What do you do when doubt and fear creeps in and you wonder what in the world is going on around you? And sometimes it feels like God is so far and He was just with you. Sometimes it seems like, ‘But if He was just with me, how is it that all of a sudden, fear and doubt have crept in?’
You stand still and you affirm that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
If we recall, Timothy was going through it with the heathens in the church (‘religion’ and ‘church people’), and he was ready to throw in the towel. Paul, in his Divine Wisdom, wrote to tell him fear was not his portion. Get it together! His mind was right. Looking at the different versions of this scripture, gives us more insight into the application of it.
2 Timothy 1:7
- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)
- For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (NIV)
- for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV)
- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. (AMP)
The spirit of fear is not a spirit of the Holy Spirit, therefore it’s not part of the GIFT of the Holy Spirit; it’s not a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
Because fear is not your fruit, it not a part of your tree. So cut it off. Prune that fear off. You up root that fear in your life and you hand it to God. You declare, Lord I will trust you no matter what!
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15 (BSB)
Break free from the slavery that fear has born in your mind. You are free! Redeemed by the blood of the Son of God through the Son of Man! Don’t wait until the situation seems too big. We have to learn to identify it immediately. Take your chisel, your shovel, your pick, or whatever tool you are going to use (the Word of God), and you say ‘I uproot you in the name of Jesus.’ I pull you up and out of my life from the root. You are not part of my life.
Satan has learned that not much shakes me these days. Out of money…so...I’ll give you this God. Kids sick…, well, by His stripes they are healed. Husband acting up…shrug…he’s human and I give it to Jesus. Nothing much shakes me. My joy never really leaves. So he attacks my JOY.
Ever since I found my continual joy in the Lord, I’d end up in these bouts of depression; just sad for no reason. Just wake up and feel down. Snapping at the family and wanting to stay in bed. And while I am surrounded by people, I felt lonely, unable to share what was going on with me. I first noticed this in February of this year. I let it hang around for three days, before I got tired of it, and journeyed through the ‘underground railroad’ to freedom!!
I got my hoe pick (the Word) and I dug it up. I commanded my emancipation from fear and declared my way out of it.
Just recently, I recalled the lesson of Elijah during his bout of depression:
while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 1 Kings 19:4 (NIV)
Elijah became enslaved to his fear of the witch Jezebel. He went from the mountain (high places) to the wilderness under a tree (dead, low place) and wished to die. But when we cry, our Daddy hears us!
5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 1 Kings 19:5-8 (NIV)
When you pick yourself up, dusting the ‘dirt’ off your knees, taking off your gloves (you’ve just done some heavy gardening), and turning your eyes upward to Heaven, and you remember what the Fruits of the Spirit are; what fruits you have been given. None of them are called fear or doubt, in the name of Jesus!
How have you managed things when fear and doubt crept into your life?
I would love to hear from you in the comments, and I am sure others will benefit from your comment as well.