FOR GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND (or disciplined) MIND. II Timothy, Chapter 1, Verse 7.
The Spirit of Fear entered into the Garden of Eden with the Serpent. We saw in Chapter 5 how the Spirit of Confusion and the Spirit of Fear work together many times to defeat the plan and purpose of God for our lives. Fear is one of the strongest of all evil spirits, and one of mankind’s greatest enemies. The Spirit of Fear comes in many different forms, shapes, and sizes. The Spirit of Fear always brings a suitcase packed with “doubt and unbelief” when he visits our homes. It plans on making a home for itself within our homes.
Fear is always accompanied by torment. If we are fearful, we are denying God’s power and ability to work in our lives. Fear also hinders God’s love and compassion from working within and through us. When we are fearful, a sound (disciplined) mind will not be present within us. Many Christian soldiers on the battlefield of life are tormented by fear and run from the battlefield as cowards. Faithful Christian soldiers will stand without wavering during the onslaught of the enemy because they possess power, love, and a disciplined mind.
Fear is the opposite of FAITH. The Spirit of Fear is envied by other demon spirits because it is able to usurp power over multitudes of people at the same time. All evil spirits have the power to produce some fear in the lives of people, but not all carry the rank “Spirit of Fear.” Fear is also an inherent emotion which is passed down from generation to generation.
The Spirit of Fear works together and joins forces with many other spirits in order to perform ITS unholy missions. We will be looking at some of those spirits later on in the book.
Most people, even Christians, are subject to some type of fear. Fear is a spirit which can be passed down to individuals from generation to generation. Many curses, as well as the propensity to commit certain sins, are also passed down to their offspring because of the sins of previous generations. These are called “generational curses.” If a parent has a Spirit of Fear, the probability is that one or more of their offspring will also possess that same spirit.
According to the Apostle Paul, “fear hath torment.” Without faith (the opposite of fear) in God, fear can destroy a person’s life and home, as well as all he or she holds dear. Many alcoholics are influenced by the Spirit of Fear in one way or another. While faith is a unifier, fear is a divider. Without faith, we cannot please God. Without faith, people are destined to be controlled and/or tormented by the Spirit of Fear in one way or another.
I cannot communicate in one Chapter everything the Bible says regarding fear, but I can share with you much of what I know about and have experienced concerning the Spirit of Fear. Christians need to understand how the Spirit of Fear operates in their lives as well as how to get rid of it. Christians also need to know that through the “Blood of Jesus” and the “Power of His Name” they can overcome and defeat the Spirit of Fear.
Many people have fears, but are reluctant to let others know about them because they FEAR they will be judged by others for being spiritually weak and/or cowardly. Thus, they languish in their fears, and will be tormented their entire lives if they fail to deal with their fears.
All evil spirits carry with them a weapon of fear. A Spirit of Violence can cause fear and intimidation when it shows up to create havoc and chaos in the lives of people. A Spirit of Poverty can travel along with FEAR in order to cause people to question “whether they will have anything to eat or enough money to pay their bills.” The Spirit of Fear works in the lives of people in many different ways. However, God has given us the authority through the Blood of Christ to send Satan packing when he and his entourage show up on our doorstep.
Intimidation is another type of fear which Satan uses to establish fear in the hearts of people. People are intimidated by many different things, as well as some people. Thoughts which the enemy sows in the psyche, such as hopelessness, helplessness, and depravity are planted there for purposes of intimidation. We must understand that these thoughts are all strongholds which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and they MUST be cast down if we are going to live in peace.
Intimidating spirits are more subtle than most of the fear-bearing spirits. Intimidating spirits make people spiritually weak and timid. However, they need the stronger, fear-bearing spirits in order to establish greater strongholds of fear in the hearts of people before they will be able to completely control them.
One who is “intimidated” will respond fearfully to adverse situations and threats. The word “timid” is found in the middle of the word “intimidation.” A person who is “timid” will become “confused and fearful” when threatened with bodily harm or injury. A “timid person” always responds negatively when confronted by the Spirits of Fear and Confusion. What they “perceive” as being threatening can and will keep them in bondage to the Spirit of Fear.
