“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7a, KJV).

So many of us let our emotional barometers rule our lives instead of letting our moral compasses lead our way.  Although we experience a variety of emotions, with fear being one of the major ones, we need to know that there is a world of difference between having anxieties and misgivings over situations (even to the point that we tremble and shake), and having the kind of fear the Apostle Paul speaks about in 2 Timothy 1:7a. This kind of fear is much more than just an emotion. It is a SPIRIT!

A “spirit” of fear is an unclean or foul entity that is in league with Satan, who commands this foul spirit to torment nonbelievers. The way this foul spirit works in the sons and daughters of disobedience is by getting these unsaved people to conduct their lives according to the lusts of their flesh—to fulfill the desires of their flesh and their mind (cf. Ephesians 2:1-3). With believers, the Devil’s “spirit” of fear seeks to make God’s children unstable, unreliable, and uncertain about everything, especially everything God has promised His children in His Word.

Therefore, the “spirit” of fear is in conflict with the godly spirits of a sound mind (calm, well-balanced and self-disciplined mind), love (agape, the God kind of love), and power (dunamis, self-controlled might/physical strength), because these heavenly spirits are associated with God’s Holy Spirit and with His children of Light (cf. 2 Timothy 1:7b; Ephesians 5:8-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; James 1:6-8; 1 John 1:5, 7; 1 John 2:9-10; 1 John 4:18). In other words, God has given His children His godly spirits of self-discipline, self-control, and love so that His children will be protected from the demonic “spirit” of fear, which is nothing more than Satan’s smokescreen—his false evidence appearing real (F E A R).

Furthermore, the godly spirits of power, love, and a sound mind are the manifestations of God’s pledge (promise) to His children—His guarantee that His Holy Spirit will transform, fully conform, them to the image of Jesus the Christ (cf. Romans 8:1-30 and 2 Corinthians 1:22). So then, for believers to conquer the demonic “spirit” of fear, which seeks to hinder them from conforming to the image of Jesus the Christ, believers must guard their hearts (the centers of their individual physical, intellectual, mental, moral, and spiritual lives) against the external influences that attack believers’ measure of faith. Additionally, believers must trust in the true and living God, by turning their attention to (focusing on) the Lord, and by seeking God’s Divine Strength and Divine Wisdom to counteract every tormenting attack. In essence, believers must put into use God’s holy spirits of power, love, and a sound mind!

Last but not least, believers also must become bold, on fire for Jesus the Christ, Holy Spirit-filled followers of the Lord who cannot be controlled by the demonic “spirit” of fear. In fact, the only fear that affects these believers should be their godly fear: awe, reverence, an attitude of deep respect for, bowing down in worship of, and having an intense love and admiration for their Father who is Almighty God.  AMEN.