Fear: Allow It To Stalk You
Some feel very anxious to get on an airplane. Others fly weekly and don't give it a second thought. Some students, filled with dread, can't sleep the night before an exam; others sleep deeply. People are afraid of performing poorly, losing their job, meeting new people, speaking in front of others, losing a relationship, conflict, their children making poor decisions, getting sick, dying.......the list is endless. What is the fear or worry that stalks you? When does fear become unrighteous or destructive? Is fear ever a noble or desired emotion?
What causes fear?
People fear different things with different levels of intensity, but all of us fear what we cannot control. Dr. Tremper Longman III, in Cry of the Soul, says "fear is our response to uncertainty about our resources in the face of danger, when we are assaulted by a force that overwhelms us and compels us to face that we are helpless and out of control. Fear is provoked when the threat of danger (physical or relational) exposes our inability to preserve what we most deeply cherish."
The ultimate threat is death. Most of us realize at an early age we are impotent against the inevitability of death. Death is the ultimate experience of loneliness, where we are separated from the things and people that give us the most joy. Even though death presents itself as the ultimate threat, I find few people are thinking, talking, or struggling with it as a conscious fear.
Death is a physical reality, but it is also symbolic. Longman III describes it this way, "We feel fear when core, life-giving dreams that are the basis of our personal identity are threatened with extinction." These dreams are typically connected to what matters most to us: our happiness. "Personal death" in this sense could be the loss of status at work, the respect you receive from others, the benefits of material blessings, or the presence of loved ones.
Our dreams at night often expose our basic fears. I have frequently had the dream where I'm playing in a basketball game before a large crowd and the score is tied. I get the ball with only seconds on the clock, make an aggressive, quick break for the basket and score! But in the wrong basket! I'm completely humiliated, and my blunder is paraded in front of all to see.
On the one hand, we desire to be in control, and on the other hand, we utterly hate failure (personal death). My dream is a glimpse of the horror of failure and the reality of my incompetence being exposed. The terror is when the shame of my inadequacy is exposed, it will lead to humiliation and rejection. I have stumbled into a world where I know something is required of me, and I don't have what it takes to handle it.
We hate failure. We want control. When we believe there is a good chance of experiencing physical or personal death, we have a greater sense of helplessness. The more helpless we see ourselves, the greater the fear. At some point, we conclude the only solution is to flee.
The Response Of Flight
If anger attacks a threat; fear withdraws from it. Longman III says, "We respond in flight when we view the danger as being greater than our resources and determine that self-preservation is a higher good than engagement with the danger." Fear is analogous to pain. Pain alerts us something can do damage to the body and we should avoid it. In this sense, fear is beneficial. But when does fear turn dark?
Simply stated, whenever fear inhibits our activity or enjoyment of God and others, it is holding us back from truly living in freedom. Some are so overwhelmed with fear, they are imprisoned in their own homes. This is extreme, but many find that worry significantly robs them of life. Fear casts the illusion of reversing reality: 1) we see ourselves as weaker than we actually are, 2) the problems become huge and unconquerable, and 3) God seems impotent, uninvolved, or uncaring.
How do we regain a sense of reality and get our orientation back when fear seems so real? First, we need to acknowledge the truth of our fear. Resist the impulse to push it aside through busyness and distracting activities. When we honestly face our fear, we receive greater clarity about the object of our fear. Second, if we stop running to the distractions and start moving toward God, He will give us the grace to see what or whom we fear (serve). It essentially boils down to two categories: the fear of the world or fear of God.
Fearing God or the World
We'd like to forget we live in a fallen world. The fear of the world means the death of our agenda to create the world as close to Eden as possible. Another way to say this is most of our fear stems from our demand to gain a degree of pleasure, respect, honor, joy, and comfort in this world. It is the fear of what life -- of what others -- may do to me.
What does it mean to fear God? To be blunt....we are to be confident in love, but terrified before this mighty, powerful God (Isaiah 8:13). I believe to minimize this to simply respecting Him is to introduce a carnal casualness into our relationship with Him. Jesus said in Matthew 10, "Don't be afraid of those who kill the body (physical and/or personal death) but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." I get the sense He is saying big fears make little fears go away. If our doctor told us we only had six months to live do to cancer, our daily worries would fade away. Fearing death due to cancer impacts our daily worries. How much more fearing the One who holds the power of the second death?
