Living In The Presence of Fear – Truthfully

fear\ ˈfeer \  noun

an unpleasant, distressing, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; concern or anxiety; reason for alarm; something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension.

I think this combined wording from Webster and Dictionary.com paints a fairly complete picture of the concept of fear. And isn’t that what we need to understand something fully? A thoughtful and thorough dissection. Getting close (maybe uncomfortably so) to see all the dimensions and aspects of what we are trying to understand better—finally placing it at arm’s length to be able to look at it with detachment, like scientists studying microbes through a microscope.

I can admit I have had an unhealthy level of fear in and around my life for too many years. Strong. Distressing. Definitely unpleasant, totally rooted in the world that I lived in, driven by my own formulated responses to all that crossed my path. It ran the full spectrum: from fear of the dark to fear of failure and inadequacy. Small to monumental, and every size in between. At best, it left me tentative and hesitant. At worst, I was completely frozen and unable to move or even look away. But God!

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” John 10:10 (Amplified)

Jesus saw me – in the midst of my fearful existence. He desired differently for me. He was prepared to fight for me and help me win my freedom from this. He held out His hand, and I accepted His invitation.

What I didn’t realize at that moment was that He immediately went to work on the weight of fear I was carrying. He came beside me. He started lifting it from my shoulders, replacing it with His light and easy to bear yoke. Then, using His Word, He started sharing a very specific message for my heart & spirit: “Fear Not!”

According to Scriptural studies, He placed this message in His Word 365 times for me to encounter. He definitely desired that I would read, receive, and understand. Certainly, I read. Somewhat erratically, I started to receive. But – I didn’t truly understand. Not right away.

On some level, I think that I had erroneously created a ‘home’ inside myself for fear. I don’t think it was a conscious action, but fear had just ingrained itself into all I saw, said, and did over time. Somehow it had become a part of me. But as Jesus continued to work within me, He showed me a few years ago that I could separate myself from fear and push it out to arm’s length for a long look and consideration.

He said, “Let me show you something different.”

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

Jesus stepped into the gap of every decision, every consideration, and every action. Then, clarity started filling my eyes; and I could finally compare the power of fear to the power of the Lord Almighty.  No contest – not even close! The Holy Spirit’s blazing light of truth pushed the darkness of my fearful thoughts out to the most distant edges of my

mind. And each time they tried to creep back in or tried to take up residence, that light of truth gave no quarter. It refused to retreat or be confused by fear’s now limited abilities.

American President Franklin Roosevelt once said: “All we have to fear is fear itself.” But, respectfully, I would observe that he got that wrong. That statement still gives the concept of fear too much legitimacy. The enemy can use our smallest belief in that false legitimacy to take thoughts inside of us and build them up into tainted all-powerful controlling visions and circumstances.

Like a tiny lizard somehow conjured into a monumental dragon in a child’s storybook. Fancifully enticing, but not plausible. Especially when fully studied in truth’s glorious light.

I would offer President Roosevelt the following revision: “All we have to fear is not enough Jesus.”

With Jesus, I can walk right up to fear and see it for precisely what it is (or, more accurately, what it is not).  I can stand firm in the presence of the enemy’s attempts to drown me with this emotion – and calm the storm knowing Jesus is in my boat!

Jesus removes my fear of fear. And even though I may “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” …. I now KNOW where the rest of this is going before it even begins.