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Vanquishing the Spirit of Fear

VANQUISHING THE SPIRIT OF FEAR

MIKE CUNNINGHAM

July 16, 2006

We live in an country which is plagued by religious hucksters. Guys like Benny Hinn and Hal Lindsey have made tons of money exploiting, not only the naive, but also some of the most timid of God’s children. Christians who have been environmentally influenced, or those which are genetically predisposed towards being fearful, have often suffered great anxiety because they or a loved one has bought into the teachings of these men.

For instance, Lindsey utilizes his hyper-active imagination to the max. He seems to have perfected the art of cutting very troubling newspaper headlines and pasting them alongside gloomy prophetic Bible passages, and presto!___that particular prophecy is being fulfilled right before the very eyes of some gullible Christian.

When it finally becomes obvious it hasn’t been fulfilled after all, if you were to carefully read his next book, it will appear as though he has cut out the latest disturbing headlines and pasted them on top of the previous ones. Would you believe he’s been cranking out this kind of stuff for more than thirty years? Lindsey and the rest of today’s self proclaimed prophecy experts continue to enjoy enormous popularity catering to Christians who seem to have an insatiable appetite for this kind of nonsense?

Can you imagine the impact such a ridiculous method of interpreting the Bible is apt to have on a Christian who is prone towards being fearful? I can. Megan, (not her real name) was the mother of three robust teenage boys bounding their way through adolescence. She had been married to Danny her childhood sweetheart for a little more than sixteen years.

The family enjoyed good health and their finances enabled them to maintain a modest standard of living. Most important she and Danny loved the Lord and each other. Although Danny was quick to frequently lavish well deserved complements on Megan and did all sorts of thoughtful things which silently said: “I love you,” she often had a nagging feeling that one day she would loose him to a better looking younger woman. After all, she had gained eleven and a half pounds since they got married and she can’t seem to be able to take them off.

Megan was the kind of person whose thoughts kept racing non-stop all over the place. For instance, she was worried about Danny’s job? What if he looses it? It doesn’t matter that they just gave him a promotion and a big raise. Suppose the company decides to eliminate his position or outsource it. What if they go out of business? Don’t forget what happened to all those people at Enron. You can never be sure any of these things won’t happen. Then what will we do? Where will Danny find another job? We don’t have much in our savings. How will we make the mortgage payments and everything else?

Megan’s thoughts kept picking up speed like a rocket after its launch. She knew these kinds of stresses are enough to make anyone sick. You could get an ulcer because of them. Then where will the money come from to pay for the doctor and buy medicine to treat her ulcer? When Danny looses his job our insurance will fly right out the window. There’s just no way we can afford to keep it. Then what? Poor Danny might have a heart attack and die worrying about all these problems. I’ll be a grief stricken widow with three kids to take care of all alone.

Although she and Danny did their utmost to lead their children to Christ and each of their boys seemed to be getting close to inviting the Savior into their own heart, she remained gripped by a spirit of fear. Suppose they didn’t before the Tribulation started? Megan knew the rapture was right around the corner. It’s not very comforting knowing you and your husband will be beamed off the planet leaving those children behind to suffer only God knows what kind of horror during these end times.

Megan’s mind constantly jumped every which way racing from one fear to another. She spent many a night in bed tossing and turning worrying herself sick over all sorts of things that turned out to be more often than not just figments of her imagination. Often she fell asleep a half hour before it was time to get up again. There were many mornings she started her day feeling exhausted and emotionally drained. In so many words, Meagan was becoming a nervous wreck.

Has it been part of the Lord’s eternal plan to bring a Megan into your life? If so, what are you doing about it? Beyond being a good friend and being patient with her and encouraging and praying for the young woman often; are you giving her sound Biblical advice, and if you aren’t, why not?

Romans 15:14 (AMP) 14 Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness, amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge and competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.

It’s disgraceful that so many of today’s pastors and the flocks they lead are pathetically weak on sound Biblical doctrine and are incompetent to council someone like Megan. All too often Christians make referrals to a secular psychiatrist who doesn’t have a clue as to who the Holy Spirit is. Non-Christian mental health professionals are oblivious to His workings within every follower of Christ. The best they can do is to prescribe some meds to calm the person down. All they are doing is treating symptoms and not the problem. The Lord expects His followers to be able to do infinitely more than that. Let’s see what He has said about the spirit of fear that was hounding one susceptible Christian.

2 Timothy 1:1-14 (AMP) 1 PAUL, AN apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, [my] beloved child: Grace (favor and spiritual blessing), mercy, and [heart] peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord! 3 I thank God Whom I worship with a pure conscience, in the spirit of my fathers, when without ceasing I remember you night and day in my prayers, 4 And when, as I recall your tears, I yearn to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

5 I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith (the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), [a faith] that first lived permanently in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am [fully] persuaded, [dwells] in you also. 6 That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

This is the last letter the Apostle Paul wrote to anyone in this world. He was in prison waiting to learn of his fate. The Roman emperor Nero finally ordered his execution which was carried out some time between A. D. 64 and 68. Followers of Christ were entering into the midst of enormous tribulation. They suffered great persecution; not only from the Jews but also the Romans.

In this final letter Paul recalled the last time he had seen Timothy and how the young man had wept when they parted. Timothy had never expected to see Paul alive again in this world. The great apostle also had fond memories of Timothy’s mother and grandmother and how these two women had instructed him in the Sacred Scriptures from the time he was a little boy.

Paul was absolutely convinced Timothy was a genuine Christian. However he also knew the young man was a timid person prone to being fearful. Earlier Paul had written in first letter to the Corinthians how he wanted those Christians to treat this young man.