God has not given us a “timid spirit,” but a “Spirit of Power and Love” through the shed Blood of Christ Jesus. As Christians we should never see (perceive) our enemies through the eyes of fear. We should always see our enemies through the eyes of “enlightened understanding” knowing that the power we possess in Christ is no match for our enemies.
Intimidating spirits are more subtle than most of the fear-bearing spirits. Intimidating spirits suggests to people that they are physically and spiritually “weak and timid.” However, they still need their stronger compatriots to help them establish the greater “strongholds of fear” and terror in the lives of individuals.
Scout devils can intimidate, but are not as powerful as demons which oppress and/or possess people. It always depends on the “state of mind” which their intended victims are in when they approach and attack them. If a person is not easily intimidated, the weaker intimidating spirits will go and get larger, more powerful demons to help them. Intimidation comes through the voice of the enemy as a “threat or promise” to harm, kill, or destroy them or someone they love.
When we have placed our faith in Christ who is our Intermediary, intimidating spirits cannot get past Him. When we have placed our faith in Christ, His power will deliver us from ALL the strategies Satan uses when we “command the enemy” to flee from us. Intimidation will not get past the Blood of Jesus when the “shield of faith” is protecting our hearts and minds.
It is very important for Christians to keep and maintain a clear, “Blood washed conscience.” Without a clear conscience, we will be unable to defend godly thoughts on the battlefield of our mind from the wiles and schemes of the enemy. If we are going to dwell in the perfect peace Christ has promised us, we must use the wisdom He has given us to defeat the enemy when he comes to invade our peace.
In Isaiah, Chapter 26, Verse 3, the scripture states that “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.” If our peace is going to be “perfect,” we must strengthen the perimeters of our soul with the parameters of truth, faith and justice through the Blood of Christ. When hearts and minds are filled with fear and confusion, faith will not function properly or forcefully.
What we allow to be sown into our heart determines the harvest we will reap. The principles, doctrines, or philosophies we espouse or build our spiritual foundations upon will determine the outcome of our level of faith and peace. We must refrain from all unrighteous behavior if we are going to continue in our quest for the peace which surpasses all knowledge and understanding. If we are going to dwell in peace, we must build strong defenses which will overcome fear and intimidation. God has not given us a Spirit of Fear but of “power and courage” to stand against the treacherous schemes and attacks of the enemy. Fear is an emotional stronghold which we must defeat if we are going to dwell in peace.
All fear has to do with something in the “future.” We do not fear the past because the past is gone, and we do not fear what has already happened. We do not have to face what has already transpired, but what may or will happen in the future. For example, if someone has a fear of water, they will try to avoid large bodies of water. If someone has a fear of elevators, they will climb fifty flights of stairs rather than ride on an elevator.
These types of fears are more subtle than others. Sometimes people can “sidestep” and find a way around their fears if they try, but the underlying cause of fear must be dealt with before they can be completely free of their fears.
Many people fear death because they are uncertain of what lies beyond death. It is not necessarily the pain of death which worries them, but it is the thought of what WILL happen “after death” that may be unpleasant or even unbearable for them. Will they still exist after death? Will they be at peace? Is there really a God who lives in a wonderful place called Heaven? Will I go there? Is there really a place called Hell where people are tormented for eternity? Will I go there? What will happen to me when I die? What will happen to me because I told a lie. FEAR ALWAYS HAS TO DO WITH THE FUTURE.
On the other hand peace is something which people need expeditiously, if not now. The opposite of peace is conflict. If we are not experiencing peace in our hearts there is a war going on within our hearts and minds. This does not have to be because as Christians we know the Prince of Peace who can alter the thoughts which bring conflict to the soul if we are trusting in Him.
There are many Christians who not only fear the Devil, but they also fear the Spirit of Fear. (See Proverbs, Chapter 3, Verse, 25). It is one thing to be afraid of the Devil, but the fear of fear brings even more torment to the soul. FEAR HAS TORMENT. The consequence of fear is torment--torment is a precursor of judgment.
God is a just God, and recompenses evil with harsh judgment and condemnation. We do not want to find ourselves on the wrong side of His judgment. We are justified through the Blood of Christ. The torment which fear releases within an individual should find no place in the heart of any believer.
