OVERCOMING FEAR
Part II March/April 2002
What in the world is going on? In the wake of the "terrorist" attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the apparent attempt to also strike possibly the White House, there has been an undercurrent of fear prevalent in many parts of the world in general and the United States in particular. Terror is defined as intense, sharp, overmastering fear. Terrorize is defined as to dominate or coerce by intimidation; to fill or overcome with terror. A terrorist is a person who uses or favors terrorizing methods. The goal of terrorism is to terrify, frighten or panic to the point that a person or people cannot resist. As citizens of the United States, we have enjoyed relative ease of living compared to many parts of the world. Some nations, Ireland, Israel and England and others, have had to deal with terrorist activity for many years. I have stated for many years that the freedoms we take for granted here in America also make this nation ripe for a terrorist attack. No, I am not advocating a "police state" with national ID cards or anything like it. I feel the thing we must do, as a nation, is learn to be more alert in our daily activities to signs of anything out of the ordinary. People who terrorize do not go around with a sign on them saying "I’m a terrorist." We need to learn to become aware of what is taking place around us and who is doing it at all times. Many people in America are extremely fearful. My wife was reading an article recently that spoke about the sale of flat shoes taking a tremendous up-turn. Also, men are buying more rubber soled shoes as opposed to leather. The reason given for both of these recent trends is: "I want to be able to get out of the building in case of a terrorist attack." How sad to live under that kind of fear. However, that is exactly the goal of the terrorists. They have gained a victory in spite of our nation rallying around the flag.
Is there anything that can be done to counter the fear that is running rampant across the face of the world today? Perhaps it would be a good idea to establish if there is any particular reason behind the attacks of September 11, 2001. We have sung a chorus from Joel chapter two for years:
The Lord utters His voice before His army
They rush on the city they run on the wall
Great is the army that carries out His word
Have you ever thought about that song in the context of scripture it was extracted from? Permit me to insert selected verses, in the interest of space, from Joel two, NAS version. You can read the entire chapter on your own. Joel 2:1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, 2 A day of darkness and gloom, ...There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations. 3 ...The land is like the garden of Eden before them, But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. 6 Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale. 7 ...Nor do they deviate from their paths. 8 ...They march everyone in his path. 11 And the LORD utters His voice before His army; The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? 12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; 13 And rend your heart and not your garments. "Now return to the LORD your God 15 Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, 16 ...sanctify the congregation... 17 Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Thy people, O LORD, And do not make Thine inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'" 18 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And will have pity on His people. 21 Do not fear... 22 Do not fear... 23 So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the LORD your God; 25 "Then I will make up to you for the years That the swarming locust has eaten, The creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you. 26 ... And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you...27 "Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the LORD your God And there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame. 28 "And it will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 "And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (emphasis mine)
We in the Christian community have been sold a "bill of goods" for so long that we have come to believe in and rely on it. That being, God is such a good God, He won’t ever allow bad things to happen to His people. Well, tell that to Joshua, after the first battle to capture Ai. Achan had stolen some gold and silver and hidden them in his tent. Israel then lost the battle when logistically it shouldn’t have. Father allowed the entire nation to suffer for the sin of one in the camp. Only after Joshua dealt with Achan, by killing him and all his family and destroying all his livestock, did God allow Israel to defeat Ai. Are we so arrogant as to think that God won’t deal with us in much the same way? I don’t think that anyone with even half a mind would say that there isn’t sin in the camp with regard to the church. It is virtually impossible to tell any difference between the world and the church. That should not be so. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the same fear that grips the world would also grip the church. Scripture reveals that "God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son." We are also told in scripture that judgement will begin from the house of God. Since the church has resisted the corrections of Father for so many hundreds of years, God must now bring correction to the entire nation and/or world. These are meant to drive us back to the arms of Father by doing what has been shown in Joel chapter two and elsewhere in scripture.
How do we deal with the fears that seem to so easily grip many folks, especially believers? As believers, we don’t have to tolerate or cope with fear of any form. We should attack it — and get rid of it. You never see Jesus coping with evil, He destroyed it. It is still in a state of destruction. Hebrews 2:14 "Since then the children (us) share in flesh and blood, He (Jesus) Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver those who (us) through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." (NAS) Shouldn’t it be obvious that since the root of fear, death, was destroyed there should no longer be any subjection to fear —any fear. Do not attempt to cope with any type of fear. Overcome it! Its power has already been destroyed.
I mentioned Joshua earlier and it is in the book of Joshua where we find the means to pull down the stronghold of fear. God had told Joshua that He would be with him as He was with Moses. He was basically saying "I’ll be right here with you as I was with Moses. I won’t leave you, forsake you or fail you. Do not be afraid." That alone assured success in all his endeavors. Recall that "perfect love casts out fear." (1Jn 4:18) God had a little more to tell Joshua:
Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (Joshua 1:7,8)
Herein was contained the battle plan for Joshua (and us).
1. This book of the law (Torah) shall not depart from your mouth
2. you shall meditate on it day and night
3. be careful to do according to all that is written it it.
Joshua was to speak the word... meditate the word... and do the word. Only if he did ALL THREE continually, would he be able to defeat any fear, prosper and have good success. The key was, and is, the Word. As Joshua had to do, so we also. If we do the same things, we will enjoy the same results.
