Receiving God Over Fear
Fear paralyzes human flourishing and is a tool of the enemy to make us believe we have control. However, Scripture repeatedly tells us that we were not given a spirit of fear and that perfect love casts out all fear. So how do we give control to God instead of allowing fear to drive us?
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26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Famine of Desire
For 400 years, God has been silent. There were no prophets to rise, and there were no divine revelations. God has not spoken to His people since Malachi.
God is always speaking and leading. However, it's not all about what He is saying, instead about what He has said. Consider that in conjunction with Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." We say that in the spirit of Romans 12:1-2, where Scripture tells us the Word declares when a believer is not conformed to patterns of this world, they're yielding their hearts to the Lord. These passages affirm that for believers, God never stops speaking into and leading their life.
However, we have a famine today. It's not around what God has said but around people wanting to hear it. There is no famine of God's Word; instead, it is a famine of desire. Consider this:
The Bible is the world's most printed and most-sold nonfiction book.
It has sold more than 5 billion copies and is the best-seller of all time.
The YouVersion Bible app has more than 450 million downloads worldwide.
We're aware God has already spoken, and that was true in Mary's day. They knew a Messiah was coming. There are more than 100 examples in the Old Testament. One great example is Isaiah 9.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
In our passage, Luke 1:26-38, we see 400 years of silence ended through the voice of Gabriel. Like many stories in Scripture, God chose the most unlikely suspects to receive His Word.
Fear-Driven People Miss God
Imagine for a second what it was like to walk in Mary's shoes. She's going about her business when an angel of the Lord appears to her. His first words are, "Do not be afraid."
Although Scripture tells us that angels walk among us, I've never knowingly seen an angel. However, given Mary's moment, it's understandable why she would be overwhelmed with fear by her visitor. I believe the Lord knew that fear could trip Mary up when He sent Gabrielle.
Fear can be a big deal. Humans were created to experience fear as a method for extending safety. Our natural inclination for fear is a sensory advantage to alert us to the threat of danger.
However, fear can also be crippling, paralyzing, or even toxic; Fear paralyzes human flourishing. When the brain embraces fear, your capacity to reason and use good judgment becomes impaired.
Unable to have loving feelings
Learned helplessness
Phobic anxiety
Mood swings
Obsessive-compulsive thoughts
While reactions to fear can cause mild to severe behavioral responses, this is true when we acknowledge how fear can interfere with what God seeks to do in us. There can be two hugely adverse effects of fear for God's people.
Fear Driven people miss God
Fear Driven people Miss opportunities for God
We see this illustrated in Numbers 13. While going into the Promised Land, 12 spies go ahead of the army. Ten of them come back with the report that there are giants and it's an impossible mission.
However, we can take note that they didn't say, "There are giants in the land, and our God is greater." Instead, they went into the new land and measured themselves against the presenting dangers instead of the comparison to who God is.
Christians Are Not Called to a Spirit of Fear
The spies' response created a foothold for fear to reign in their lives. When we operate in a spirit of fear, it can not only negatively affect ourselves, but it can also affect others.
As a reminder, we did not inherit a spirit of timidity. As Paul told Timothy, God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
I've always found it interesting that Scripture calls it "a spirit of fear." What does that tell us? Fear is also a spirit. There are many fallen spirits. As we know, one-third of the angels fell with the enemy. So when we wrestle with fear, it may not be just you. It could be the enemy is seeking to force you into a spirit of fear because you will shut down and grieve the potential of moving in love.
However, we have been given control over our thoughts and, in the process, our fears.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18
In Romans 8, Paul gives us a glimpse that we can separate ourselves from our past life as believers. As a result, we can avoid falling back into past life patterns.
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:14-17
How to Give Control to God
Our sinfulness is self-centeredness, which is rooted in our need for control, and being in control is rooted in fear. We have been made to believe that if we could control our lives, the ship would stay afloat on smooth seas. But in reality, no part of our lives has ever reflected that. If anything, the waters get more treacherous when we take control.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, they were deceived into believing that if they partook in a specific fruit, they would supersede human understanding with the knowledge of good and evil.
The enemy's offer wasn't the totality of knowledge between two extremes. The attraction of the offer wasn't good and evil. Instead, it was that you would be like God, and you would be in control. There will no longer be a mystery to life.
The point is: fear and control go together hand-in-hand.
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”
However, surrendering to your Creator is one of the keys to deliverance from fear. Not only do you not have control now, but you've also never had it. Control is a deception of the enemy. When we turn over our circumstances, impossible solutions, and perplexities, we ask God to pour his wisdom into us to have more of Jesus. We have His peace because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
You must believe Him to receive Him.
When we pursue God through Scripture, prayer, and meditation and are faithful in doing that, He is faithful. This is more than casting our desires on the Lord. This is a heart sacrifice that pursues reflecting Him a little more every day. When we do this, we don't walk in anxiety, fear, or control. We are set free.
[READ MORE: Following Mary's example, how should we respond to God's call?]
TL;DR
Fear paralyzes human flourishing.
Fear Driven people miss God
Fear Driven people Miss opportunities for God
Fear says our foes are greater than who our God is and can be a tool of the enemy to shut you down.
1 John 4:18 tells us that God's perfect love casts out fear.
Our need for control is often our source of fear. Control is a deception of the enemy.
Deliverance from fear is to surrender to God.
Related Reading
How to Respond to God’s Call by Rev. Paul Lawler
How to Deal With Anxiety by William Merriman
Does God Want Me To Be Happy? by Grant Caldwell
About Christ Church Memphis
Christ Church Memphis is church in East Memphis, Tennessee. For more than 65 years, Christ Church has served the Memphis community. Every weekend, there are multiple worship opportunities including traditional, contemporary and blended services
