Fear Is A Liar

Definitions of Fear

Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. (Oxford Dictionary)

A basic, intense emotion aroused by the detection of imminent threat, involving an immediate alarm reaction that mobilizes the organism by triggering a set of physiological changes. These include rapid heartbeat, redirection of blood flow away from the periphery toward the gut, tensing of the muscles, and a general mobilization of the organism to take action (see fear response; fight-or-flight response).

Fear differs from anxiety in that the former is considered an appropriate short-term response to a present, clearly identifiable threat, whereas the latter is a future-oriented, long-term response focused on a diffuse threat. Some theorists characterize this distinction more particularly, proposing that fear is experienced when avoiding or escaping an aversive stimulus and that anxiety is experienced when entering a potentially dangerous situation (e.g., an animal foraging in a field where there might be a predator).

• Aversive: Causing strong dislike or disinclination.

• Imminent: Ready to take place; happening soon—often used of something bad or dangerous seen as menacingly near.

The Impact of Fear

Fear can paralyze and confuse you. It can stop you from being obedient, stop you from being yourself, and drive you to go against what you know is right. It can keep you from your God-given purpose, cause you to fall victim to the opinions of others, and lead to permanent and tragic consequences.

Fear stops you from living in your true God-given identity. It stops you from receiving the actual Truth; instead, you settle for a fabricated version of reality—one that "plays dress-up" for the real thing. It is often anger disguised as disappointment.

Scriptural Examples

Exodus 32:19-35

(An example of failing and what not to do when fear and pressure overtake you)

19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. 21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

22 So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’” 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.

29 Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.” 30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” 33 And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.” 35 So the Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

Exodus 14:10-14

(An example of what to do when pressure creates fear. This shows how fear can create an illusion that the bondage and suffering you were under in a previous season—which was leading nowhere and slowly killing you—was somehow "better.")

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Galatians 1:10

10 "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."

Final Thoughts

If fear is not cut off at its root and put in its proper place, it will take over a person or situation, becoming out of control and running rampant.

1. Do It Scared:

God calls us as believers to have strength and courage through Him first, and in ourselves despite the presence of fear. In other words, having strength and courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to persevere through it. Trust in the Holy Spirit to bring the empowerment that comes from your decision to be courageous, even when everything in your body is saying that you’ll fail.

1. Do Not Fear Man:

Avoid the traps of "people-pleasing" thoughts:

• "If I don’t do it the way this person wants, what will they think of me?”

• "If I don’t perform, what will this person say?"

• "If I don’t look this way, will this person reject me?"

• "If I speak about Jesus here, will I still receive that scholarship offer?"

• "Will these people talk about me if I say or do this?"

1. Meditate on His Word:

Meditate on who God says you are. The Word is our weapon to affirm, encourage, and reassure us of who God made us to be as His creation. When you are filled with the Word, fear has no room to creep in.