How can I overcome fear?

[Kelly Martinez]

Question from reader: How can I overcome fear?

Let’s address the kind of fear that we KNOW we want to overcome. God’s Word plainly says in 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Since fear is not of God, I don’t want it. Notice that God has given us something in its place: A spirit of power, and of love and a sound mind. When we are feeling that gripping fear, where are we first affected? In our mind. Our thoughts get stirred up and soon to follow, our physical body lines up with our thoughts. Fear that causes us to feel paralyzed or unable to function in faith is definitely real. It’s motivated by a spirit that is contrary to God. Fear puts our mindset into alarm or fright. It causes us to become mildly to exceedingly filled with a sense of dread or . Throughout the bible it is repeated many times to “Fear Not” and to “Not be Afraid”. One of my favorite verses answers the why before it is asked, "Because I am with you,” ( Josh. 1:9). With God on my side and with me, what can overcome me? (Heb. 13:6, 1 John 5:4) NOTHING!

Disqualify God’s fear by qualifying God’s love.

Fear can be overcome by simply disqualifying it. In its place qualify God’s love. God’s love for us is 100% complete and provisional, lacking nothing. His love is “perfect”.
"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." 1 Jn. 4:18
Fear cannot manifest itself to you when you understand and believe how much God loves you, that He is standing with you cheering you on, and that He has empowered you to overcome by the love sacrifice He gave through Jesus. You can then begin to truly live an abundant, joy-filled, fear free life the way He intended.

Overcome Fear by Believing and Speaking

Day by day, bit by bit, verse by verse, we need to renew our minds with the truth of God’s Word (Rom 12:2). In doing so, we can combat the spirit of fear by the word of our testimony, knowing that the blood of the Lamb is the power at work in and through us. Speaking out loud what the Word says reminds us what we have. Speaking God’s Word doesn’t bend God’s arm to perform, it opens our heart to be able to receive what He‘s already given us - VICTORY! We put out fear by having faith in God’s love. We have victory over fear every time by believing that God’s Word says we do because of His love.

It is most simply stated in Rev. 12:11, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." We overcome any work of the enemy, (in this case, fear) by the blood of the Lamb. That is to say, the death and resurrection of Christ grants any child of God all authority and dominion over the enemy. Also, we overcome ‘by the word of our testimony’ - speaking the truth of God’s Word, which is the key to being free from anything that would hinder us from living free and enjoying God’s best.

In Christ,
Kelly Martinez