If you have ever been in the presence of pure, adulterated evil, the Spirit of Fear, you would recognize immediately that “fear hath torment.” Without faith, which is the opposite of fear, one cannot escape the grasp or torment of fear.
The Spirit of Fear is easy to recognize. I have been able to discern the Spirit of Fear many times during my ministry. Some Spirits of Fear are larger and more powerful than others. Each Spirit of Fear has the power to bring accusation and torment to individuals. Fear will torment anyone who lacks faith in God. A person who has a Spirit of Fear will continue to be tormented by fear until they are set free by the Blood of Jesus. I have driven the Spirit of Fear away in many Christian people as well as in my own life through the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in the finished works of Christ.
One night after I went to bed I saw a large spirit walk into my room. It walked through the bedroom door, then over to my bed and stood next to me. I immediately sensed the fear it possessed as it walked up to my bedside. I knew immediately it was a “Spirit of Fear.” I have seen and discerned many evil spirits in my life, but this was the most hideous looking evil spirit I had ever seen.
The Spirit of Fear was around six feet tall. He had a body like a man, as well as an oval shaped head like a man. That in itself is no big deal because many evil spirits have human-like bodies and features while others have animal-like bodies and features. It was its head and face which made this devil so “hideous” looking.
This devil had no facial features. The Spirit of Fear had NO eyes to see with. It had no mouth or nose. It had no ears, eyes, nose, mouth, or any other type of feature on its face or head. The spirit could not see to walk, yet he walked through the doorway and then right up to the side of my bed and stood next to me.
The presence of evil which I saw and felt standing next to me was almost overwhelming. I now understand how a person can be completely overcome with fear. Of course, the first thing which came out of my mouth was a rebuke in the name of Jesus. Immediately the spirit left.
Over the period of the next month I saw this Spirit of Fear two more times. The second time I saw the Spirit of Fear he walked through the doorway again as I laid down on my bed. This time the spirit only managed to get two or three steps inside the room. I immediately rebuked the spirit, and he fled the same way as before.
On the third and last occasion I encountered this same devil, I had just went to bed when I saw it coming from a long way off. I recognized it immediately as a Spirit of Fear. The Spirit of Fear did not come through the door this time, but was walking toward the wall in front of me.
I watched the spirit as it came closer and closer to my bedroom wall. However, this time I noticed it was wearing a hat just like the hat I always wore fishing and/or canoeing. I then noticed it also walked with the same gait I walked with. Except for its hideous looking head and face, it dressed and walked “just like me.” I watched the spirit as it came closer and closer to the bedroom wall in front of me. When the Spirit of Fear finally reached the wall, it started bouncing off the wall. It was unable to get into the bedroom because there was a wall (shield) of faith preventing it from entering the room this time.
I knew the Lord was teaching me something. I rebuked this Spirit of Fear the same way I did the other two times, and it disappeared. Since that night I have never again encountered the Spirit of Fear in this same way. The first and second time I encountered the Spirit of Fear, it was able to enter the room through the doorway because I had left a door in my mind OPEN which enabled it to come into my room.
All evil spirits enter through “doorways” in the psyche which people leave open and unattended. When we have faith in the shed Blood of Jesus, the Spirit of Fear has no doorway which it can enter through. When fear tries to enter our hearts another way, a “shield of faith” will keep it from doing so. Faith is like a wall or “shield of protection.” Demon spirits cannot enter in through a “shield of faith.” Fear can only enter through the doors we leave open. We can be sure if we leave an open door for fear, it will SURELY enter in and bring with it torment, panic, despair, and agony.
A year or so after seeing this devil, my mother, who has now gone home to be with Jesus, told me about a similar experience she had with the Spirit of Fear. I had never told her about the spirit I had seen. As she described the spirit she had seen to me, it looked exactly like the one I had encountered.
My mother encountered the Spirit of Fear not long after my father had gone home to be with the Lord. She was in bed the night after my father was buried when a Spirit of Fear appeared before her. She said the spirit came into the room and stood beside her bed. She described this spirit as having had no eyes, nose, mouth or ears. She said all she could think to do was pray. She prayed for a while, and the spirit went away.
