Overcoming the Spirit of Fear

The Bible repeatedly commands us to not be afraid. God knew that there would be much opportunity for fear and anxiety in the fallen world in which we live, so He continually reminds us not to fear.

Fear is a natural human emotion, but it can also be driven by a demonic spirit: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). The spirit of fear is an evil spirit that seeks to enslave and torment people with fear, intimidation, anxiety, and worry. If we do not properly deal with fear, we can give place to this spirit and come under its power.

To overcome the spirit of fear, we must not allow ourselves to be consumed with focusing on all of the potential negative things that can happen to us. The spirit of fear causes us to envision worse-case scenarios; we end up fearing not what is actually happening to us, but what could happen to us. This is why it is so important to win the battle of the mind.

One of the keys for overcoming fear is having a greater revelation of God’s presence with us. Psalm 23 gives us this insight:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
–Psalm 23:4

David said that he would fear no evil—even in the valley of the shadow of death—because he knew that God was with Him. As we live in the reality that God is truly with us, we can walk without fear.

Along with a revelation of God’s presence is a revelation of His love. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” The more we are convinced of God’s love for us, the more the torment of fear loses its grip. His perfect love casts out fear.

Pray for God to reveal His love to you in deeper ways; that His love would be the foundation of your security and peace. Fear is a thief that seeks to steal our joy and cause us to live beneath God’s destiny for us. But God is our protector, and our life is in His hands.

Fear is real, and we all must learn to deal with it and overcome it. Don’t allow the spirit of fear to govern your decisions, steal your life, or keep you from God’s calling!

What are some keys to overcoming fear that you have found?