Think for a moment…when was the last time you made a decision out of fear?
I bet, if you’ve been awake today longer than a few hours, you’ve already done it. Whether it was getting dressed out of fear of what people would say if they saw you at the bus stop in pajamas, worrying for your children as they left for school, or organizing your day to be sure you got everything on the to-do list accomplished so nothing fell through the cracks. Fear of others, fear of failure, worrying in general…it’s all fear. Fear effectively controls and restricts us through intimidation and oppression. But we aren’t meant to fear.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
The Spirit we receive from God is the Holy Spirit, and its fruit does not include fear (Gal. 5:22-23). Instead, we’re told that it emboldens us in outpouring of power, of love and the ability to have self-discipline. In fact, 1 John 4:8 tells us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” Therefore, the Holy Spirit drives out fear with love, and gives us the power to overcome worrisome thoughts because we have the self-discipline to know that fear is not from God. Our Father God has all things under control, if we’ll just have the discipline to repeatedly turn it over to Him and trust His love for us.
“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” – Romans 8:15
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