Conquering Fear The Bible Way

BY TAIWO UBANY

Fear has been described as False Evidence Appearing Real. It is not true but it appears to be true and therefore subjects the person involved to behave in a seemingly ‘abnormal’ way. The bible says fear has torment(1John 4:18).

In other words, it predisposes its victim to uncomfortable, torturing experiences that inflict pain either physically, spiritually, emotionally or psychologically (or a combination of these).

Because most of the experiences of man start from our imaginations and minds, fear also originates from the mind.

When allowed to take root and further fanned, it begins to bear its torturous fruits. It is therefore important to address this often false and exaggerated appearance of an issue, from the initial stage in the mind since as a man thinketh, so he is.

When negative thoughts come to our minds, such are to be pushed out from taking root by scriptural declarations. Since the opposite of Fear is Faith, activities that will promote our faith will effectively combat Fear.

God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him. Tracking our thoughts, imaginations including what we expose our minds to (pictures, films, literature, music, etc) and utterances, are the first points to setting guards to our hearts.

Exposures to negative information sometimes build strongholds of Fear that require mind renewal in God’s word to overcome. Job ‘covenanted with his eyes’, David said ‘set a watch over my lips’, Apostle Paul asked that we ‘cast down imaginations’…and also ‘renew our minds’ in His word..and ‘allow the Word to richly dwell in us’.  –

Bro. Thaddeus confirming Apostle Paul’s statement said Fear is to be cast out because Fear is a spirit.Confession of what the bible says concerning such situations is one of the ways to conquer Fear. Consistent declaration of these Words will eventually overtake the false evidence appearing real.

Growth is a function of time. Consistency in speaking God’s Word to the situation over time will manifest Faith, which will enable the Word of God to grow mightily, and prevail over the Fear being experienced. The Israelites rightly manifested Fear in the face of the Red Sea and their enemies strongly pursuing during their flight out of Egypt. The Red Sea was a mighty ocean in their front before they got to it. But at the command of God’s word to go forward, what initially appear to be an ocean and actually was, eventually gave way to solid ground that could enable even a child to walk through! God’s word gave the required faith for them to progress instead of giving in to their Fear. The Word grew mightily, shifted the Red Sea and at the same time swallowed up their enemies from the back.

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Fear sometimes is borne out of not knowing what the outcome of a scenario would be (fear of the unknown) or knowing what the ‘undesired’ end had been for some who had gone through same experience. Absolute trust in God and His faithfulness to keep His promises is one of the ways to overcome this type of fear. Esther had such type of Fear not knowing if going into the King’s presence without an invitation would end her life.

This was a Fear of the unknown with natural laws guiding it that whoever comes into the king’s presence uninvited would be put to death. Esther took her fate in her hands after she had committed herself and plans into God’s Hands through fasting and prayers. She entered and was spared! Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. The ultimate end of anyone in this situation is death. But being a prayerful person, Daniel was spared!

Fear of failures. No one plans to fail but it is said that ‘failure is not failure till you fail to rise from it’ (Dr. Mike Okonkwo). The Bible says there is yet hope for a tree, that after it has been cut,..yet through the scent of water, it will sprout again (Job 14:7-9). What a reassurance from God’s Word. Failures are sometimes required to teach ‘how not to’ and to understand different aspects of situations. Failures make experiences richer, imparting wisdom for a solid foundationwhich is required for lasting success.

To record good success, God Himself said to Joshua that ‘this book of law shall not depart out of your mouth’. Keep saying it till it becomes flesh. When you say what you want and you see what you said, then desire is granted-success. Staying in the Word is equal to ‘yet through the scent of water’ (Job 14:9).

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Water is required for growth in Plants. As a Planting of the Lord, Read the Bible, Attend hristian Fellowships & Church Services, and Meditate on God’s Word. Staying connected to His Wordis key to sustenance-good success.

Good planning of resources such as Time and Money can help to reduce or eliminate Fear that comes as a result of anxiety in meeting deadlines. Since the bible warns that we should be anxious for nothing, it is important that we set our plans and commit our ways unto God to enable and help in implementation.

Tiny as the ants are, they make plans for rainy days and as such are able to survive harsh weathers that could have otherwise made these tiny creatures extinct. It is not in how big the resources are or how mighty the target is, good planning can achieve great feats.

Since we see daily that He truly feeds the birds of the air, clothes the flowers, we have to trust Him to meet us at the points of our needs. A very present help in times of need, He was able to sustain the whole of Israel through their journey of 40years to the Promised Land.

Everyone experience fear at one time or the other, Jesus on His way to the cross solicited the Father to cancel the arrangement of Calvary. He was probably afraid of the agonizing pains and experience

He was about to go through but He anchored His strength on the Father’s will. He trusted God with His Life. Today it is history because He overcame! Whatever the experience might be, remember, it has a shelf life-for surely, there is an end! (Prov. 23:18).