No Fear

…for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and of a sound mind. 
2 Timothy 1:7

Clarence Macartney said, “Regardless of what men’s progression of faith may be, if they are under the dominion of fear, they are practical atheists.”  We don’t have to live as practical atheists or defeated believers. We have been given the resources to overcome our fear. Paul gives us 3 things to help us handle fear in our life. We have been given, 1) power, 2) love, and 3) a sound mind. 

The Power That Conquers Our Fears- I John 4:4 Greater is He that in you, than he that is in the world. Do you know what God says more than anything else He says in the Bible? It is “Fear not.”  More than 100 times God says “Fear not.” Why? Because He knows that fear is the greatest enemy of peace and victory.  Why does God tell us not to fear?  Because He is present and active for our deliverance.  Your faith must equal your fear and the only way that happens is when your God is bigger than your threat.

The Love That Calms Our Fears. - I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.  How does love help me to overcome my fear?  John was not talking about our love for God because our love is not a perfect love. He is talking about His love for us. He is telling us that we do not have to fear because our Heavenly Father loves us with a perfect love. When we realize that God loves us with a perfect love, then we realize that we do not have to fear what He will do to us, or allow to happen in our life. 

I do not have a perfect love (neither do you), but still with an imperfect love, I would never do anything to hurt my children. Why do we think that a God Who has a perfect love would do something or allow something to hurt us?  At times the things God allows happen in our life hurt, but it is not to break us. It is really to build us, which is hard to understand when we feel so broken.  He will not allow anything to hurt us in the sense that it is not for our good. To fear is to doubt God’s love for us.  When we know Him and His perfect love it calms our fears. 

A Sound Mind Calms Our Fears- Sometimes in a fearful situation we can’t think clearly.  There can be confusion and chaos.  A calm, self-controlled mind and can help us focus and see more clearly and our Heavenly Father can give us that sound mind. The word “sound” speaks of discipline and carries the ideal of discernment.  Since we know we have the Holy Spirit to help us face and fight our fears, and since our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly and will not let anything come into our life to hurt us, knowing this I can commit my fear to the Lord. 

D.L. Moody’s favorite verse was Isaiah 12:2, “I will trust, and not be afraid.” He used to say, “You can travel first class or second class to heaven. Second class is, ‘WhenI am afraid, I will trust.’ First class is, ‘I will trust and notbe afraid.’”

Scripture to Claim:
Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.  Isaiah 12:2