Fear
Is fear
controlling you?
Have
you ever given a word, or preached, or led worship, or stepped out into a
ministry just to find a whiplash of darkness surround you? Maybe you haven’t
recognized it is the enemy, but rest assured it is. It seems when we are
pressing hard ahead, the enemy’s resistance becomes more intense. You know that
irrational dark sort-of emotion you sometimes feel? Yep, that is the enemy. 1
Peter says, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him,
steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by
your brotherhood in the world.
Years
ago I heard the Lord say, “Fear is crouching at your door and you must master
it.” Reminds me of Genesis 4:7 “If you [Cain] do what is right, will
you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at
your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Fear
crouches at our door, will we master it?
Sometimes
fear is natural, sometimes it is spiritual, and sometimes fear is a spirit.
Fear always demands a response. If you are driving down the road and a car
pulls out in front of you, fear strikes and you respond. In such a case, you
have experienced a natural healthy fear. But there is fear that is not healthy.
It’s…
A fear
that dominates.
A fear
that demands.
A fear
that makes you want to run or hide or just leave.
It's a
fear that becomes an idol.
Yes, an
idol. The word “worship” literally means to “bow down.” How often do we bow
down to that kind of fear?
I
started writing this blog a few days ago. Then today at church I had a
revelation from the Lord. I saw spiritual gifts deposited in the people of God.
I saw that many of the people had been used by the Lord in various spiritual
gifts, specifically words of knowledge and prophecy. (Not at the exclusion of the others.) Then I saw Goliath
standing upon a hillside gazing down at the Israel army—the people of God. As
each one would begin to confront Goliath, Goliath would thump his chest, while
whispering threats as they approached. “I’ll kill your kids if you give it all
to the Lord,” he would whisper. “I’ll make you bankrupt.” “You’ll look
stupid.” “No one likes you.” “Why should they listen to
you?” “Who do you think you are?” On and on it went from this invisible
Goliath hurling fear-bombs at the people of God. I saw God’s people retreat as
they heard his threats, not knowing the source was a lie from the enemy.
Fear is
a big strategy of the enemy. Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 1:7) that God
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound
mind. How often are bouts with depression, inferiority complexes,
and despondent fears—that big dark nebulas cloud—nothing more than a demon
whispering lies to us that we believe? We live in a spiritual world with real
spiritual enemies. They want to stop the work of God in and through us. Don’t
let them. We cannot afford to be ignorant of the ways the enemy works.
A few
people thanked me for the word. One in particular said they could totally
relate. They had been feeling like the “voices” were never ending. Without
knowing it is nothing more than the enemy’s whispers could lead a person to
think they were going crazy.
We all
go through seasons when darkness’ encroachment is intense. Sometimes it seems
it will never end. Don’t give up or stop pressing forward. The gifts God has
given to His people are valuable no matter which gifts you have. We all need
what each other has. The lost needs them too. We must keep pressing into the
things of God.
Next
time you encounter that dark nebulas cloud, rebuke it in the Name of Jesus
Christ. Stay on your guard for you enemy goes about as a roaring lion seeking
someone to devour.
Don’t be that person.
Don’t let those around you be that
person.
