No Fear

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. 2 Tim 1:6-7 (NKJV)

It all started with the fall of man. Adam and Eve were afraid...and we've been running scared ever since. Afraid of outside forces--afraid of things that cause physical damage--afraid of what others might think of us--afraid of what others might say--afraid of the future--afraid of reaping from the past--afraid of failure... This is the general state of the fallen. We treat our fear with pleasures, with vices, with distractions, with self-help books; looking to overcome something that is deep-seeded in the collective psyche of the human race. There is no natural cure, but there is a supernatural cure.

The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy of the cure. It is the "gift of God which is in you." Jesus also spoke of the cure, He said, "You will know Him, for He will dwell with you and will live in you." (John 14:17) Both Jesus and Paul were referring to the Holy Spirit. Make no mistake about it, the Holy Spirit is the cure for fear. Here is the premise: The power that created the universe is living inside of you as a Believer. There is no other force equal to this power. It is why the Bible declares: "Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world."

When you understand who is living in you, you can say with King David, "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not fear!" The Lord has replaced our natural fear with His Spirit, and His Spirit establishes within us a sound mind and fills our lives with the power to overcome. This does not mean that we are now naive concerning the "real" dangers that exist in the world. We recognize the danger, but are not filled with worry or fear, realizing that whatever we experience, both the good and the bad, God is with us!

Prayer: "Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus and thank you for sending Your Holy Spirit to live in me! In times of trouble, Your Spirit brings me a peace that passes understanding. In times of peace, Your Spirit fill my life with joy. Lord, help me to take the worries and the cares of this world and leave them with You. I want to permanently exchange my painful burden for the yoke that is easy and light. Amen"