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Afraid, Courage, Drowning, fear, Fearful, Keep focused, Looking at Jesus, Perspective, Spirit of fear
II Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Fear is a spirit not an emotion. Fear is a spirit that attacks us in the area of our emotions and courage is not the absence of fear but courage is having the right perspective.
Look at Peter, when he was in the boat trying to fight the wind and the waves fear was there. As he put one leg over the boat fear was there, as he begin to walk on the water fear was still there. But while fear was there power, love and soundness of mind was also present and as long as Peter kept his eyes on that power and love fear was not able to dominate him. (Matt. 14:22-33)
Fear was first presented to man in the garden after the fall. When God asked Adam where art thou? Adam said he heard God’s voice in the garden but was afraid because he was naked. Adam lacked God’s glory and now was afraid. Satan took advantage of what Adam now lacked to cause fear.
Therefore, fear presents itself every time we think we lack something. If you think you lack the ability to pay your bills, fear is there to tell you you’re going to be put out of your home. If you think you lack the ability to be cured, fear is there to tell you you’re going to die. Fear can only dominate us when we look at what we lack. Courage is having the right perspective.
As long as Peter had his eyes on Jesus who is the power and love, he had soundness of mind. But when he took his eyes off Jesus like most of us he lost it. Peter saw his lack of ability to save himself from the sea.
Jesus came to give us back what Adam lost, the glory of God. When we look at Jesus we see that we lack nothing. David said in Psalms 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not lack.” Therefore we have no fear because we lack nothing and God is always with us. And just as Jesus reached down and pulled Peter up from the sea, He’s right there to do the same for you and give you peace in every circumstance you’re faced with. Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Fear has no power when you’re looking at Jesus. Stay focused.