Immune to Fear Week 3预览

  You Have the Superior Force!

  The man who lives in fear is the devil’s ally—whether he likes it or not. The fearful help Satan accomplish his plans in the earth. Fear is an infection, a sickness of the soul. Unfortunately, it can spread among Christians. I am sure the reason why God prohibited the children of Israel from talking while marching around the walls of Jericho was that they would have spread doubt and fear among themselves. 

“Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” (Josh. 6:10) 

The devil does not fear the man who fears. He knows that person is harmless. However, Satan trembles when we do not fear! When Nehemiah was restoring Jerusalem, he was urged to hide from his enemies. I like his reply: “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” (Neh. 6:11). Are the people of God, the blood-bought sons and daughters of the kingdom, to give way to bluster and threats? God’s people are not given “a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). 

Far from fearing, we can rejoice! “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). 

Christians are not the hunted but the hunters— not the attacked but the attackers! We are not the surrounded. We do not have our backs up against a wall. Far from it! We are God’s elite troops, sent to release the hostages of hell! We are the invading forces of the Lord! 

Repeatedly, Jesus told us, “Fear not!” However, that was not all that He said. He was the supreme psychologist. Notice what He said: “Do not be afraid, only believe” (Luke 8:50). It was always more than just, “Hey you, chin up!” “Don’t be afraid,” or “Take courage, be brave.” That alone would be useless advice. Fear is a force, and it must be met by a superior force! Fear is the negative force. Its sign is a minus. Somebody once said to me, “Fear is the darkroom in which people develop their negatives.” Only a positive force can cancel a negative one. That positive force is faith in Jesus! Jesus is saying to you today, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 

The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith! “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). We must realize, we are not only those who overcome fear—we are those who turn the tables on Satan and send the armies of hell running away in fear instead! We create terror and chaos in the enemy’s camp when we move and act upon the word of God in faith!

Source: (Evangelism by Fire pg. 226-228.)