Fear can be used as a verb according to Merriam-Webster dictionary and has varying definitions. 1) it is to have a reverent awe of God. 2) to be afraid of: have fear. 3) to be apprehensive. Fear used as a noun means an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger; 2) anxious concern, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, and trepidation-nervous agitation.
Different Types of Fear
There are many types of fear that we struggle with. There is the fear of rejection, the fear of failure, the fear of the unknown, the fear of sickness, the fear of people, fear of being alone, fear of poverty, fear of losing our jobs or our homes, fear of not being able to pay our bills, and the list goes on and on.
As you read this teaching what worries and anxieties constantly invade your mind, robbing you of your peace?
Job’s Fear
Job 3:25 says, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”
Job was a man who was perfect and upright before God. He feared God and eschewed (avoided, shunned) evil. This man of God had seven sons and three daughters. He was a man of great substance. God blessed him with seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she asses, and many servants. He was known as the wealthiest man of the east.
With all that Job still had a problem. His greatest fear was that his children sinned unknowingly because of their lifestyle. The bible says that Job offered sacrifices continually for them, asking God to forgive them of their sins and transgressions.
The bible says that there was a day that the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also. The LORD begin to question Satan, by asking him where he was coming from. Satan answered by saying he was going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. The bible says that God asked Satan the question, have you considered my servant Job? God begins to brag on Job by saying there is none like him in the earth. He is a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Satan continues his conversation with God by saying that Job was serving God because of the material blessing, if He moved the hedge of protection that Job would curse God to His face.
The bible says that Satan is an accuser of the brethren, just like he accused Job for serving God just for the blessings, he says the same thing about us. God removed the hedge of protection and turned everything over to Satan except one servant, and Job’s wife who evidently worked for Satan.
Overcoming Fear
Job was a man who was consumed with fear. He agonized over his children committing some awful sin. He did this until it became a stronghold in his mind. According to Prophetess Mattie Nottage in her book Breaking the Chains, From Worship to Warfare, strongholds are belief systems consisting of ideas and ideologies that govern individuals, groups of people, small communities,or even entire nations. Strongholds are agents of Satan assigned to keep us in bondage.
Fear is a spirit that operates as a paralyzing force to stop the work of God in an individual. Fear operates in the same way faith does, only from the negative. With faith we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth and we have what we say. Fear does the same, we speak out negative things that come to our mind and like a magnet it comes to us. The scripture says in II Timothy 1:7, “That God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.” The scripture says that fear hath torment.
What are you afraid of? Is it man? The LORD says in Hebrews 13:5b,6, “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the LORD is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Do you fear people? Well, the LORD says in Jeremiah 1:8- “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” Are you overwhelm by life situation and circumstances? The word declares through the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 43:1,2, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name: thou art mine. When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strenghten thee,yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Is it sickness? Psalm 118:17 says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the work of the LORD.”
We must renounce fear and every spirit associated with it, and put in our spirit what the Word has to say about our situation and us as covenant people with God. God says His word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what He please, and prosper in the thing it is sent after. Even before I could write this article I had to close the doors to procrastination, slothfulness, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of people, fear of failure, fear of doubt and unbelief. I did this through prayer. As I prayed God showed me what spirits to kick out of my thoughts/mind, and what positive spirits I needed to put back (faith, courage, etc.). II Corinthians 10:5 tells us to cast down evil imaginations that exalt itself above the knowledge of God and bring our thoughts into obedience to the word of God. I replaced the negative belief system with. I can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengthens me. I begin to tell Satan to get out of my mind, vacate the premises, I closed the door to fear. I told him I believe God, I trust God, I believe His word even as He told me. Then I asked God for a paradigm shift in my mind, I repeated this several times over, and over again. I released the peace of God to inhabit my thoughts. I canceled the spirit of bondage and oppression also in Jesus name. The results is this word of the month to edify, exhort, and encourage you to step out of fear and embrace the faith which was delivered to the saints of God.
Let us pray!!!
Father, we come in the mighty name of Jesus, declaring your glory, the bloodline of protection, and the anointing to destroy the yokes of bondage in our life. We renounce the spirit of fear, bondage, and torment. We cancel his assignment against us. LORD, fear paralyzes, fear stops us from moving forward in our appointed destinies. We take authority over this spirit and we decree and declare a new way of thinking, we declare a paradigm shift is taking place in our minds. We repent for allowing this strongman to rule and have dominion for so long. We take our life back, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us how to walk in continued victory by renewing our minds daily. Each day give us the grace, and strength to exercise our rights through prayer, fasting, and the word. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen. So be it!!!