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My wife told me yesterday that an article she read indicated that 50% of Americans are suffering from fear and depression. The article also said that’s double the rate of a similar survey two years ago.
My brother-in-law told me last night, “Fear is the first sign of sin; Adam and Eve hid from God.”
Counselors that I know tell me that they have a waiting list for appointments. My personal impression is that the evil one has used COVID to open the doors of Hell to release fear.
Luke 25:26 says: “That men and women will faint from fear from the observation and expectation of events that they observe coming in the world.” (OGV)
The New Testament gives the perfect solution to fear in 1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear.”
The “perfect” is Jesus. His love can and will deliver us from fear.
The difficulty of dealing with fear – because it is actuated by disobedience – is that we are disobeying God all day long. Consider yesterday: your thoughts, actions, and words.
It doesn’t take long to be humbled!
This disobedience releases fear. Matthew 6 teaches us to not strive for wealth nor to worry about provision – do you worry about your finances on a daily basis? Same with health, our relationships, and our desires.
Let’s be honest, it’s too easy to focus on fear and not faith.
Back to Jesus. Right now, say aloud, “Jesus!” The presence of Jesus is the only solution. God will never leave or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). The author of Hebrews reflects the same sentiment: “Let your life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for God said, “I will never leave you or forsake you!”
Jesus says to you: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. This peace is not what the world gives. Let not your mind and emotions be troubled. Do not be fearful.” (OGV)
Peace comes from the presence of Jesus. I have found that if I identify fear and trace it back to my disobedience somewhere, I find peace and freedom.
Do this: below, list three fears. Next to them write how each are disobedient and not of God.
#1 Fear:
How is this disobedient? How is this not of God?
#2 Fear:
How is this disobedient? How is this not of God?
#3 Fear:
How is this disobedient? How is this not of God?
Try listing fears and then asking the question: “How is this disobedient?” Then think: “This is not of God!” Do this every day for a week. If you are overwhelmed with fear, you have patterned yourself to allowing sin. Fear is the result of sin.
The pattern needs to be broken. Romans 12:2 says that you must renew your mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches that we are to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Now replace your fears with the perfect solution: After you list the fear and ask, “How is this disobedient?” or “How is this not of God?”, then think: “What is of God?” “What is the truth that Jesus teaches about my fear?”
Start with listing fears on paper. Practice this often. After a while, a new internal discipline will begin.
Jesus will walk into the midst of your fear and give peace.
Yesterday, I was afraid about my future. I quickly identified my thoughts with, “This is not from Jesus!”. I then remembered the words of Jesus: “Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will care for itself.”
I felt the presence of Jesus, my fear misted away, and I had peace!!!
Final note: As you read Interruptions, I constantly give you the practical – actual things that I do – because it helps me. I think it will help you too. What irritates me most about the age in which we live is that we are so overwhelmed with ideas, articles, and messages that we develop an “That’s interesting; I’ll share it with a friend” mentality and then do nothing with the information to help ourselves.