Fear
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
Fear once had such a hold on my life that I was all but crippled by its presence in my life. I was afraid of not being accepted by others. I was afraid for anyone to know that I was not perfect. I was afraid of what others thought of me. Fear of man is not of God. The only fear that has any place in a believers life is that reverent fear of God and of ceasing to please him. It has been fear that has led me to many areas of mistake and sin in my life. It was fear that kept me in a terribly abusive relationship, not just once, but twice. It was fear that kept me from accomplishing what I was able to accomplish in school. It was fear that has kept me isolated from so many people, so many times. Today, we begin to look at fear in your life and how it has a hold on you.
1. Do you worry or fret over what others think of you?
2. If you have ever been in an abusive relationship, physical, mental or emotional, what role did or does fear play in your remaining in that relationship?
3. Is appearance so important to you that you do not let others see the true circumstances of your every day life?
4. What is your biggest fear in letting God have complete and total control over you life?
5. Explain what it means to be loved and accepted by others. Now, are you afraid if anyone sees the real you, that you might not be loveable? I assure you that the real you is much more loveable than any face or front that you put on.
6. Describe your worries or concerns over finances in your life. What part does fear play in those worries?
Make a list of all the things you have ever been fearful of, the source of that fear and how that fear affects your life. Be as honest as you are capable of being. This list cannot hurt you. What can hurt you is for the fears to remain as strongholds in your life.
7. As a result of this searching of your heart and mind, explain how fear comes between you and God, how it interferes with your relationship with him and others.
Father, it is hard to admit that fear controls so much of our lives. In Jesus name help us to be honest as we seek to discover the fears, their origins, and the effect they have on our lives. Lord, right now, in Jesus name, let the peace that passes all understanding clear away that illogical fear that prevents us from looking honestly at ourselves. In Jesus name, reveal to us the heart of the matter of fear. In Jesus name, we pray, amen and amen.