Since there is nothing new under the sun, why should we think that Father will do something different for us than he did for the saints of old? It seems to me that folks don’t spend enough time speaking, meditating and doing the Word. All too often, believers are relying on the preacher to give them all that they could possibly need. It is too easy to just sit and absorb without having to get involved. The problem is that we become full of head knowledge and knowledge puffeth up. We must get the things of the Spirit down into our spirit before they will do us any good at all. If a person only learns scripture so that they can quote it in order to impress others, they will enjoy a very shallow walk with Father that will only result in many more failures than victories. I’m sure we all know people like that. The key is don’t you become one of them. Allow Holy Spirit to write the Word on your heart and don’t become obsessed with memorization of the Word. If it’s in your heart, it will rise up at the proper time to be utilized and become effective. Remember, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks — NOT out of the head!
There are many scriptures one could peruse to establish the fact that fear does not belong in our lives, and I would suggest for those who are fearful, take the time to look up, write down and allow Holy Spirit to began working them into your heart. Do not be ashamed to ask another believer to pray with you while you are getting established in the Word concerning overcoming fear and phobias. We have a beautiful example of standing as an overcomer given us by King David that we should emulate. Psalm 91:1 He who [because I] dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will [I do] abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" 3 For it is He who delivers you [me] from the snare of the trapper, And from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you [me] with His pinions, And under His wings you [I] may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. 5 You [I] will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; 6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. 7 A thousand may fall at your [my] side, And ten thousand at your [my] right hand; But it shall not approach you [me]. 8 You [I] will only look on with your [my] eyes, And see the recompense of the wicked. 9 For you [I] have made the LORD, my refuge, Even the Most High, your [my] dwelling place. 10 No evil will befall you [me], Nor will any plague come near your [my] tent [house]. 11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you [me], To guard you [me] in all your [my] ways. 12 They will bear you [me] up in their hands, Lest you [I] strike your [my] foot against a stone. 13 You [I] will tread upon the lion and cobra, The young lion and the serpent you [I] will trample down. 14 "Because he [I] has [have] loved Me [Him], therefore I [He] will deliver him [me]; I [He] will set him [me] securely on high, because he [I] has known My [His] name. 15 "He [I] will call upon Me [Him], and I [He] will answer him [me]; I [He] will be with him [me] in trouble; I [He] will rescue him [me], and honor him [me]. 16 "With a long life I [He] will satisfy him [me], And let him [me] behold My [His] salvation." (NAS) I learned many years ago to pray through this psalm using the words within the []. I think if you utilize this particular form of prayer for this psalm, you also will discover a revelation to your spirit that most likely was heretofore unknown.
In brief summary, there is absolutely nothing that we should be fearful of or about. The victory was finalized on Calvary. Let us press on beyond the cross and attain to the high calling of God in the Christ (the anointing). If we are operating in fear, we are no different than dead men. All of us were born spiritually dead and had to be brought to life by the Christ within. Experience the victory of overcoming the obstacles placed in your path and allow the glory resident within you, to shine forth to the world around you. As a believer, become a manifested son!
Shalom,
Frank
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Thoughts from Barbara
Brothers and Sisters,
On the surface this edition could make us want to "stop the world and get off" but read it again. There is so much Father has for us and wants for us to learn.
As I understand it the Old Testament is a shadow of things to come. Remember "there is nothing new under the sun" as the prophet says in Lamentations. So if that’s the case then we know this (Joel 2) has happened before and will happen again! But there is hope!
How many "revivals" have happened and disappeared through the years? Our big problem is that not enough of us "hear" what God is doing so we quickly follow those who don’t "hear" and go back to the everyday "hum-drum" of life or what we call life. Be thankful that we serve a gracious and loving Father! He will let it happen again I’m sure, but how many more times? He also tells us "I will not strive with man forever." I’m not sure of what that means completely but the immediate interpretation tells me that we better not keep neglecting such a salvation as He has given us! He has ways of stopping this thing immediately, anytime He chooses! We don’t have a lot to say about it. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? Abraham, the man of faith, didn’t even have much pull with God.
The hope we have is in Jesus Christ, the anointed one who died that we may live. He died and is now living again showing us the way. The natural is now also the shadow of the Spiritual. If God is going to bring Joel two to pass in the world, including our Christian nation, what is He doing in our spirits? Have you wondered about all the battles you are going through? I have and often called out to God to ask questions. The answers aren’t always what I want to hear. I ask for deliverance and He says repent! He is doing a work in the Spiritual realm that will keep us in what we call "re-vival." If we work with Him and don’t go the way of the world again, it could soon be over. I believe there is a remnant out there that won’t give in to their flesh but will let the Glory of the Lord that is resident within come forth, manifesting the Sons of God. As Jesus did, we will also die to the flesh and decrease so He can increase. As He increases in us then the "Glory of the Lord will cover the earth," this fleshly earth as well as this ball of clay we live on. That is His goal — not to destroy but to restore and have a people that will declare He is Lord over all!
Lovingly and Warring,
Barbara
2Tim2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.
Published by
Life Givers Ministries
Frank and Barbara Doyle
PO Box 251
Lincolnton GA 30817-0251
706-359-6977