In this lesson, we are going to read a blog by Sis. Christie. Pay close attention so you can answer the questions that come after.

   Everyone deals with fear and it manifests in many ways. Panic attacks, anxiety, nervousness, and dread are just a few ways that fear manifests. It can affect our immune system and our relationships. It can even keep us from walking in our calling. So how do we overcome fear?

   2 Timothy 1:7 — “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

   The first thing we see in this verse is that God does not give us fear. The second thing is that fear is a spirit. Fear is not just an emotion or part of our personalities but it is an actual spirit that is attacking us. God did not give fear to us. It is from the enemy.

   God has given us a sound mind, not a mind filled with anxiety. It’s very important we understand that fear does not come from God. And because of that, we want no part of fear.

   God has given us authority over this spirit but we have to recognize it. Like many spirits, the main attack is in our minds through thoughts. It can be very subtle and these thoughts may even come in first person so it seems as though they are our thoughts and we might even feel like we are going crazy when under attack. Most of us don’t want these thoughts and we try to stop thinking them, but that doesn’t usually work and sometimes even makes the thoughts get worse.

   I have had many issues with fear and I want to share how the Lord has helped me with fear. I hope this will be a blessing to you.

   The first thing that helped me was recognizing that fear is a spirit and that I wasn’t going crazy even though it felt that way at times.

   The second thing that helped was coming out of agreement with these fearful thoughts. Agreement is a very important Biblical principle.

   Amos 3:3 — “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

   By coming out of agreement with this spirit, we are taking away its power over us. So when a thought comes into our minds, we examine it to see if it lines up with what the Bible says. If it doesn’t, then we refuse to agree with it. We recognize that it is a lie, no matter how convincing it sounds, because it doesn’t line up with what the Bible says.

   The next important key is repentance.

   Revelation 3:19 — “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

   If you are like me, you have spent a lifetime agreeing with fear and even planning your life around it. I had panic attacks every day and I would try to stay out of situations to avoid them. Fear was completely controlling my life. I was going against what God said by allowing fear to control me so I repented of that. I prayed and told God I was sorry. I don’t want anyone to get in condemnation about this because God wasn’t mad at me. He loves us very much and He loved me through all that fear. He wanted me free. (We will talk more about God’s love and how it helps us get rid of fear in part two.)

   Repentance is just saying you are sorry when you were in the wrong. It is very good for relationships and helps close the door we opened to the devil through sin.

   After I repented, I told the spirit of fear to leave. That helped me with many of the manifestations of fear that I was dealing with at that time. I still had attacks but I was able to fight them off better and recognize the thoughts better than I had in the past. It wasn’t any easy quick fix but it was much better. I still had to renew my mind which is a continuous process.

   Philippians 4:8 –“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

   Lastly, this verse has helped me greatly in the fight against fear. In the world we live in today there is so much fear. If we have a steady diet of listening to fearful things, it is going to make the fear battle much harder. So using wisdom on what you chose to see and hear can also help with fear.

   I pray that this teaching has helped you in conquering fear.

   Romans 8:37 — “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

— Sis. Christie