1 Corinthians 16:10-11 (AMP) 10 When Timothy arrives, see to it that [you put him at ease, so that] he may be fearless among you, for he is [devotedly] doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. 11 So [see to it that] no one despises him or treats him as if he were of no account or slights him. But send him off [cordially, speed him on his way] in peace, that he may come to me, for I am expecting him [to come along] with the other brethren.

Paul is reminding the Corinthians about Timothy’s temperament, the peculiar way folks handle things. In so many words he’s saying, “Look guys. God created each of us with a unique temperament. Don’t forget that fact. We are all different. There’s nothing wrong with having different kinds of temperaments. Everyone can be useful serving the Lord through his or her God given temperament.

Now as we have seen in his second letter to young Timothy, and in light of the enormous persecution Christians were beginning to experience at the hands of both Jews and Romans, thinking about the work God had ordained for Timothy to accomplish, Paul gets tough with the young pastor. He tells him

6 __to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

It’s as though Paul is saying: “Timothy you have a lot of hard work to do. But there’s no way you will accomplish it if you allow yourself to be controlled by your temperament and the spirit of fear. Remember what Jesus wants us to do in these kinds of situations Timothy. Matthew 6:34 (AMP) 34 __do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

Be concerned about the future Timothy but don’t become overly concerned or you will become a nervous wreck and useless in the hard work of spreading the Gospel. Now listen up; this is what the Lord wants you to do Timothy. Live today to the max. Don’t worry yourself sick attempting to cross bridges before you actually come to them.

I’m not sure you know all that God has done for you Timothy, and everything that He is doing in you and in every other Christian. Think man think. Get a hold of your self. Stop obsessing over what may or may not happen in the future. Take up your shield of faith and extinguish every one of those fiery darts the invisible spirit of fear is bombarding you with. You know the kind I mean. If you allow them to hit you Timothy those thoughts will capture your mind and send it every which way from one fear to another.

It appears as though you have forgotten that you are not some ordinary person having to struggle through this sin infested world. On the contrary, you are a born-again child of God living right this very moment in a spiritual kingdom which is vastly above all earthly kingdoms. It is the “Kingdom of God” and it is advancing moment by moment in spite of the incredible tribulation His church is enduring.

Nothing can stop its progress. Of course its final consummation is still in the future, but you and I and every other Christian can hasten the Lord’s coming by doing out utmost to advance His kingdom today. Sure you have a timid and fearful temperament. It was for His own glory and your ultimate good that God planned for you to be born that way.

But you don’t have to make your way through this world by allowing your God given temperament to become a handicap as though you were a non-Christian. You’re different Timothy. God has not, I’m going to say it again Timothy; God has not given you a spirit of fear. He has given you and every other Christian a Spirit of incredible power.

The Holy Spirit is working within us; not only to want to do but also the giving us the ability to do whatever is pleasing to Him. It’s the power to fight off and overcome every temptation Satan throws at us. It’s the power enabling Christians to go forward and endure incredible sufferings and overcome those invisible demons who are relentlessly firing their unseen flaming arrows and fiery darts at them. And that includes the spirit of fear that’s keeps popping into your mind Timothy.

Remember the Apostle Peter and how he was fearful of dying. He was so frightened that he refused to admit he even knew Jesus. That was the old Peter. That was Peter before he was given the Spirit of Power. But Timothy, don’t you remember what happened to Peter afterwards when He did receive the Spirit of Power. He became a changed man and started to cooperate with the Holy Spirit working within him. When he did he became fearless. So much so that he fearlessly and courageously proclaimed the Gospel and allowed himself to be crucified as Christ had previously told him he would.

So Timothy, the next time you are tempted to give in to the spirit of fear, remember the same Spirit of Power that was working in Peter is also working in you. And guess what. You can vanquish him just as Peter did. Guess what else Timothy. That’s exactly what the Lord wants and has planned for you to do.

Timothy I know you’re concerned about what looks as though is going to happen to me. I know what’s on your mind. If it’s the Lords will that I be executed you are worrying yourself sick about how you are going to deal with all the problems in the churches without me.

We’re starting to see some of the signs the Lord told His disciples about concerning great tribulation such as has never been seen before nor will ever be seen again. I can just imagine your fearful mind racing all over the place from one fear to the next. Take up your shield of faith and resist the temptation to try to cross those bridges before you actually come to them. Don’t give in to the spirit of fear and paralyze yourself in the present. You will become useless in the battle.

As I said to you before Timothy it isn’t just the Spirit of Power the Lord had given to His people. It’s also the Spirit of Love and of a calm and well balanced mind that enables you to discipline it and to exercise self-control. Call to your remembrance the Love of Jesus for sinners such as you and me Timothy. Think of that sinless perfect Being leaving the glory He enjoyed in Heaven with His Father. The One, who, thanks to His Son’s love, the depths and heights of which is incomprehensible to you and me Timothy, is now also our Father.

Don’t spend so much time thinking about yourself Timothy. The Spirit of Love working in you wants you to love your brothers and sisters in Christ as much as you love yourself. When you enter in to the fears and sorrows of others you won’t have so much time to be dwelling on and obsessing over your own problems Timothy. Actually you will become grateful yours aren’t as severe as those of others. He also wants you to have a passionate love for the lost. So much so, that, with the Spirit of incredible Power working in you, you will fearlessly proclaim the Gospel as you have the opportunity.

It’s my prayerful hope that the Lord adds His blessing to my message to those who have heard it this morning and to those who may read it, and that through it, in some small way, you will be better equipped to help the Megan’s He has brought into your life to vanquish the spirit of fear.”

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July 16, 2006 Posted by Categories: Uncategorized 1 comment

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