When Fear Takes Over
And how to overcome.
Fear is a very real and natural instinct. Just recently, I found myself giving into fear during this COVID-19 pandemic when someone told me they heard that Governor Dewine was going to put the state of Ohio in lock down. Not completely understanding what “lock down” meant, I went into panic mode. My son was still at the University of Cincinnati and we were four hours away from him. His school had just announced that the students needed to leave and we had planned to pick him up in a few days. The thought of not being able to get to my son and the potential that something might happen to him made me sick to my stomach. My consuming thought was; get him home now.
I had to take a second to breathe. I knew I was giving into fear. I knew I was thinking irrationally. But I literally could not get the thought out of my head; what if I could not get to him?
“Fear is a chain reaction in the brain that starts with a stressful stimulus and ends with the release of chemicals that cause a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles, among other things, also known as the fight-or-flight response.”
How Fear Works by Julia Layton
There is so much to learn about the brain and how it works. Honestly, it is hard for me to completely grip what science tells us about our body, but there are some who are very gifted in this area and for that I am very thankful. God designed our bodies so intricately that it never ceases to amaze me how thoughtful and mindful He is of us.
God’s Word provides much needed insight about fear in scripture.
I love that there are 365 scriptures dealing with fear, one for each day of the year, but today we will focus on 2 Timothy 1:7, which states:
“God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Fear is a natural response that once triggered, sets off a series of chemical reactions meant to keep us safe from the present or perceived danger. But, the fear presented here in the verse above, the fear we are addressing in this post, is the “spirit of fear”, which is a state of being that we can take on if we don’t recognize it for what it is.
According to David Guzik, a Christian Pastor and author at EnduringWord.com,
The first step in dealing with such fears is to understand that they are not from God. It is a significant step to say, “This isn’t God making me feel like this; God hasn’t given me this.” Perhaps it is from personality, perhaps a weakness of the flesh, perhaps a demonic attack – but it isn’t from God.
Fear is not from God.
Why is it important we recognize this?
For one, it’s not how God wants us to live. Whether our fears are rooted in our past, or false beliefs, or if it’s of demonic influence ( which I fully believe that Satan will use fear to his advantage any chance he can get ), fear is not from God.
So, we must take a closer look at:
ourselves
Satan
Acknowledging our fears and then confessing them is the first step to overcoming them.
There is power in confession. Meaning, find someone you trust, a godly person who is strong in faith, someone who will listen and give you godly instruction on how to deal with and walk you through your fears. Satan would love it if we would keep our fear hidden in our heart. But God wants us to be set free from our past and everything that would hinder us from living fully in this life. In some cases, we need to seek professional help and there is nothing wrong with that. I would suggest seeking out a Christian Counselor whenever possible.
God has placed many significant people in my life over the years who have helped me to overcome my fears. In late September, my sister and I attended a weekend retreat with speaker and professional counselor Bob Hamp and his wife Polly Hamp. They taught us a saying that I often tell myself when fear threatens to overtake me. In the midst of the rising emotions, I will say to myself, Joy….
“Get out of your brain stem!”
Fear originates in the brain stem. For me, simply saying this out loud helps me to focus on what I know to be true. At this retreat, we learned the basics of how the brain operates and how God uniquely designed our brain to move up to higher thinking. I am paraphrasing here, but basically fear originates in our brain stem and by acknowledging the fear, it stops the fear cycle. If you can pinpoint the fear and replace it with truth, it will essentially break the fear cycle. It is so important that we interrupt that cycle or it will just continue playing over and over and over; hence we find ourselves living in a “spirit of fear”. Bob and Polly are both authors and their books help others to overcome fear and think differently. Find a complete list of the books they offer at the end of this post.
What we truly need to understand is that wrong thinking, or stinking thinking, can be replaced with right thinking and truth but it is going to take some work on our part. We did not get to where we are overnight but you are worth the time and the investment.
Colossians 3:2 says to,
“Set your mind on things that are above,
not on things that are on earth.”
This verse couldn’t be more appropriate and needed in our lives today. I learned early on as a new Christian that I had some wrong thinking that needed to be replaced with truth. As long as I could remember, I was fearful. Fearful of everything. I literally clung to my Mother’s side and hated to be separated from her. A series of events happened throughout my childhood that further manifested fear into my heart. I carried these fears and wrong thinking over to my marriage and it continued after we had children. I suffered from anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. I did not want to live anymore.
But God…
God saved my life.
Quite literally, he reached down and saved me at my darkest moment. I have never been the same and over the years, with a lot of work and heart ache, I have learned a new way of thinking. His Word revealed to me that I have an enemy and that enemy has a name, Satan. The Bible says that he comes to kill, steal, and destroy our lives. (John 10:10) He is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44) and he will use our fears to destroy us and our family unless we take a stand.
But Jesus says,
“I came that they have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10
I don’t know about you, but I want that abundant life. I want to live free of fear, doubt, and worry. I want hope secured in the knowledge that He has a plan for my life and a plan for eternity….one that we can all participate in. Jesus made this possible when he took our sins upon himself and died to save us.
God’s Word says that,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:16-17
Let’s take a look back at 2 Timothy 1:7, “for God did not give us a spirit of fear.”
