Weekly Thoughts

3/1/06 – Fear #2

Hi all,

This week I'd like to share some more thoughts about fear, and how when fear is present, so is God's provision.

Last week I shared from Hebrews 2:15 which states that the fear of death is the 'big' fear that is the root of all fears, making people subject to bondage through it. I shared how the fear of flying, fear of enclosed places, fear of dogs, and so forth, all had their roots in the fear of death. Instead of dealing with the little fears, we as Christians, should and can go to the root of all fears, deal with the fear of death, and thus remove the power of the little fears in our lives.

That may take some time and effort on your part. You may want to read scripture and books about heaven, about Paul's certainty of going to the Lord, and so forth. But if you concentrate on really and truly dealing with the fear of death, you will find no fear can attach itself to you.

Fear is identified as a spirit in II Timothy 1:7, but fear is also a regular part of life that keeps us from doing something stupid...there isn't always a spirit attached to the fear. I fear traffic, so I look both ways before crossing the street. Fear is a normal protection built into us which comes as a result of our ability to think about consequences of our actions.  For example, a little child has no fear of the burner on the stove until he gets burned, and when the knowledge of the consequences of his actions becomes known to him, he will stay away from the burner from that point on.  

However, fear from the enemy is a fear that causes us to think irrationally, speak irrationally, and thus act irrationally. Fear brings in confusion and indecision, yet prompts us to make decisions in the midst of all that confusion, which is not the wise thing to do.

Like the pheasants in the movie 'Bambi' that are hunkered down in the field as man approaches, Satan wants to get you to 'fly' so the hunter can shoot you down. The other pheasants remained safe, but the one that flew due to fear was shot.

When we see people afraid in scripture we also see God's provision right at that point in time being revealed.

In Daniel 10:2-3 we are told Daniel is fasting for the purpose of seeking God for his nation, during which the angel Gabriel comes to  him. He is afraid (Dan 10:11-12) but Gabriel tells him not to be afraid, for  his prayer was heard and Gabriel was sent to lay out God's plans for the nation.

Fear was present, yet so was provision just 'on the other side of fear'.

In Matthew 14:26 Jesus is walking on the water to the boat, and the disciples are afraid. They had been rowing all night and only made about 3.5 miles progress in a 9 mile journey. When Jesus came he got into their boat, the wind ceased, and he translated the boat immediately to the other side. (John 6:21)

Fear was present, but on the other side of fear was the storm being calmed and entering into a time of making up for lost time, by being translated the rest of the way.

There are numerous instances of the Bible stating that people were afraid, yet those instances are always followed by the revelation of God's provision.

We can only conclude then that fear is often an indicator of God's provision being near.

When the enemy is making you fearful, look for the provision. Wait for it to be revealed.

I've shared in various settings the story of me taking my handicapped son, Chris, with me on the way to taking 5 of our cows to the stock sale. We had the cows in the trailer and I lifted Chris into the truck, but didn't bother to put his wheelchair in the back for some reason.

About 10 miles from home the truck died. There I was on the side of the road with no wheelchair for my son, and a trailer filled with restless cows in the back. The first emotion is fear, but I didn't listen to it and instead said this: Thank you Father that II Pet 1:3 says that all things that pertain to life have been given to me, so I look for your provision, where is it in this situation? Thank you for it.

I had no sooner spoken those words than a man in a big pick up stopped, and long story short, took our trailer full of cows pulled by his truck to the sale, then brought us back. We started the truck, got it to the mechanic, and phone another son to bring us home.

Right at the point of fear there was God's provision. We must learn to NOT speak the fear, but instead speak God's Word and praise. When fear comes in, turn your attention from it and start looking for God's provision.

My thoughts go towards the reason behind the reason...I want to know how fear gets in to begin with.

One indication to the answer comes from Genesis 3:7-10 in the story of Adam and Eve being afraid and hiding themselves from the Lord after they had sinned.

