Facing Fear

(photo courtesy of Deb Shirreffs)

Halloween is right around the corner! Most people associate Halloween with trick-or-treating, where children dress up in costume and go door-to-door to get candy. Houses are decorated for the night with various scary things… ghosts, goblins, and skeletons. Additionally, theme parks advertise their “haunted house” nights, and the entertainment industry often releases new horror movies in October. All of these are designed to generate a certain degree of “fun fear” in people.

Halloween is a day that capitalizes on people’s fears…witches, zombies, black cats, and of course, death. Part of its origin started with the Celts, who, like most people, were afraid of death and evil spirits. One of their customs was to wear costumes and frightening face masks on a day that we now call Halloween in an attempt to scare off the returning ghosts of the dead.

Later, the association of Halloween with the evil spirit world of Satan and his demons became more pronounced, and this generated even greater fear of ghosts, goblins, and monsters. The reality of a day when self-proclaimed witches and warlocks paid homage to their master increased the trepidation in the hearts of many individuals as stories of animal sacrifices and sorcerers casting evil spells surrounded Halloween. To combat the fears of the occult world, Halloween evolved into a day of “fun” fear.

In reality, genuine fear is not fun, and almost anything can be considered a fear or phobia from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) to coulrophobia (fear of clowns) to trypanophobia (fear of needles). Fears can cripple people, keeping them from completing simple acts of daily living such as going grocery shopping or sleeping with all the lights off. Intense fear can even create physical manifestations such as hallucinations or even heart attacks!

Fear is real, and we all experience it in one form of another. How do we combat fear when it is all around us, and when we are living in a world that cultivates fear around every corner?

The answer is found in the Bible.

In 1 John, we are told that perfect love drives out fear. Perfect love can only come from a relationship with God. Once a person has trusted Christ as their Saviour, the love of God is so real in one’s life, and that love has the power to conquer any fear. Here are some ways that demonstrate how God alleviates our fears.

1. God promises to be with us.
   1. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
   2. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6
2. God promises to fight our battles for us.
   1. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31
   2. “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” – Exodus 14:14
   3. “…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” – 2 Chronicles 20:15
3. God controls all things; He is all powerful.
   1. “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” -Psalm 147:5
   2. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” – Psalm 23:4

By remembering who God is… the Creator of all things… the One who simply spoke and everything we know came into existence… and remembering that if you have trusted in Christ as your personal Saviour, God’s great love and protection is available to you through His Spirit. The all-powerful, all-knowing God loves you and will take care of you. Matthew 10:31 says “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” God cares for each little bird, and they are not nearly as important to Him as you are. He did not send His Son to die on a cross for the salvation of the birds… He sent His Son for you and me. Therefore, if God takes such great care of the sparrows, He most certainly will take care of you.

We don’t need to fear anything in this sinful world (including the very real world of the occult) because our Father in heaven, who knows everything, created everything, AND controls everything, has you firmly in the palm of His hand. Joshua 10:25 states, “And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.” He will take care of you in every circumstance and situation you face. He has promised that. Psalm 91 confirms this in verses 9 and 10, “Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”

It is important to remember that fear does not come from God, but He does control all entities from which fear emanates. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) He tells us in His word, that when we are afraid, we are to trust in Him and His ability to protect and save us from all evils… all things of which we are fearful. David, who faced fear many times in his life, wrote in Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” We should do the very same thing whenever fear threatens to overwhelm us; we must remember to trust in the Lord!

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry
Keep me safe till the storm passes by
 
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe till the storm passes by

(from “’Til the Storm Passes By” by Mosie Lister)

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” –  Zechariah 4:6

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Face your fears with prayer, and rest secure in God’s love!