Two (2) types of fear in the bible…one is actually beneficial and encouraged by God The other is detrimental and non biblical.
1st fear in the Bible is the fear of God. It consists of a total acknowledgement who God is and his attributes. When you truly know him you are in awe of him and who he is. This constitutes the fear of God.
Ps. 111:1 says this fear is the beginning of wisdom and it leads to understanding.
Proverbs 19:23 says this fear provides a place of safety and security.
The second fear is the “spirit of fear” found in 2 Timothy 1:7. . So, fearfulness and timidity is opposite of love, sound mind, and power according to this verse.
What causes the second fear that so many Christians deal with? Well often the circumstances are different. But the root of the fear is often the same. It is a basic lack of theology of who Jesus is and this causes a distrust in the core of believers that really manifests when we face hard things or the thought of hard things.
Some of the most fears: loss of a loved one
Man’s good opinion
Not receiving affirmation and approval
Being persecuted by being left out or ostracized.
These are some primary fears but the base is the same. There is a struggle to believe that God truly is sufficient for all these things. And often we have not even lived the things we fear. We fear the unknown and unfaced. I call these what ifs.
What if I start to speak and screw up?
What if I invest in that lady for friendship and she dumps me?
What is my kid gets the disease that the kid down the road has?
What if… the list is endless? You can plug your fears in here if you are listening.
So, how do we battle these fears? I say turn them to even if’s. So even if, my kid gets a disease like the kid down the street….
Even if my husband never loves me like he should…
Even if nobody invites me to dinner….
Even if I never fit it… Just plug your fear in and then apply the truth to that fear.
I always think of it as slapping it happy.
Job 113:15 says Even if you slay me yet I will praise you.
Job went to the worst thing he could think of he had already lost everything. So he went to his life and said Even if…
So, some verses to do even if..
Psalm 56:11 In God i trust. I will not fear. What can man do to me? How sweet for the even if I never fit in or get invited to dinner.
Isa. 41:10 Do not anxiously look about you. Keep your thought life focused on Jesus. What if is a result of us looking for trouble. Matthew 6 and James 4 says do not give thought to tomorrow and be anxious. His grace is sufficient for today. What if demands our focus and our energy. It drains us because we spend our days anxiously looking about for trouble.
1 John 4:18 perfect love casts out fear. Yes, it does but we are not perfect.
So, what does the bible command more than 200 times. “Do not fear”
And then it tells us why. If you are looking for verses to support living a bold fear free life, psalms. Go to the psalms. They are full of reminders not to fear. And they tell us why.
Fear actually manifest itself physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Physical: rapid heartbeat. Flushed face and neck. Shaky hands and legs. General weakness in limbs.
Emotionally: it looks and sounds like harshness and critical spirit (this is to cover up insecurity)
Crying often: feelings of dejection and hopelessness as a result of looking about anxiously and not finding any answers for your fears.
Anger is big. This is a realization that you are not in control and that causes anger to rise up
Spiritually: a feeling of distance from God. He’s not answering you and giving the assurance you need (your demand is all that will relieve your fear)
A lack of bible time because we are too anxious to sit still and meditate on the very scriptures that will set us free
A weak prayer life because it very quickly becomes centered on the things we fear as opposed to adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.
The answer is Jesus. Easy Not always so easy to live
When to seek help. When your fears are starting to dominate your thinking and they are spilling over into your actions. When your children are beginning to mimic your fears and be unreasonably afraid of things and people and circumstances.
When your fear decides things for you. Not based on wisdom and balance but just raw fear with no basis
Ask for help and enjoy living in freedom without the weight of fear and anxiety.