Prior to their sin, some believe Adam and Eve were clothed in the glory of God. I don't know if that is true or not, but certainly they were walking in the presence of God, for the Lord spent a good deal of time with them it would seem.

Still, we could make the observation that fear came in when the glory departed.

There is no fear in the presence of God itself, though upon first seeing God or his angels people in the Bible are often described as being afraid, but once over the newness of seeing an angel, fear leaves.

For example, Mary upon seeing Gabriel in Luke 1:29-30 was afraid but was immediately told not to be afraid for she had found favor (again an example of God's provision being just on the other side of fear).

I just insert this thought...There are some in church circles who want to paint a picture of a big fearful God being our Father. But not to us. We are his kids, we can come boldly to the throne to receive what we need. We need not be afraid of our heavenly Father, though some, due to a mean or abusive earthly dad or preacher still have an abnormal fear of God. I know growing up, to us kids dad was great, but if an outsider would have tried to hurt us kids, my dad would have been ruthless to that outsider, but not to family. We are God's family.

Back to when the glory leaves fear comes in. Think about that principle for a minute. If we can stay in the peace and comfort of God's presence and glory, fear cannot get to us. It is up to us to NOT entertain thoughts of fear.

That brings me to the real root of fear and how it works. Though it is often said that fear is faith in the devil...faith's opposite so to speak, scripture indicates something different.

I personally don't believe fear is faith in the devil. Fear is actually, nothingness. Like darkness, and that's what it feels like, the absence of light and life and love.

Fear is a door opener, it's us letting the drawbridge down for the enemy to come in, but unlike faith, it has no offensive power in itself, it merely opens the door for the enemy. Fear is a retreat, allowing the enemy to progress. It is NOT faith in the enemy at all.

I remember driving across western Kansas on I-70 one day as the sun was setting. With all the dust from the fields in the air and the light low, you could actually see darkness starting to come upon the land progressing from east to west as the sun sunk low. I thought to myself, "Wow, look how the darkness is advancing". Just then the Father interrupted my thought and said this: "It's not that the darkness is advancing, it's that the light is retreating."

Fear can only advance when light retreats. It has no offensive ability in and of itself, fear is the absence of light, life, and love. Fear is the intimidator...it puffs up, but can easily be put down because it has no mass, no matter, no substance to it. Fear is the air, the very atmosphere of hell, just as love is the atmosphere of God's kingdom.

I John 4:18 says there is no fear in love, but perfect (mature, complete) love casts out fear, because fear has torment. (love has no torment)

There we have it, if fear is present, love is not. Fear is the absence of love.

That's easy to understand. Think of a child who lives in a house with no absolutes, or maybe a family very dysfunctional...the fear is tangible because there is no unconditional love residing in that house. When love is in a house there is a sense of security and peace.

When my dad left our family when I was about 11 1/2 years old, I had a friend who lived a few miles east of us I spent a lot of time with. They had a bumper pool table, a go cart, and they even took me skiing one time (That's when I learned to ski -Sugarloaf-thanks Em).

But what I remember the most was that whenever I went to his house there was such a feeling of security, safety, peace. My friend's dad was strict, but love was the driving force in that house. There was a health dose of respect for his dad, but absolute love was I felt.

The presence of fear indicates a lack of the presence of love. Therefore when we are attacked by thoughts of fear--the imaginations of what can go wrong--that fear is coming against God's love for us and in us.

The glory or presence of God that departed Adam and Eve was at it's core, the love of God on them. They gave away their uniqueness and fear entered. God still loved them, but they gave away, laid down, His Presence of Love.

The way to fight fear then, is to immediately counter thoughts of fear with memories of God's provision for you in similarly tight situations. We must go in our minds to the fact that the Father loves us, has always provided for us, has never let us down.

When fear comes in about where the money you need is coming from, you must immediately think about past times of miraculous provision. Call them up from the back of your mind, go to your journal, think back to similar situations...when you do that, and become focused on God's love and provision for you during those times, the current attack of fear will dissolve away.

