FEAR

 

I believe that there are healthy forms of fear and unhealthy ones. I believe God created the emotion of fear as a “protective” device in its healthy form. One that helps us recognize the consequences of something and motivate us to take some action to protect ourselves or a loved one. It is an emotion that should typically not linger or cause us to behave contrary to His Word. For example, if I were crossing the street and a speeding car came out of nowhere towards me, the initial fear I sensed would cause me to move out of harm’s way. That’s a good thing; a normal, healthy reaction. It’s what I believe God intended for that emotion.

 

On the other hand, there is another unhealthy fear that can debilitate us, rendering us dysfunctional. That type of fear can grip us when diagnosed with a significant medical disease, as in my case with MS. I learned that I could not let that initial fear control my life. Yes, I had an initial fear that lasted longer than I may have liked, but I didn’t know better at the time. Until I knew better, I allowed the devil to play with that emotion. I allowed him to suggest all kinds of fears. While I made a point of never losing a day of work due to this disease, or letting my fears be known, the internal battle raged on.

 

If you have read what I wrote in the “about” section of this website, you already know that I was an insurance underwriter at the time of my diagnosis. That meant that I had learned all about the bad stuff of this disease; it meant I knew I was no longer a good insurance risk – I was actually uninsurable by our company’s standards. I knew the insurance reason for that. MS is a weird disease -- very individual, difficult at times to treat and with an unknown medical prognosis. It’s a “wait and see” disease --- and it’s the “waiting” that can trigger the most fear. Those things make insurance carriers apprehensive, so I learned to be that way as well.

 

Until I learned the Truth, I let the devil plant all sorts of bad thoughts in my mind. I didn’t know better. To get an idea of what I mean, here are some things the devil would tell me:

  • I was going to be a cripple and not be able to take care of my young son; I would not be able to play with him or have fun times.
  • I feared I would never get married again.
  • I feared I’d lose my friends; I feared being alone.
  • When I experienced the inability to swallow easily while I was eating, and my throat seemed to close up, I’d fear choking to death.
  • When lunch time came at work and I was carrying a tray full of food, I’d fear falling and dropping everything on the floor in front of hundreds of people.
  • I feared going blind and every other possible symptom related to the disease at that time.
  • I feared falling down when my legs got weak.

 

Believe me, these are just a few. The devil used whatever he could to cause me to fear. As my relationship with the Lord progressed, and I found out the Truth in His Word, I became equipped to handle those fears. I began to say “NO” to the devil and “YES” to God and His Word.

 

Through many various studies, I learned that fear is the opposite of faith. One source calls it “False Evidence Appearing Real” which I think is a good description. As I grew in my knowledge of His Word, it was critical for me to be involved in a Word of Faith church where I would be continually built up in my faith and ability to defeat the devil. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of “hooking up” with the right church -- a church that does not compromise the Word of God in any way, with a pastor that challenges you to grow in your understanding and application of God’s Word. If you live in the southeastern WI area, I encourage you to visit Praise Fellowship Church in Muskego. You can check them out here:

 

www.praise-fellowship.org

 

I’d love to tell you that I no longer have fears, but that would not be true. Perhaps that would even be an unrealistic expectation. However, what I can truthfully tell you is that the fears do not linger long. I recognize where it comes from very quickly now and I get rid of it. I don’t “live” in the fear. I live by faith in my God and His Word. I address the fear as it arises. The devil hasn’t given up yet, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of causing me to fear for any length of time.

 

I have replaced fear with confidence in God’s Word. I thrive on the example of faith and trust in God set by Abraham (see Romans 4 and many other scriptures). The unhealthy kind of fear is not from God --- He’s told us so. Memorize this and confess it the next time you are tempted to be in fear:

 

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

 

 

 

 

In the words of Charles Capps – “Fear is belief in the devil. If you are afraid something bad will happen, that means you have more faith in the devil’s ability to hinder you than you have in God’s ability to put you over." (Taken from “Releasing the Ability of God Through Prayer.”)



Selah



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