If we have no fear of God, not only do we create the context in our inner being to be plagued by worldly fears, but we (believers) risk suffering permanent loss in the age to come (1 Cor. 3:14). Losing our fear of God leads to a false familiarity with God where we live passively before Him. Compromise, passivity, unfruitfulness, and alliances with darkness won't stand up at the judgment seat of Christ. There will be real loss.
How do we cultivate this fear of the Lord? I want to present three brief thoughts I hope you will talk to God about: 1) Ask God for the ongoing awareness that He sees everything in your life, 2) remember He cares deeply about what He sees, and 3) honestly face there are real, permanent, long-term consequences in time and eternity. This isn't a practice game, it's real.
Because we live in the western world where discomfort is unacceptable, there is a good chance of being offended by this "holy pressure." I pray that God would give us grace to not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but see the fear of the Lord as His good gift that leads us into wisdom and holiness (Isaiah 32: 39-40).
Resolving Our Fears
We all know fear to be basic to human existence. When it comes to fear, the question isn't do we fear, but what and whom we fear. Resolving our fears demand we struggle with our deepest allegiance: fear of the world or fear of God. The philosophy "just trust Jesus and the fears will disappear" won't cut it if you desire lasting peace. Acknowledging the reality of them and committing to address them opens the door to a battle.
This might sound odd, but allow your fears to stalk you, and through the confidence of God's love and strength, expose them for what they truly are. It's here where the fear of the Lord overcomes the fear of the world, generating a spirit of confidence to move out into the world. At first, this will seem slow and painful. But if you keep with it, Christ will renew your inner being in powerful ways (Rom. 12:2).
Besides, don't we want more from this life than to live in our "comfort zone?” We were made to experience the thrill of participating with God in releasing His kingdom on the earth. I'm not so sure comfort is the ruling passion of His heart while we are in a real battle with a real enemy.
May the fear of the Lord fall upon you as you read this. There is real loss without it. And there are real rewards for those who are motivated by it's sustaining impact. Let the fear of God overwhelm the fear of this world.
Kraig Skistad
Some feel very anxious to get on an airplane. Others fly weekly and don't give it a second thought. Some students, filled with dread, can't sleep the night before an exam; others sleep deeply. People are afraid of performing poorly, losing their job, meeting new people, speaking in front of others, losing a relationship, conflict, their children making poor decisions, getting sick, dying.......the list is endless. What is the fear or worry that stalks you? When does fear become unrighteous or destructive? Is fear ever a noble or desired emotion?
What causes fear?
People fear different things with different levels of intensity, but all of us fear what we cannot control. Dr. Tremper Longman III, in Cry of the Soul, says "fear is our response to uncertainty about our resources in the face of danger, when we are assaulted by a force that overwhelms us and compels us to face that we are helpless and out of control. Fear is provoked when the threat of danger (physical or relational) exposes our inability to preserve what we most deeply cherish."
The ultimate threat is death. Most of us realize at an early age we are impotent against the inevitability of death. Death is the ultimate experience of loneliness, where we are separated from the things and people that give us the most joy. Even though death presents itself as the ultimate threat, I find few people are thinking, talking, or struggling with it as a conscious fear.
Death is a physical reality, but it is also symbolic. Longman III describes it this way, "We feel fear when core, life-giving dreams that are the basis of our personal identity are threatened with extinction." These dreams are typically connected to what matters most to us: our happiness. "Personal death" in this sense could be the loss of status at work, the respect you receive from others, the benefits of material blessings, or the presence of loved ones.
Our dreams at night often expose our basic fears. I have frequently had the dream where I'm playing in a basketball game before a large crowd and the score is tied. I get the ball with only seconds on the clock, make an aggressive, quick break for the basket and score! But in the wrong basket! I'm completely humiliated, and my blunder is paraded in front of all to see.
On the one hand, we desire to be in control, and on the other hand, we utterly hate failure (personal death). My dream is a glimpse of the horror of failure and the reality of my incompetence being exposed. The terror is when the shame of my inadequacy is exposed, it will lead to humiliation and rejection. I have stumbled into a world where I know something is required of me, and I don't have what it takes to handle it.
