Fear is a Big Enemy
Fear is a big enemy, and I want to uncover it. It helped in my own life to uncover it. Let’s look together. Lets start with the Bible.
Jesus saw how big an enemy fear is when he asked us to not fear man in Luke 12.
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
and here in Matthew 6.
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
Jesus does not base his thought on burying his head in the sand. He uses comparison and the Father’s love to confront directly.
If we believe in an all powerful God who loves us perfectly, we actually have no reason to fear. That is much easier said than done, however.
Fear is a Big Enemy that Deceives
So direct threats to life are more obvious. However, fear of opening up our emotions is not usually noted as fear. Many men are totally blocked from a rich life by this fear without ever realizing that it was fear that held them back which is not of the Holy Spirit. See also Fear is an Enemy-Now What?
Fear of things we do not understand. Fear of things that are new. We usually call these nice words like caution or danger, but when caution overrules love of our loved ones and of the people around us, then we need to name it as a fear that is most certainly not from God. I do not mean we should jump off cliffs because friends want us to. I do mean we need to take steps forward to be with and see those around us. We need to love them and not live in fear of violating some principle within us. Satan can wrap our fears in spiritual clothes, so we protect it, rather than expose it
Near on 7 years ago, we had a family meeting where my family wanted me to respond to a feeling and not bury it in delay while I searched for a logical response. My son asked me a question like. “Do you dislike us riding ebikes?” My heart instantly said yes, but I said nothing while I frantically searched for a politically better answer. My son said, “See” I was undone. Caught as it were. I felt a little attacked and afraid, but the love of my family and God’s Spirit helped me to agree with them and talk with them about what I felt and how I must often do this to them and not give then the truth from my heart.
Fear is a Big Enemy, but Love Set Me Free This Time
They were not saying I should be demanding and my yes means they never ride ebikes again. However, the yes, made me vulnerable. That is why I was afraid to say my first feeling. I thought I delayed out of love, but they just wanted my heart. Fear had deceived me and had me name my fear as love. I own a book called Hiding From Love that talks about my problem. Each of us has certain blocks that hold us back from loving in the moment by being vulnerable. That day started something that is still working its way out, but the result is good with each step.
God help us to name fear as fear and not be deceived. When we face fear in the light of day, we can be set free step by step.
