Example One.
A preacher once shared about how his son (now grown) used to be terrified of the revving of a car engine when he was young. Anytime he heard the sound, he would run away in terror and hide.
One day, his father carried him up in his arms, and took him to where the car was being revved. As they got nearer, the boy tried to pull away from his father and climb down in fright, but the dad held on to him. When they got to the revving car, his father held the boy’s hand and put it on the car.
The lad almost had a fit – but the father kept it there until, after a long while, the boy became quiet. His fear subsided, and even after the father removed his own hand, the boy still gingerly touched the car.
His father said, “I didn’t want my son growing up with fear.”
Example Two.
I attended a conference some years back, and a minister shared on how he and his wife had a delay in childbearing. To make it even more ‘awkward’, he was a minister who manifested the gifts of the Spirit and the working of miracles – and he was a certified medical doctor to boot.
The issue became quite burdensome with all sorts of advice from well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning people. His wife was advised to go through different means – including ungodly ones.
One day, he just sat down with himself and thought, “So, what’s the worst that could possibly happen if we never had children?”
He got to that bridge and mentally crossed it in his mind – and, from that point, rid himself of worry, anxiety, and running helter-skelter. Today, they have children and, as he said, “The ones I have are enough. My quiver is full.”
The Bible talks about those ‘who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.’ (Hebrews 2:15).
God knows that fear of any kind paralyzes you, steals your liberty, and keeps you bound to the enemy in that particular area.
So, to break that crippling fear totally off your life, He will – first – give you His Word and tell you not to be afraid. Then, He will do one of two things:
Sometimes, He will (1) take you through ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ – and make you face that fear in reality. He will bring you squarely into a situation where you cannot back out and you have to go through the process.
-You might be paranoid about not having a steady stream of income – and you lose your job.
-Your greatest fear might be having a broken heart – and you experience it.
-It might be an obsession with fear of failure – and you start that business and it tanks….or a million other scenarios.
But when you finally experience it – and come out on the other side – you are changed and no longer afraid of that issue. It has lost its hold over you. As I said in a previous post, you realise it was merely a ‘shadow of death’ – and not death itself.
(2) Another way is that He brings you to a position in His presence where you go through it and overcome it – mentally – by asking/thinking, “Okay. If this happens, what is the worst case scenario?”
“If I say or do this…
If I refuse to give in…
If I lose my job/never get married/never have children…
If I tell the truth…
What is the worst that could happen?”
Many people compromise because they haven’t gotten to that point with God by imagining, “What is The Worst Case Scenario if I decide to stand for truth and righteousness?”
Many remain in ungodly relationships because they haven’t settled the question, “What is the worst that would happen – apart from a broken heart – if I broke up and they met someone else?”
What’s the worst case scenario if you don’t sleep with your boss or lie or cut corners at work – and you lose your job?
What’s the worst that can happen if you have no money – and God wants you to fix your gaze solely on him and not ask anyone or borrow?
What’s the worst that could happen if you discontinue an unhealthy relationship – and you find yourself alone financially/socially/emotionally for a period of time?
Many don’t know what God can do for them, through them or in them because they have refused to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with God.
Rather, they turn back at the entrance of the valley – and would do anything and everything in their power to protect themselves from their fears.
No. God wants you to face every fear squarely and deal with it. He doesn’t want you running from it, suppressing it, or just hoping it would go away.
Finally, before I round off, I would like to address another point.
Suppose what you are afraid of is from God – or you believe it’s from God? Suppose you have a dream, a word or a revelation that, seemingly, is of God but it makes you unhappy or fills you with dread about a certain area in your future?
Even though you don’t directly acknowledge it, suppose there is a fear that hangs over you, stuffed into the corners of your heart and mind – and colours certain aspects of your relationship with God?
Well, what’s the worst that could happen if you grabbed the fear(s) with both hands, walked into His presence and faced Him squarely – and both of you thrash out the issues using the Word?
A few times, God might tell you that is really His will – but, on those occasions, He gives you His perspective about it so that you fully understand and even joyfully accept it.
The fear is gone.
But most of the time, you will find out that those fears are just smoke or lies of the devil, deliberately and cleverly planted to put you in bondage, so that you cannot come into a full love relationship with God – or recieve the fullness of his love.
It’s difficult to fully love someone you are afraid of – or you don’t trust. You can’t be afraid – and give or receive perfect love.
Perfect love casts out fear.
‘There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.’ (1John 4:18)
Fear in one area of your life can seep out into other areas with time. Therefore, whatever you are afraid of, walk up to the Throne with it, and thrash it out.
The fears might be ridiculous to others, seemingly inconsequential – or immensely gargantuan.
But every single fear in your life should be dealt with – in His presence.
‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.’ (2Timothy 1:7)
(Do leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.)
Debby Osa 