Are you experiencing fear Son/Daughter of Christ? Did you know that fighting fear is in a large part a spiritual battle? Did you know there is a biblical path to defeat fear? I want to share with you what I stand on in the word when fear has attempted to enter my life.
During this time and season the entire world has been suffering from a pandemic of corona virus. I believe, however, that greater than this pandemic in the flesh (the virus) is the overwhelming pandemic of fear (in the spirit). I have spoken before about fear and it’s grip on people. I have spoken about how this virus has revealed a spirit of fear that has overtaken many throughout the world. You see, this is not only a fight against things in the physical but against principalities and things of a spiritual nature. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12 .
The fear I speak of is not the common sense warnings in your body that we all have experienced that tells us to step back when we are standing at the edge of a cliff. That is a natural physical response that we all have, given by God, to keep us from numbly walking off the edge to our death. This is not the fear I speak of. The fear I speak of grips you and causes panic and dread. This fear I speak of causes people to alter their lives to avoid situations and panic as they can not shake it. This fear I speak of is not of God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
II Timothy 1:7
In combating this fear we must first understand that we are children of God and that we are in His hands. We must intentionally place ourselves there in His hands and rest in knowing that He is our source and provider. We must be confident in this and not shaken from this truth.
There have been many times that the enemy has sent fear to attack my mind. Fear has spoken in my mind that I was going to die. It has spoken that my family was going to get sick and die. These and other such things have come directly from a spirit of fear. The following are the biblical modeled steps that I take to overcome the spirit of fear. It must be noted that it is not through my ability or steps that fear is defeated. It is through the power of God. First before any of this we must make sure that we are in right standing with Christ.
- I shut my mouth. I refused to repeat the lies being spoken to me in my mind. I refused to say that I or my family will get sick or die. This is where for many years I as well as many in the body of Christ have missed it. We often just blurt out things without understanding that there is indeed the power of life and death in the tongue. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21. I am not saying that we should not be real about what is going on but rather that we should not always speak death and destruction over a situation before we even invite God into the middle of it. Concerning the words we speak it might be wise to consider Samuel. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 3:19 that the Lord did not let any of his words fall to the ground. This means that what Samuel spoke came to pass and God let every word he spoke come into being. Scripture did not say if those words were good or bad in intent. It simply says that God did not let Samuels words fall to the ground. So I shut my mouth and refuse to repeat the lies the enemy tells me.
- I began to speak truth to each lie. The enemy tells me that I will die and out of my mouth I say “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” Psalms 118:17. The enemy tells me I will get sick and I say out of my mouth “the Lord is my healer, portion and provider”. Exodus 15:26, Lamentations 3:24, Philippines 4:18. The key here is that you have to know scripture before the battle comes about. You can’t go into battle while attempting to figure out if you have a sward or a pocket knife let alone realize that it is not sharp. You as a child of God need to know what His word says and need to have it written on your heart so that you are found ready when the enemy attempts to pick a fight. I also began pleading the blood that was shed on the cross over myself and my family and then headed spiritually into battle.
- I rebuke the enemy and go to war spiritually. Again this requires that scripture be in you and that you understand the authority of God who is in you. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. Another thing at this point that I find helpful is I go on the offensive. I began praying for not just myself but every person who is sick or afraid. Praying that God touch each of them. I pray that God heals each of them and brings each peace. I begin praying for the salvation of all who do not know the Lord. All of them. As a side note I do this often, not just when going to battle spiritually. It is a tactic I use that works but I deploy it on the offensive as well as the defensive.
- I opened the Bible and read the scripture. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 . This renews my mind and seals in the truth that God has spoken and seals out the lies the enemy speaks. (Read Isaiah 55). Many people who are currently living in fear also seam to be living without the word in them. If you struggle here, put your nose in the word. Begin reading it and studying it.
- I began playing worship music. This sets my spirit in the right place. My thoughts now on God I begin to stand in the presence of the King. In His presence fear is not allowed. At this place peace and rest enter. I am fully surrendered before the King and have placed my life in His hands. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.
I can tell you that this works in defeating fear and many other spiritual attack that you may come under. In these kinds of situations in facing fear it has only been through the word that I have been successful in overcoming it. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Revelation 12:11. I hope that in this pandemic of fear that this helps some believers to begin to anchor themselves in the word and take a stand against this spirit of fear. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 .