My mother was a Baptist, and had not been taught about demon spirits and spiritual warfare, but she knew how to pray. Fear brings torment, but prayer brings faith and peace. If we leave a door open in our minds, fear will have an opportunity to enter in and bring torment.
In my experience with the Spirit of Fear (of the unknown), he had come because my wife and I were getting ready to move to another state. We have moved many times in our life, but this move was different. I was not sure the place we were moving to was God’s perfect will for our lives.
Fear will always hinder our walk with Christ when we lack faith. It will also hinder us from receiving instruction and guidance from the Lord. When God gives us a mandate, we MUST believe He will finish the work He started within us. God desires us to prosper in His calling on our life even more than we desire to prosper. He has promised to provide everything we need in order to accomplish the tasks He places before us. All WE have to do is believe, trust, and obey.
We do not always have to know what lies ahead of us. All we need to know is that God is directing our steps. Each step we take can be a miracle when we trust in God to lead us toward our destiny.
Abraham, not knowing the place of his final destination, was moved by faith to receive the land of his inheritance. Sometimes the Lord will give us instructions one step at a time in order to lead us to His desired destination for our lives. God is always faithful to fulfill His promises in our lives when we are obedient and faithful in our relationship with Him.
Before we received our next assignment, we knew it was time for us to move into something greater in God, but we had not heard from God about where to go and what He wanted us to do. All doors except one had closed. Thus, faith was the only thing we were basing our move on. Abraham, not knowing where God was leading him, was moved by faith to receive his land of inheritance. Sometimes God gives us a word we can stand on. Sometimes we just have to believe God will show us where to go and what to do as we obey Him step by step. He is always faithful when we are obedient to follow His Word.
I was concerned because I did not have the peace I thought I should have regarding the move we were making. I had been apprehensive about moving, therefore the devil found an opening to try to stop the blessing of God in our lives. However, after rebuking the Spirit of Fear, I had no more concerns regarding the move. After we moved God opened doors for us which we never would have found elsewhere. Being in the “perfect will of God” will always bring “perfect peace” and the blessings of God into our lives. If we are not in our ordained “place of blessing,” we cannot expect God to fully bless us.
Many times in my life I waited on a “word” from God or a “vision” to point me in the right direction. This time I had no open vision or word from God, but the move was the right one. This time I was not basing my decision on a “word” from God or a vision, but upon my trust and faith in God. I did not have to know and see what laid ahead of us, only that God was leading us to His desired destination for our lives.
The fear of the unknown is the enemy of our souls. Faith in what I knew and who I knew was what guided me through the unknown. God is love, and our faith in His love for us will cast out all fear and intimidation. If the move we were about to make was not of God, then the devil would not have tried to stop us from moving. God could have given me a peace about the move at first, but He was teaching me something about how fear attacks us and tries to adversely impact the decisions we make.
In His Word God tells us many times to “FEAR NOT.” We need to take hold of all the FEAR NOTS, cast down fear, and trust God. Faith, not fear, needs to be indelibly written upon our hearts so we can defeat the Spirit of Fear when he comes to influence our decisions. When fear comes knocking at the door, we must use the Word of God, which is Truth, to defend our territory. Truth transforms us into the image of Christ, and we know the devil cannot get past the Blood of Christ.
Fear always challenges and confronts the Word of God and our “shield of faith.” Fear always intimidates, antagonizes, and probes the “strongholds of our faith” to find a weakness in our spiritual defenses. Fear always questions the integrity of God and His Word. Faith cannot fail when it is established on the “foundations of truth and righteousness.”
The reason the Spirit of Fear has no eyes, nose, mouth, or ears is because it does not need these features. It utilizes OUR mouth, eyes, nose and ears. The scripture says “do not be afraid of sudden fear when IT COMES upon you.” (Proverbs 3:25). Fear may come, but we do not have to accept it or be tormented by it.
We are justified or condemned by our words. If we choose to speak the words of defeat and faithlessness, we are already delivered to our tormentor. The power of the tongue produces life and death, thus we must choose the words of life and not death. Words of life and faith will always counteract the words of death and fear.
