2nd Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”. (NKJV)
A person cannot always accept everything from this world that someone offers to give them, but every gift from God is good and perfect.
People can experience different types of fear.
A healthy fear is having reverence toward God.
Proverbs 9:10 “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”. (NKJV)
An unhealthy fear can be described as having a sense of terror or dread. This type of fear also includes a fear of:
Large bodies of water or swimming pools.
Heights or flying in airplanes.
Insects and or bugs.
Snakes.
Certain type of dogs.
Being in large crowds.
Riding in elevators with people or being alone in an elevator by themselves.
Scripture tells us that the “spirit of fear” is not from God. This type of fear can almost always produce negative feelings resulting in; anxiety, stress, dismay, despair, sadness worry, depression and in some extremes, nightmares.
The “spirit of fear” can also be a force that influences the will of a person, and their way of thinking to a point of having little or no hope.
God has given us three “good and perfect” gifts to combat the “spirit of fear” in the verse of scripture found in 2nd Timothy 1:7
1st gift is “power” (Greek definition-dunamis)
Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”
2nd gift is “love”
1st John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love”.
1st Corinthians 13:4-8 ” 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails”.
3rd gift is a “sound mind”
Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”
Having a sound mind will give us the ability to recognize the “spirit of fear” we might experience at any given time. Once we identify that we are experiencing the “spirit of fear”, we can then use love to assist us with using the right amount of power that is needed to defeat, and conquer the “spirit of fear”.
Lord thank you for the gifts that you have given your people that enables us to live a victorious life, in Jesus name…Amen!
Continuing in His service…Rev