The spirit of fear prevents us from truly living, impacting our day-to-day lives. Are you affected? Let’s delve right into it:
Signs The Spirit Of Fear Is Controlling You
Do you find yourself questioning God’s love for you? That’s what the enemy wants: for you to hide or turn away from God, and the chances of this are higher when you believe that God doesn’t love you.
When you feel unloved by God—perhaps because recent events in your life have been very difficult—you should actually turn to Him, clinging even more tightly to Him.
Just as the scriptures say:
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Psalm 32:7
So, draw nearer to God. He loves you, and as it says in the Scriptures:
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18
Skipping prayers, Church, or avoiding reading the Bible
What about those moments when you don’t want to go to church?
No, you don’t have alternative plans or an emergency that you need to attend to. You simply don’t want to be in church.
It happens to many of us. Usually, it’s because we’re worried about something, but instead of taking the problem to God, we choose to avoid dealing with it.
There are also those cases where we’ve been participating in ungodly acts, and we know it – and either feels too guilty to be in God’s presence or want to avoid confronting the issue. All this while, only God can really help you – and doesn’t judge you!
Remember that Christ welcomes us to him with all weighing us down.
In Matthew, you can read:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light“.
Matthew 11:28-30
Running away from relationships
No, not just the romantic kind but any relationships, from family and friends to colleagues at the workplace. Why are you finding it difficult to connect with the people around you?
It can be for different reasons. Perhaps you fear rejection or being vulnerable and getting hurt in the process.
Perhaps you dread the feeling of responsibility for another human being or of being dependent on them yourself. But is this living?
God has created us to have relationships with each other. This is part and parcel of the commandment in Mark 12:31:
“Love your neighbor as you love yourself“.
Sure, it is difficult to open up, especially after being previously hurt. However, look at the new relationships as part of your relationship with God, not just the people themselves.
Prioritize God in your interactions with others, leaning on Him. That way, even if they let you down, you will have a firm foundation in God.
Overcoming The Spirit Of Fear
Let’s look at the scripture again:
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
Paul encouraged Timothy because of the difficulties Christians were facing at the time, especially the persecution they were undergoing. Paul reminded Timothy that he shouldn’t let the spirit of fear control him since Jesus had already conquered death.
Note that Paul didn’t tell Timothy not to fear. Instead, he told him not to let the fear have authority over him.
Fear is a part of life. Our fight-or-flight responses depend on it for survival. However, the Spirit of fear can become a destructive force in our lives, preventing us from loving ourselves, living as God intended, and fulfilling our destiny.
God gives us the Spirit of power. Welcome the Holy Spirit to reign boldly in you. Walk in love, and never conform to the ways of the world.
As part of overcoming the spirit of fear, you should push away those negative thoughts and focus on the good, as it says in Philippians:
“Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things.”
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