All you have to do is look around you and see that we are living in a culture of fear. It has been ingrained in us since we were children. We’ve been programmed to accept fear as a normal part of our lives.
The Bible tells us that fear is a spirit. It also tell us that God did not give us that spirit (2 Timothy 1:7). So why is it here? How did it become so steeped in our society?
Because we allowed it. No, we embraced it.
You are Being Manipulated
We are inundated with messages that normalize fear and skew our perceptions of reality. Horror movies make fear “fun” while reinforcing an anti-biblical message that “the devil” is much larger and more powerful than he actually is – and that we should fear him.
In marketing, one of the first questions asked when determining how to best reach and convert a specific target audience is, “What keeps them up at night?” They are playing to the fears of their customers! When you see advertisements that “warn” you to get their product lest you face dire consequences. Drunk driving and smoking ads are famous for this with their in your face graphics and stark, unblinking truths that show mangled cars, diseased lungs, and disfigured accident victims.
But fear is at play in many much more seemingly benign ads as well. In fact, they are so subtle they usually fly right under our radar. Marketing ploys like “limited edition,” “limited stock,” and time limits are all ways that marketers are using your fear to compel you to make a purchase.
Have you ever been to a website that has little pop-up that announce “Suzie just purchased the newest ninnypickle” or some derivation of that? Well, that’s also a fear tactic.
Whether they are inciting fear that you’ll miss out on an incredible opportunity or deal, or you fear consequences that range from inconvenience to personal harm, you are being manipulated.
Fear in Our World Today
You don’t have to look far to see the spirit of fear in our society today. We saw it in early 2020 when grocery store shelves were bare from panic buying. We saw it in the months that toilet paper, baby wipes, and disposable diapers were so hard, if not impossible, to come by.
We see it now in the actions of people who desperately fear a virus that I’m not so certain isn’t a spiritual mark (not the mark of the beast) or delineation of the powerful and the powerless (by their own submission).
We see fear in society’s response to a rising crime rate – and even in the rising crime rate itself. The more people fear the less rational they become, the less they love, the less power they feel they have, and the more separated from God they become so they strike out to at least gain back some of that power.
Fear is everywhere. All you have to do is open your eyes. Ask God for clarity of vision. He will give it to you. Just make sure you are prepared for what you will see.
Everything is spiritual and the spirit of fear is a big, prolific one.
Fear From a Biblical Perspective
2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Do you see what He did there? We are not only told that God did not give it to us, BUT He gave us the three weapons that eradicate it!
See, when you have fear in your life you feel POWERLESS. But God gives us power. Luke 10:19 tells us “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” If you have that kind of power it leave very little room for fear, doesn’t it?
Having love as a way of combating fear may seem a little odd, but if you look at 1 John 4:18 it says, “He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” In fact, perfect love casts out fear. God is love, so if you are ruled by a spirit of fear, just how much are you allowing God to move in your life? How much are you really submitting to Him? And how much of the world are you still clinging to?
Finally, fear makes you irrational. If you are ruled by a spirit of fear, if you’ve allowed that spirit to gain a toehold in your life, then you are not operating with a sound mind. It is impossible. Once that spirit of fear is removed, God will fulfill His promise and give you that sound mind – and with that sound mind you will see that fear has no place in a Holy Ghost filled Christian.
Can Christians Have a Spirit of Fear?
YES!!!
If you are living in fear you are cheating yourself out of many of the beautiful blessings that God wants to give you! If you are holding on to or entertaining that spirit you cannot live fully in God.
It is impossible.
Yet even the staunchest of saints cling to fear, allowing it to drive them – and bind them so that they cannot fully experience all that God has for them.
The enemy knows this and uses fear to manipulate us.
Fear is NOT natural!
Fear is NOT normal!
Fear is NOT from God!
You have to understand that “spirit of fear” is a euphemism for DEMON. The spirit of fear is a DEMON, and it wants to block you from God as much as possible. It wants to devour you (1 Peter 5:8) but it comes to you as something smaller, something accepted, something our society and culture have normalized. You need to see it for the demon that it is.
I recently had a conversation with a woman about fear. I told her it was counter to scripture, that God did not give it to her.
She vehemently disagreed. She rationalized having fear in her life (not acknowledging it as a spirit as the Bible says) by saying, “Well, I am afraid of snakes and they can KILL you! I believe that God gave me that fear to protect me!”
No, I did not tell her about treading on serpents in Luke 10:19 – that about having power over devils and how we as Holy Ghost, Jesus name baptized saints have the AUTHORITY over them. But that’s another post for another day.
What I did tell her is that fear is a spirit, a spirit that God did not give us. Yes, I showed her the scripture. I also told her that good common sense and fear are two very different things. You can have a healthy respect for something that can harm you, but you don’t need to fear it. In fact, if you are living scripture, you should NOT fear it!
In fact, scripture tells us that we are NOT to fear it! No should, no maybe, it says DON’T FEAR.
Removing the Spirit of Fear from Your Life
If you are fearful, have anxiety, or are bound up by worry, know that God did not give that to you. Also, know that He does not want you to be caught up in it – He wants you to be free from it so you can live fully in Him.
The first step is understanding the power and authority that Yeshua/Jesus gives us. When we are baptized in His name, the NAME OF YESHUA/JESUS, we take on His power and authority. We walk in it and nothing can have a hold on us that we do not allow.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit (evidenced by speaking in other tongues), God’s spirit gives us the protection, guidance, strength, authority, and power to do battle.
You cannot wage war against the enemy if you do not have these two things and they are not active in your life!
When you allow fear, anxiety, and worry to have a hold on you, when you allow it into your life, you give it power over you.
If you don’t realize the power that comes with being baptized in the NAME and being filled with the Holy Spirit, then you are not reaping the benefits of the full power and authority that you possess.
Speak to it. Rebuke it. There is POWER in the tongue. Your words are powerful; use them! Do NOT accept that spirit of fear! Every time you feel it creeping up, speak to it and tell that spirit it has no place in your life. Remind it that you have been baptized in the name, that you want in the power and authority of Messiah, of Jesus, and that the spirit of fear has no hold on you. Tell it that it has to leave, cast it out.
Call out that demon and send it packing!
If you struggle to rid yourself of the spirit of fear, there’s no shame in that. Sometimes we all need a little help and that is why we bind together to speak against such things, to cast out demons, to help our brothers and sisters live more fully and freely in God.
Be careful who you ask, some are not equipped. Make sure they are baptized in the NAME of Yeshua/Jesus and make sure they are Holy Ghost filled, evidenced by speaking in other tongues. They need to have an active and fruitful prayer life, and they need a deep understanding of spiritual warfare – it is not for the uninitiated or casual Christian (Acts 19:13-16). This is the big show and it’s serious stuff.
Deliverance is possible. You can be free from the spirit of fear and any other demon plaguing you.
Please stop living in fear. Stop letting the spirit of fear have rule and reign over you! God has promised you such joy, peace, and freedom! Rebuke those spirits that are blocking your blessings.
Starting with the spirit of fear.
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