“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)

We can succumb to fear as it slowly creeps into our subconscious thoughts. God has promised to watch over and protect us. (Isaiah 8:12, 41:10; Rom. 8:28-39) Foreboding, anxiety and worry are snares of the enemy which we can pickup from worldly influences. The world system is steeped in fear to control and manipulate the masses. Chains of fear and dread bind people and weigh them down like a heavy burden or anchor. Yeshua came to set us free from the cares and burdens of this world. (Matt. 11:28) Yeshua’s Freedom should be forever, but we can become weighed down again to the point of bondage. Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress is a great illustration of our journey which is scattered with detours and snares, some directly from the enemy’s agents and others a result of our own wandering disobedience. 

Just recently, I realized I was having bad thoughts with dread of future tragedy. These foreboding fears were not realized, but I was listening and they were multiplying. All we hold dear is threatened in a world full of war, crime, catastrophe and disaster. This threat and dread is what the enemy uses to distract and blind us to God’s promises and ever present reality. We are not alone. Our loved ones are not solely dependent upon us. God is good, loving and Sovereign over all. Yeshua has redeemed us from the curse of sin and death. Every Believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling within, a real source of life and power. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)

In sports athletes learn to override fear which paralyzes and disrupts focused concentration. I experienced it in snow skiing, when I considered the steepness or speed of a ski run, I would unconsciously move my weight back on my skis. This hesitant backward weight distribution made skiing much harder and usually caused me to fall. Instead, I learned to press forward on the balls of my feet with weight forward over my skis, which gave me more control, made things easier, and kept me from falling. In the same way Yeshua redirects our thoughts away from fear of loss to fear of God, who can cast into Hell, but cares greatly for us. (Luke 12:4-7) Believe and trust God, fear not.