It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Posts tagged ‘fear’

   Ungodly Fear Feeds on Itself – While Faith Rests in the Assurance of God’s Word 

Fear is like an appetite that will not be satisfied. The more we fear the greater the fear increases and grows. Fear and anxiety are like a force of negative energy that feeds on itself and it constantly breeds more fear. While faith is confidence in the Almighty God and the assurance that He and His word will not fail us regardless of how the circumstances look or appear.   

2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Job 3:25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

What we fear the most tends to be the thing that consumes our thoughts, our soul and our very life energy. Fear can grip a person’s heart so that they will be anxious to the point of being paralyzed and unable to function. Fear is a result of the fall of mankind, it is a corrupt, perverted and the polar opposite of faith. Fear gives great weight and undue respect to the twisted and distorted words of the enemy of God and this fallen world system. But Faith is knowing the true and living God and totally trusting in His word. 

Genesis 3:10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Faith is the full assurance and belief in God’s word, whether we see it manifested or not at the moment. We know God is faithful to His word and in this we have peace, peace of mind and peace of spirit knowing that The Almighty God, Jehovah’s word has spoken on the matter and it will surely come to pass.

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear. NKJ

What is our reaction to problems and how do we respond? Do we shriek and cry in fear of the impending doom or just any unknow? Or do we run to the Rock of our salvation, our Defender and Protector, the Almighty God Jehovah, who is our loving heavenly Father. What we choose to fear or stand in awe of, is what will rule over our lives. Be it the fear of Satan which paralyzes, or to have a reverence and respectful fear and awe of God who strengthens and directs us with His word and His counsel.  

Psalms 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Many people believe that fear is a justifiable excuse to not move forward in the task we have been assigned and a good reason to not obey God because we are afraid of what might happen. Fear is no excuse; it only reveals where our true trust, and distrust lies.  Fear only says, we do not trust that God is able to deliver, provide or protect us in this matter. Fear believes more in Satan and gives him a greater weight in our lives. Or sometimes our love for self is not willing to suffer and it outweighs our faith in God. 

Proverbs 1:27-33 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.” NKJ

We have nothing to fear, but fear itself. Jesus conquered all sin, powers and principalities. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. While we were at enmity with God, in rebellion and treason against Him, God sent Jesus to reconcile us back to Himself. No matter the sin, Jesus paid the debt we owed and died the death we deserved, shedding His blood so that we might have a chance to choose life eternal through faith and hope in Christ.  

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.NKJ

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and the wickedhave no fear of God.  

Psalms 36:1-3 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good. NKJ

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

Life is about choices and with fear we can choose whom we will fear and what definition we will live by.

Fear of Satan: ​F – Forget  E – Everything   A – And    R – Run

Fear of God: ​F – Face     E – Everything   A – And     R – Rise

Life has always been about choices, from the very beginning Adam chose to disobey God and believed the lie of Satan.  Now Jesus has come again to give us another chance to choose to obey and reverence the awe of God and have faith in Christ. The choice is still ours to make, whether we will live in belief of God’s word, or to live in fear. Fear is the first of the list of the unbelieving and abominable. 

Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. NKJ

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” NKJ

We are to choose this day whom we will serve! As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. 

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Fear – The True Reason for Hate

Gandhi stated “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear.” People are naturally afraid of the unknown, what they know nothing about. It is what is different from our norm and possible change that create fear in us, things that may impact our lives, our family, and our income that causes us to be afraid. It is human nature for self to be the most important thing and those things that belong to us.

A constant state of fear speaks to what we truly believe, trust and have hope in. Our reaction to the things that are making us fearful says volumes about what or whom we hold in high esteem. If we are more afraid of losing our friends, our job or our income more than our desire to honor God, then we will compromise our values, our morals our character. It is the fear of not knowing and the fear of our loss that causes panic.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The differences, in people who place their hope in the world and the people who place their hope in God, are their perspective and response to problems. Those who are without God in this world focus on themselves, their lack and their inability to change their circumstances. They are without hope and all they know is fear and hate to move towards destruction because they do not know any other way. We see fear produce hate that causes people to attack or destroy other people, communities, even nations, just to take what think they need to live. The end justifies their means and their survival is the ultimate end, so by any means necessary they will obtain it. The people of God trust Him to provide, protect and direct their lives. Their hope is in their Creator and Almighty God Who can and will meet all their needs.

This spirit of hopelessness leaves people in a state of despair. They have no reason to try because they believe things will never get better. All they see is lack, hurt, loss and pain. When people are without hope they start looking for anything that can get them out of that bad situation. They will walk away from a hard job or difficult relationships because all they see is the bleakness of the situation and they have no hope of it getting any better. People without hope will try and do strange things even check out on life whether it is physical or mental.

1 Peter 1:21 Who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Those who trust God can look at a crisis and know they will do well because the God they serve has promised to be with them in their storm. There are a lot of people who say they believe in God but it is another story to say they trust God. This is where perspective and response differ. Those who know their God will do well in crisis because they will say what God says about the matter. We learn how to be still in darkness because God has promised day will come after night, He will turn our mourning into joy.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God[c] is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. NKJV

Those who trust God will wait on the Lord to see how He will settle the matter rather than respond in fear. We esteem pleasing our King and Sovereign Lord more important than the praises or curses of men. Kingdom people will seek the Favour of their Lord and King more than riches or the threats of this world.

Daniel 11:32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.

Fear is the weapon the enemy uses against those created in the very image of God to get them to destroy themselves. It is fear of deficiency that makes people hate those who threaten their ability to get ahead and live successfully. Hate is only the result of self-centeredness, self- reliance and self-preservation. The natural man will operate out of his fallen nature to kill, steal and destroy anything and everything that hinders his lifestyle or progress. But those that know God’s word and trust in Him can be patient, longsuffering and persevere through difficult times because we know in whom we believe and know He is able to keep us in these difficult times.

2Timothy1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

We all have been dealt a hand that appears to most, life is stacked against us. But God is there, no matter what the challenge, problem or hindrance, because Jesus has provided for us a way to win with the hand we have been dealt. Life becomes the sum of our choices and what we allow to direct our decisions and choices will dictate our outcome. Everyone must choose where they will put their trust. Everyone has the option to choose life or death. But most people make life choices out of habit, family tradition and social customs. They choose out of ignorance and lack of knowledge of God’s word. Not understanding they have an adversary who is like a lion seeking to see whom he may destroy. This is his tactic, fear and hate opens the door and gives him permission to devour homes, families, communities, even nations.

Deuteronomy 30:19- 20

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

1Peter5:8 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

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