The writer of Hebrews says in 10:32 to 'call to remembrance the former days when you were first enlightened and endured a great set of afflictions.'

The much taught 'casting down imaginations' of II Cor 10:5 has no power for you unless backed by the certainty within yourself that the Father loves you and has provided for you. Those imaginations attack the 'knowledge of God', that is to say, what you know of God, and his love for you.

The scripture says "perfect (mature, complete) love casts out fear". Often we don't let love have the freedom to mature and become complete in us. For some, worry has been such a way of life, it is so familiar, and therefore comfortable. To not worry would be to venture into new territory. Many Christians need to shut their mouths, quite their thoughts, and spend time in worship or the study of scripture (which will be new ground for them) in order to enter into a more complete love.

Others need to spend time in worship, or in some other way getting back into His Presence, and truly fellowship with the Father and Jesus.

But...calling to remembrance the past track record of God in your life will stir up the love of God you have, and make it fresh all over again, restoring your peace.

The thing about fear is that it is just one little thing that would like to occupy the whole of your attention. Satan can't read your mind, so fear can only advance at the pace you let it, and where you let it enter.

I remember one visitation with Jesus where he was teaching me about how demons attack people. I asked him about men who had been in the news for sexual sin...otherwise these were fine men of God, but they failed miserably.

Instantly we were standing several feet away from a man who was a being of light. Jesus told me that's what we look like in the spirit. The light was a sphere completely on this man and coming from him, and extended out several feet. Beyond that light was darkness all around, in fact Jesus and I were standing in the shadows as it were, just watching. Suddenly, a little demon came out of the darkness and evidently didn't see Jesus and me, for he was looking at the man, circling the light like a predator looking for a point of weakness in the defense.

It wasn't that the demon was savage, in fact he was very much afraid, more like the way a hyena darts in towards prey then darts out just as quickly. Probing, but very afraid and unsure at the same time.

As Jesus and I watched this play out, somehow we rotated around him without moving...and suddenly I saw what appeared to be a pie slice shaped sliver of darkness going into the light, penetrating all the way to the man himself.

Shortly after I saw this, the Lord instructed me to watch what the demon did. When the demon saw it he slow advanced into the pie shaped darkness towards the man, and as he got closer he had to draw in his shoulders to not touch the light. Before too long he was within pouncing distance and he just sort of hopped up onto the guy's shoulder and started whispering to him...about what I don't know, but it was a temptation.

That's enough to illustrate my point...we can be at peace in many areas of life, but in this one area we can let the darkness of fear in. That spirit would like to torment us by speaking things to us that come against the love and knowledge of God's love...

You can rebuke those thoughts, but unless there is weight behind the rebuke, the weight being your certainty in the love of God for you, and therefor his provision, the enemy will come back.

The man in this vision rebuked the demon and he ran, but both the man and the demon knew it was just a slap rebuke...Jesus said the man entertained thoughts on the sin over the years, and indeed we watched the demon come and leave several times. When the man was listening to the demon it was like he could not even see the glory of God covering the other 99% of him...that spirit's thoughts had become the all in all for those brief times.

This is how fear can be...but don't entertain it. Don't let your guard down...be consumed with the love of God--let God's love and good track record with you be all consuming.

I hope me sharing part of that visitation didn't scare anyone, I only shared it to illustrate how it works in the spirit realm. In other words, I hope I haven' t caused anyone to be afraid, the one thing I'm trying to prevent!

I'm convinced that the hedge of protection around us is much more secure than we realize...and we should be caught up in that. When fear comes in it's just probing, trying to get us to lay down the glory upon us and let fear advance.

The key...don't let the glory depart! Stay in the Presence.

Well...that's some thoughts. For some who get these weekly thoughts I'll see you tomorrow and this weekend during my class on prayer in Oakhurst, CA. We will cover fear in prayer as well...

To the rest, my next Weekly Thoughts will be on or about March 11th due to ministry travels in Oakhurst, Turlock and Antioch...see you then and I hope this has given you some insights to fear and how to live in peace and love!

Blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org