Perhaps there’s no emotion more common to the human experience than fear. It’s defined as “a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something.”
We’ve all felt it. And unfortunately, it’s a daily stronghold that many battle every day.
Fear is often propagated through questions that tumble through our minds: “Will I get hurt by this person?” “Will God really provide this month?” “What if I fail in this venture?” Left unchecked, fear is debilitating and has the power to hold you back and keep you from the blessings and opportunities of God.
Misplaced Faith
For some, the answer to fear is to “have more faith.” Yet the Bible assures that God has given a measure of faith to each one of us (Rom. 12:3). And Jesus encouraged that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matt. 17:20). Fear is not a lack of faith, but rather, fear is simply misplaced faith.
When you and I give in to fear, we actually take the measure of faith that we’ve been given and place it on the negative. Simply put: Fear is faith or the confident expectation that something bad is going to happen.
The Simple Cure
Fear need not paralyze you. In fact, the cure is rather simple: Redirect your attention to the goodness of God in your life. This is what David did just before he took down Goliath.
That is, he reflected upon how God delivered him from the lion and the bear, which built his confidence that the Lord would rescue him again (1 Sam. 17:37). This is also how the Lord instructed Israel to overcome the fear they felt before entering the promised land. “You shall not be afraid of them. You must surely remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, 19 the great trials which your eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders. … So the Lord your God will do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid” (Deut. 7:18-19).
Fear Not!
In whichever situation you find yourself today, God says the same to you: “Fear not! Remember those moments when I got you through. Just remember My goodness and trust Me to move your mountain again.” Indeed, reflecting upon the goodness of God in your past is the key to confidence in your future.
In this video, I reveal what to do when you need an instant shot of confidence. {eoa}
Kyle Winkler teaches people how to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy’s attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity degree in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.