OVERCOMING THE SPIRIT OF FEAR

2 Timothy 1:1 - 9

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, a beloved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."

The first admonition is to stir up the gifts of God, which means to kindle up or inflame one’s mind, strength, and zeal. This passage tells us to fan the flame and to fight the fight.

“DELIA (δειλία)” which is the Greek word for “fear” is also known as “timidity”, and this paralyzes the person to the point of uselessness. This fear actually has several aspects:

1. It is a Hesitant Spirit

Hesitations can paralyze a Christian from being fruitful. One area of hesitation is in the releasing of prophetic words, especially during high worship. There are doubts on the timing to release the prophetic word or if the prophetic word is really from God.

Fears can also be seen in the area of evangelism. Some people hesitate to approach others, give tracts or share the gospel because of the fear of rejection. One thing Christians must realize is that time is of the essence. There are things in the spirit that is time-bound; thus one cannot afford to hesitate.

In 2 Kings 13:14-19, this is a story about Joash, King of Israel and Elisha the prophet. Elisha was angry at King Joash for he only struck the ground three times. “There was a passive spirit in King Joash, for he saw that the king did not possess the perseverance to pursue his enemies until he fully conquered them. The prophet’s anger mirrors the Lord’s displeasure towards passiveness or laziness of His people.” [Quoted from Francis Frangipane].

One key to overcome hesitation is that one must be fully convinced of what God wants to accomplish and be determined to hit that mark, and make the step of faith. There are so many hindrances and obstacles along the way, but being fully convinced, being determined and taking the step of faith is one way to win over a hesitant spirit.

2. It is a Discouraging Spirit

This literally means to lack courage or to be drained of courage and this paralyzes the progress of a Christian’s walk. Nehemiah 4:6-11 talks about the rebuilding of the wall and two things were noted which caused discouragement: (Paul Caram)

1. Looked at the rubbish things. One tends to look at self and see all kinds of rubbish that causes discouragement and a desire to give up. The key is not to look at the rubbish in one’s life.
2. Rehearsed what the enemy is saying. Christians must NOT repeat what the enemy is saying, but dwell in the Words of God. God the Father beckons all to press on, fight the good fight of faith and remain faithful.

3. It is a Dreadful and Anxious Spirit

To dread is “fearful anticipation.” This is not a form of defense mechanism but is a voice that says something really bad will happen to a person. The key to overcome is dwelling in the presence of God as says in Psalm 91:1-11.

Practice the presence of God. Walk in the spirit. Dwell in the presence of God all the time Communicate and be Intimate with God.

4. It is a Coward Spirit

This is a lack of courage to face difficulty, danger, opposition and pain, which is a defeatist attitude that readily accepts failure. In Joshua 1:9, God admonished them to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid or dismayed for He is always with His people wherever they go.

Just like King David who made himself strong by encouraging himself in the Lord, Christians also must make him or herself strong in the Lord by accepting the strength of the Lord and by accepting the anointing of the Spirit of Might in order to fulfill God-given tasks.

5. It is a Doubtful Spirit

This is a feeling of uncertainty as a result of lack of assurance or faith. This is Satan’s greatest ancient weapon which is still very effective until today. Also, this can cause one to have a dialogue with the devil which leads to deception and death.

Faith defeats fear through hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This is hearing the “rhema” or spoken Word of God by actively searching, seeking and even fasting to receive the spoken Word and not just waiting until it comes. Joshua 1:7-8 is the key; meditating the Word of God and to act with wisdom.

Once the word is received, there is a need to ask God for the Spirit of Understanding in order to clearly understand and correctly interpret His Word, and to meditate on it day and night.

Sound Mind in the greek is “sophronisimus” which means safe thinking. It also denotes good judgment, disciplined thought patterns and the ability to make and understand right decisions. This also includes the qualities of self-control and self-discipline.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Citations:
Caram, Paul G. HERMENEUTICS Keys for Interpreting the Scriptures. Ulysses: Zion Christian Publications, 2008. E-book. Frangipane Francis. This Day We Fight! Chosen Books, 2007. Print

NKJV SPIRIT FILLED LIFE BIBLE Olive tree 6+. December 2016. Mobile application