In part 1, I talked about some specific areas where our family has struggled with fear in our lives.  If you have not read the previous blog, you may want to click here and read it first.

What are some specific fears? We may have the fear of rejection, fear of the future, fear of death, fear of what others think of you, fear of failure, fear of abandonment, and the list is almost endless. I vividly remember how Austin faced his fears. When he was sixteen years old and in congestive heart failure, he had a peace that was almost surreal. In fact, when he was in the hospital and they were preparing him to go down to the operating room for his second heart transplant, he gave me the most precious gift that he could ever give! I asked him how he was doing, and if he was scared. He looked up at me, with such a peace that I will never forget. He responded, “Mom, why should I be scared? The worst thing that could happen to me is that I will die during the surgery or soon after. If that happens, I will be in Heaven with Jesus, so why should I be afraid?” He knew WHO he was in Christ and he knew that he was ready to die. This young man has taught me so much in life! His book “I’m A Winner Either Way” will encourage you and give you tools on how to be free from fear and embracing life even with an uncertain future.

What does the Bible say about fear? When did fear come into the picture? I believe that the first demonstration of fear was after Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit and when their eyes were opened to see the wrong that they had committed. Instantly, they were plagued with fear and it was demonstrated by them trying to hide from God. The Bible talks about a good kind of fear. Psalms 111:10a says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This kind of fear means to be in awe or respect of God. I don’t believe it means that we need to afraid of Him. Our little girls are never afraid of their Daddy. However, when they are doing something they know they shouldn’t be doing, and Daddy walks into the room, what do they do? They try to hide what they are doing or run away from him. They begin to feel the condemnation and guilt that sin brings, and begin to fear the consequences of their choices. The only way to find freedom from this fear is to acknowledge their wrong and clear their conscience. This is the same way with our relationship with God. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment…” (1 John 4:18) What is that “perfect love” that casteth out fear? I believe it is talking about Jesus and the perfect love that He demonstrated when He died on the cross for our sins. He is the One who has the authority over fear and when His love is perfected in us, we become one “in Him.”

The Bible clearly defines fear as being a spirit. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) When we started to deal with fear as an evil spirit instead of an emotion, we experienced a new level of freedom. Remember, as in the garden of Eden, we some times open the door for fear by committing sin. When this happens, it is vital to cleanse ourselves, doing what is needed to make restitution. We also need to see how Jesus dealt with evil spirits. He took authority over them in His name and did not allow them to regain control. When you are a child of God, you are “in Him” and have the authority to command the spirit of fear to leave you, then ask God to replace it with His peace and purpose for your life.

Fear will always continue to try to bring defeat and destruction in our lives, nevertheless, we can be more than conquerors because Jesus already won the battle for us at Calvary. The victory is yours! Claim it today!