Now let’s be honest for just a moment, we all have fears. For myself, I was terrified to speak in front of people. I had deep insecurities, false beliefs about myself, and I would break out in hives all over my body when I had to speak. I was afraid of what others might think of me. I was afraid of rejection. Today, God has helped me to overcome this fear and has given me a boldness to teach His Word to groups of women. I am not going to lie and say I don’t feel nervous, but gone are the days when I would break out in hives. When I speak now, it brings joy to my heart to tell others of the goodness of God. I think it is important to note that Timothy was also a very timid person. He was gifted in helping others but he did not like confrontation. Paul was speaking to Timothy and encouraging him to be bold in his faith. And Paul was an excellent example of what it looked like to be bold for the Kingdom of God. That is why he wanted Timothy to know that his fears were not from God and God would not leave him without giving him everything he needed to be bold in his faith.
What has God given us:
a spirit of power
a spirit of love
a sound mind
Hebrews 13 says that God will
“equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”.
So He has promised to equip us and He has also given us the will to see it through. According to David Guzik’s commentary’ ,
God has given us a spirit of power: When we do His work, proclaim His word, represent His kingdom, we have all His power supporting us. We are safe in His hands.
God has given us a spirit of love: This tells us a lot about the power He has given us. Many think of power in terms of how much we can control others; but Jesus’ power is expressed in how much we can love and serve others. On the night before the cross, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands – and what did He do with all that power? He humbly washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-11).
God has given us a sound mind: The ancient Greek word here had the idea of a calm, self-controlled mind, in contrast to the panic and confusion that comes in a fearful situation.
Again, I ask, why is this important for every believer to understand?
We have a purpose here on earth and that purpose is for now. The one thing that keeps us from fulfilling that purpose is fear. Worry, doubt, and anxiety are all rooted and stem from a fear, a false belief, that we took on at one point in our lives.
In today’s world, we need to be bold in proclaiming the gospel of Christ. At the time Paul wrote this, followers of Christ were being persecuted and crucified for what they believed. It’s not much different today. Paul went on to tell Timothy,
“Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord….”
The Bible tells us over and over to
“be strong, be courageous…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
I also had an irrational fear of flying. Just this past year, God had me confront this fear head on when I knew I had to get on a plane to attend a retreat that would forever impact my life. I was so scared, I could feel myself just barely holding the shaking from fear in check. As the plane took off, I repeated Joshua 1:9 over and over and over: I held onto my seat and clenched my jaw….
I will never forget that momentary feeling of weightlessness.
I also saw the most magnificent sunrise.
There was some turbulence but we made it to our retreat and we made it home safe and sound. I am not going to say I look forward to flying, but now I know, I can do it. I am not alone and God most certainly had a purpose in my going. Had I allowed fear to keep me from going, I would never have experienced His grace in such an amazing way.
Perhaps Timothy had a fear of rejection. I can only guess, but Paul is saying, Timothy, be courageous and be bold, don’t be ashamed of the gospel that saves. It is worth the cost. In David Guzik’s summary of this verse he says,
“Paul knew that the plan of God in Jesus Christ seemed foolish to many; but he also knew it was the living, active, power of God to save souls and transform lives. Paul would not be ashamed of it, and neither should Timothy – or us today.”
As Christians today, we have this same calling on our lives.
Be bold.
Be strong.
Be courageous.
The book of Esther is one of the most intriguing story in the Bible. I have read this story many times and still find myself in awe of her courage and strength. Esther was an orphan who, because of circumstances beyond her control, found herself Queen during uncertain times for the nation of Israel. Because she was an Israelite, her life was in danger. However, she was called to step out in faith by her Uncle, Mordecai, for her people. He spoke directly to her fear and said,
“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.
And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”” Esther 4:13-15
We have this one life to live and, I don’t know about you but, more than anything I want to hear these words,
“well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:21
Now is the time to be bold for Christ. To be the hands and feet and stand against this threat against us.
What are some steps we can take?
Pray. Pray every day for His guidance and truth and for deliverance.
Let love be the motivation of your heart. Look for safe and practical ways to help others. Check on your neighbor. Call your loved ones. Stay home if you are sick.
Give. Now is the time to give. Give to your church. Look around your home and see what things you can offer to others.
Encourage one another. Now is not the time for judgment. There is enough negativity in this world. Look for ways to uplift and encourage others. Whether it’s through social media or a note to a friend, there are many creative ways to send an encouraging message.
Take this time and use it wisely. God has a purpose in and through everything. Seek Him diligently and love your family. Spend time together playing games, eating meals together, watch a movie together, go for a walk. Time is a gift.
We would love to hear from you. Please share how you have overcome fear and ways you are helping in your community today?
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I make a commission if you use this affiliate link
Here are some valuable resources for further reading:
Think Differently Learn Differently by Bob Hamp
Cherished: Shattered Innocence. Restored hope. by Polly Hamp
Books that have helped me tremendously in my faith walk:
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian
This is my favorite journaling Bible. It truly is my forever Bible. I love that you can write notes, draw, and highlight verses all on the same page. The leather cover just feels authentic and it’s perfect for men and women. I love it.
I love this Bible as well because who doesn’t love Rose Gold! But also because it has full blank pages to write or draw your inspirations from God’s Word and over 200 devotionals plus scripture reading plans at a really great price.
(Please note, I am not a mental health professional. However, I did work in the mental health field for seven years and fully believe that there are times we need to seek professional help for depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. There is no shame in seeking help and doing what is necessary to for healing and your mental health.)