We hate failure. We want control. When we believe there is a good chance of experiencing physical or personal death, we have a greater sense of helplessness. The more helpless we see ourselves, the greater the fear. At some point, we conclude the only solution is to flee.
The Response Of Flight
If anger attacks a threat; fear withdraws from it. Longman III says, "We respond in flight when we view the danger as being greater than our resources and determine that self-preservation is a higher good than engagement with the danger." Fear is analogous to pain. Pain alerts us something can do damage to the body and we should avoid it. In this sense, fear is beneficial. But when does fear turn dark?
Simply stated, whenever fear inhibits our activity or enjoyment of God and others, it is holding us back from truly living in freedom. Some are so overwhelmed with fear, they are imprisoned in their own homes. This is extreme, but many find that worry significantly robs them of life. Fear casts the illusion of reversing reality: 1) we see ourselves as weaker than we actually are, 2) the problems become huge and unconquerable, and 3) God seems impotent, uninvolved, or uncaring.
How do we regain a sense of reality and get our orientation back when fear seems so real? First, we need to acknowledge the truth of our fear. Resist the impulse to push it aside through busyness and distracting activities. When we honestly face our fear, we receive greater clarity about the object of our fear. Second, if we stop running to the distractions and start moving toward God, He will give us the grace to see what or whom we fear (serve). It essentially boils down to two categories: the fear of the world or fear of God.
Fearing God or the World
We'd like to forget we live in a fallen world. The fear of the world means the death of our agenda to create the world as close to Eden as possible. Another way to say this is most of our fear stems from our demand to gain a degree of pleasure, respect, honor, joy, and comfort in this world. It is the fear of what life -- of what others -- may do to me.
What does it mean to fear God? To be blunt....we are to be confident in love, but terrified before this mighty, powerful God (Isaiah 8:13). I believe to minimize this to simply respecting Him is to introduce a carnal casualness into our relationship with Him. Jesus said in Matthew 10, "Don't be afraid of those who kill the body (physical and/or personal death) but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." I get the sense He is saying big fears make little fears go away. If our doctor told us we only had six months to live do to cancer, our daily worries would fade away. Fearing death due to cancer impacts our daily worries. How much more fearing the One who holds the power of the second death?
If we have no fear of God, not only do we create the context in our inner being to be plagued by worldly fears, but we (believers) risk suffering permanent loss in the age to come (1 Cor. 3:14). Losing our fear of God leads to a false familiarity with God where we live passively before Him. Compromise, passivity, unfruitfulness, and alliances with darkness won't stand up at the judgment seat of Christ. There will be real loss.
How do we cultivate this fear of the Lord? I want to present three brief thoughts I hope you will talk to God about: 1) Ask God for the ongoing awareness that He sees everything in your life, 2) remember He cares deeply about what He sees, and 3) honestly face there are real, permanent, long-term consequences in time and eternity. This isn't a practice game, it's real.
Because we live in the western world where discomfort is unacceptable, there is a good chance of being offended by this "holy pressure." I pray that God would give us grace to not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but see the fear of the Lord as His good gift that leads us into wisdom and holiness (Isaiah 32: 39-40).
Resolving Our Fears
We all know fear to be basic to human existence. When it comes to fear, the question isn't do we fear, but what and whom we fear. Resolving our fears demand we struggle with our deepest allegiance: fear of the world or fear of God. The philosophy "just trust Jesus and the fears will disappear" won't cut it if you desire lasting peace. Acknowledging the reality of them and committing to address them opens the door to a battle.
This might sound odd, but allow your fears to stalk you, and through the confidence of God's love and strength, expose them for what they truly are. It's here where the fear of the Lord overcomes the fear of the world, generating a spirit of confidence to move out into the world. At first, this will seem slow and painful. But if you keep with it, Christ will renew your inner being in powerful ways (Rom. 12:2).
Besides, don't we want more from this life than to live in our "comfort zone?” We were made to experience the thrill of participating with God in releasing His kingdom on the earth. I'm not so sure comfort is the ruling passion of His heart while we are in a real battle with a real enemy.
May the fear of the Lord fall upon you as you read this. There is real loss without it. And there are real rewards for those who are motivated by it's sustaining impact. Let the fear of God overwhelm the fear of this world.
Kraig Skistad