Statements of Truth on Fear
by David A. DePra
“The fear of the Lord,” in the scriptural good sense is REVERENCE. It is a matter of living in Christ according to the Truth because I love Him. But this is much different that the wrong kind of fear of the Lord – which is a matter of being AFRAID of Him. Being afraid of God is always based in lies about Him.
“All fear goes back to somewhere I have embraced a lie about God. I cannot believe God is faithful and leave room for fear. Once I believe He loves me as much as He says fear must flee.
Fear is most often manifested in us through the soul, primarily the emotions. These are things we may not be able to control. However, we can do what the Bible says, "Fear not." What this means is that if I "feel fearful," I can call it what it is: a lie. I then go on, refusing to let it motivate me, and concentrating on the faithfulness of God.
Moving in fear cannot be God's will because there is nothing in Him which can incite such a thing in us.
The greatest tool of the enemy is fear. If he can play on our fears he can get us to do things, believe things, and be part of things we would never consider otherwise.
When I entertain fear it magnifies things to me in such a degree of false reality that I begin to do and think things completely contrary to what God is doing.
Fear is something to stand against. It is not something I can reason with. I cannot reason with fear because most often it will be presented to me in a way which reasoning will worsen: The more I reason, the more my fears seem justified. The only solution, despite all contrary evidence, is to simply obey the words of Jesus: "Fear not. "
Standing against fear is not a denial of reality; it is not pretending that what is happening is not happening. Refusing to fear is a proclamation of Reality: that I stand in One greater than what my fears or the enemy can suggest.
I “fear not,” by believing. Never try to make fear go away. Never fight it. Deal with it the way you deal with any lie: Refuse to believe it by believing the Truth. Then fear will dissipate.
Fear does not exist in heaven. Indeed, when Jesus walked this earth He never once feared. This tells us what it means to truly know God.
If God is not love, and He is not in charge of everything, we would be total fools to follow Jesus' admonition of, "Be anxious for nothing." Consequently, His statements are not only an exhortation to us but also a revelation of the Father: God is such a Father to us that we can actually afford to be anxious for nothing.
The greatest fear we have in the trial of faith is the fear that we will not get through to God. The solution is to believe God will be faithful to get through to us.
When I entertain fear I am on totally the wrong basis and I will see and hear everything according to that wrong basis.
Since the enemy has no power to force us to do anything he must rely on deception. The main tool he uses is fear because by it he can both discredit God and make things seem real to us which would be clearly unreal otherwise.
Fear is not emotional at the root. Fear is a spirit – and God has not given us a spirit of fear. Our emotions react because we believe our fear. Believe the Truth and emotions will calm.