God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear

What are you afraid of? Really. Everybody is afraid of something. As for me I do not like snakes. They frighten me. When in elementary school a guy from the zoo brought in several snakes to show our class. He walked around with one of them so people could touch it. I had no interest in touching that snake and was glad my chair was the last in the row in the far corner of the room. I watched as boys and girls nervously touched that snake. I knew if I didn't touch it my friends would tease me to no end about being afraid. I willed myself to act calm and collected and touched that snake though everything in me wanted to run the other direction. To this day I make myself go to the snake exhibits when I visit a zoo. I face my fears.

Satan paralyzes people with fear. Some live in fear they will get a terminal disease. Some fear for their children and take every precaution to guard and double guard them. Some fear losing their pensions, others fear losing their jobs. Some fear losing their homes and some fear driving on the highways and byways.

What is it that you fear? Most people fear public speaking. I know many who are fearful about praying in public. Most Christians are afraid of witnessing to the lost or totally surrendering their lives to Christ. Many are fearful of going on a mission trip. There are countless things that scare and intimidate people.

In [II Tim 1:7] read this, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity) but of power and love and discipline." Hmmmm. If God did not give us a spirit of fear where does fear come from? I think Satan uses fear against the people of God continually. What is the opposite of fear? Courage. God gives us courage as we trust Him.

We all know there are many times we do not trust Him and that is when fear takes over and dominates our thoughts. If I live, think, act, and react in fear then Satan is having his way with me. When I operate in faith courage naturally follows and Satan is defeated.

God does not regenerate us to be cowards. He redeems us to be warriors. Men and women of courage. I am thinking now the of the countless widows I have known who bravely battle through the last years of their lives without their husbands they loved so dearly. They get up each day and get through the day. Many of them seek to be a blessing to others. Many radiate the joy of the Lord though they go to bed each night alone in a dark house and get up to a lonely breakfast. Courageously they continue to love and serve God. On my recent bike ride in west Texas God used two widows to minister to my every need for close to five hours. They served me and the people of Honduras by driving behind me to protect me from traffic and having food and Gatorade when I took some breaks. Those two ladies gave up a whole Saturday to minister to me. They both are filled with life and courage and I love them dearly.

I know many people who courageously serve the Lord despite trying circumstances. They are faithful even when the trials are stacked against them. I know many who give out of sacrifice. None more so than many farmers I love in Seminole, TX. Even when the cotton crops are bad they still give courageously and and sacrificially while they do not give into fear. I thank God for each of them.

God did not give a spirit of fear. He is a God of courage. I urge you today to find courage in Him and live life in trust and not in fear. Let thoughts of faith and trust saturate your mind while working diligently to dismiss thoughts of fear. This is the will of God.