Do you fear?

2 Tim 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.

What are you afraid of? What do you fear?

It is very normal to be afraid. Fear is a reaction to situations that exists to keep us alive. Fear of falling keeps you away from the cliffs edges, and makes you alert to watch your step. Fear of burning keeps you diligent around a fire. Fear of an accident keeps you alert while you drive.

Babies learn through fear. When a baby falls off a couch, it happens only once, maybe twice. They learn that it hurts to fall and they don’t want to get hurt again. Corporal punishment applied pain, and kids fear the pain, so they are more obedient.

So there’s a fear that keep you alive here on earth, a fear that is natural.

And there’s a fear that’s not. When you’re fear of spiders are debilitating, it is not the normal fear. When your daily activities are affected by your level of fear, it is not the normal physical reaction to a dangerous situation. Constant fear and high levels of anxiety, are not normal and does not come from God.

A fear that cripples you, is not from God. It is a spirit of the devil.

The Bible also says that we are to fear God only. Common belief and understanding is that this fear refers more to a deep reverence, not fear. I believe that it is a deep reverence yes, but also an actual fear. David wrote in Ps 2:11 – Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

I believe that we should fear God. A deep reverence, yes, but also real fear. But we should fear God, and God only. Nothing else. When you fear God, you need not be afraid of anything else. In Matt 10:28 Jesus admonishes: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Godly fear does not leave you powerless and debilitated. God says that He gave us the spirit of power. The spirit of love. And the spirit of a sound mind.

How do you overcome the spirit of fear? Through God’s power (Phil 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.), through God’s love (1Cor 13) and with a sound mind.

A sound mind in the Greek is discipline and self-control. You don’t run off and think the wildest thoughts. You have control over your thinking, and you can discern between truth and lies. ANY exaggeration is a lie. And then you can apply your faith in prayer, use your logical brain with God-given thinking capabilities, and come up with a solution.

And sometimes that solution is just to wait.

Ps 27:14 – Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Lord, Lord

Matt 7:21 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

I grew up thinking and believing that this verse says that we can be shut out of heaven if we are not doing the will of God.

Of course, those that claim to be a child of God with their mouths, but have never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, will not go to heaven.

But there are a lot of people who have accepted Jesus as their saviour, and they are not doing the will of God, either. Some of them have forgotten that they are Christians, and their lives are not a testimony to God. They will still go to heaven, because they have been saved. But what about what this verse says then?

I also know church-going folk who profess Jesus openly, who is not overly concerned with God’s will for their lives. They live their lives the way they want to, and God is a big part of their lives, but not exactly one with an opinion or authority. They do not question God’s will for their lives, neither have they ever asked for it. What about them?

The kingdom of heaven and heaven is not the same thing. Just like we are battling against a kingdom of darkness here on earth, the kingdom of heaven is also here. Jesus prayed: Let Your Kingdom come… God’s kingdom is in our hearts and in our minds. Just being saved and walking in kingdom, are two very different things.

Walking in kingdom is walking in God’s word, living it, breathing it. It’s not just a book you read from every day to keep your conscience quiet. It’s not “a verse a day to keep the devil away”… It’s a conviction and a choice. A surrender of your life to Him.

So while you may go to heaven, if your life isn’t His in totality, wholly surrendered, you will not walk here on earth in the fullness of Him, of His power, or even of His love. You will not live in His kingdom. Because you won’t be allowed to enter in.

How do you enter in?

By being obedient. By seeking His kingdom first. By searching for the narrow way. By asking, and knocking. By laying down your life, your wants, your needs, your desires, in exchange for the cross of Jesus. By dying to yourself, so you can find His life for you.