CONQUER FEAR

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

There was a lady who died in 1916 name Hetty Green. She was called America’s greatest miser. When she died, she left an estate valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg injury, she took so long trying to find a free clinic to treat him that his leg had to be amputated because of advanced infection. I am sure she was worried about losing her wealth, so she didn’t even enjoy her life.

Everyone knows what its like to be afraid. We all have things that we’re afraid of - I can remember as a child being afraid of the dark - a fear I think we have all had at one time or another. For some it may be storms, an extreme height, traveling in airplanes, or dogs.

There are hidden fears that motivate us too - Fear of failure causes many people to never start, or try anything that is not completely safe. Fear of rejection makes us afraid to do anything that could draw criticism or give someone a chance to laugh at us.

I could go on and on talking about fears and phobias and in the course of naming these different fears we’d probably find that all of them fall into two kinds of fear. Fear that is good - the type of fear that keeps us from driving 200 miles per hour, from picking up a rattle snake, from jumping off the side of a building. Fear that is harmful - This is the "spirit of fear" mentioned in this particular passage. This fear paralyzes us, keeps us from doing things we could or should do.

The more we love God, the less fear we will have. It is a matter of trust. When we realize that God will take care of us, it relieves our fear. Those who have children would understand this - my children understand this because they don’t worry about having something to eat. They know that when they are hungry they’ll get food. That mommy and daddy will provide for them. They trust us. Now if we didn’t provide for them, they would get worried and it could lead to tremendous trauma and fear in their lives. But they know that we love them and will provide for them so they aren’t afraid.

The Apostle Paul clearly defines the solution for a fearful spirit. He says that God has given us a sound mind. Conquering fear is not a matter of self-determination; it is a matter of dependence on the God whom we can trust and love. It is a matter of belief in his words, his promises, and his gifts to you. It is a matter of recognizing the enemy’s pitiful attempts at crippling you with fear and God’s majestic grace in giving you power, love, and a sound mind.

The next time that something in your life brings even the threat of fear, remember the power of the God who loves you. Take a step back. Look clearly at your circumstances with the sound mind that God has given you. Walk in the authority granted by God the Father. Conquer fear and achieve great things.