make it too difficult. Look around. The God who created all we see is stronger than any person or circumstance we will ever face.
“Fear is a part of your life and mine. It will take us to God or away from Him.”
Fear is a part of your life and mine. It will take us to God or away from Him. If we let it drive us into God, we will know who He is. That’s the thing the devil fears most. Once we know who God is, love for Him will become the dominating emotion in our lives. When we operate from a place of knowing for sure that God is perfect love, nothing can touch us, intimidate us, or control us.
Fear is the beginning. Love is the end.