The Spirit of Fear will always use our OWN words to defeat us. What shall we eat, drink, or wear? How will we pay our bills? Am I going to die? Will I live? How will my trial end? Will it ever end? Where is God who promised to protect me in the time of trouble? Fear will always question the integrity and relevance of God’s Word and the promises He has given us.
We speak our own DEMISE when we align our thoughts, words, and ideas with Satan, our enemy. Whoever WINS the battle of the mind is the one who will take the spoils and control the circumstances on the battlefield. Faith is the victory which overcomes the world. (1 John 5:4). Either we have faith or we do not have faith. For those who are lacking in faith, faith is obtainable. However, we must seek Christ, the one who is the author and finisher of our faith or faith will remain elusive.
The enemy would have us believe “faith” is not obtainable and is “beyond” our grasp in this life, but we know Satan is a liar. God gives us ALL a “measure of faith,” and tells us to seek greater faith so we may receive His promises and obtain grace and help in our time of need.
The Spirit of Fear does not have eyes because he does not need eyes. When the Spirit of Fear comes upon his prey, his prey’s eyes become his eyes. Fear will always magnify and focus on the problem or what might happen in the future. On the other hand, faith will always focus on the solution and the solution to the problem, which is always Christ Jesus. Jesus is the answer to all our problems.
The fearful individual will only see what the Spirit of Fear wants him to see. The solution is not apparent because fear has clouded or confused the mind with doubt, unbelief, agony, and despair. Fear beguiles the heart, blinds spiritual eyes, deafens spiritual ears, and hinders truth from proceeding from the mouth. In other words, fear confuses the spiritual senses and shuts down the process of faith. FEAR HINDERS FAITH AND BRINGS CONFLICT AND DESPAIR TO THE SOUL.
The Spirit of Fear does not have any ears because he does not need ears. He uses the ears of his prey. When the Spirit of Fear comes upon an individual, the individual can only hear what the Spirit of Fear desires for them to hear. What the Spirit of Fear desires for the individual to hear is their own words as he or she speaks words of doubt, unbelief, fear, agony, despair, gloom, and defeat. Like the song they sang on Hee Haw which says “gloom, despair and agony on me, deep dark depression, excessive misery,” the Spirit of Fear intensifies the misery and agony of those who lack faith with their own words.
A FOOL’S MOUTH IS HIS DESTRUCTION, AND HIS LIPS ARE THE SNARE OF HIS SOUL. Proverbs, Chapter 18, Verse 7. THOU ART SNARED WITH THE WORDS OF THY MOUTH, THOU ART TAKEN (TRAPPED) WITH THE WORDS OF THY MOUTH. Proverbs, Chapter 6, Verse 2. Our own words can become the power which keeps us in bondage to the Spirit of Fear or sets us free from the Spirit of Fear. When we speak we must not let the words we speak be the ones chosen by our enemy; but we must speak words of faith which will help us overcome ALL the “works of the enemy.” When we adhere to and surrender to the “voice of fear,” we are bound to the will of the Spirit of Fear. Many join in with the Spirit of Fear helping it to conquer their souls. Surrendering to the Spirit of Fear gives Satan the authority to rule and reign in the lives of those he conquers.
In many circumstances fear can be a motivator of greed. Greed, which is also known as “avarice and covetousness” in the Bible, speaks of an inordinate love or desire for material things, especially money. Greed can be motivated by the Spirit of Fear. People are afraid they will not have enough money to sustain their lifestyles and/or their ungodly and unholy appetites in the future, therefore they gather unto themselves all the material wealth they can obtain. Greed is one of the “seven deadly sins” mentioned in Proverbs, Chapter 16. It would be wise for each of us to take an inventory of our lives in order to make certain we are not falling into the “trap of greed” which Satan has laid for each and every individual.
There is no substitute for faith in God. Man may gather the wealth of the world, but he will never find true peace without faith in God. True security lies in knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When we trust in God, we will have no need or lack whatsoever in our lives. When we trust in God’s love for us, there is no need to worry about what we will eat, drink, wear or whether or not we will have a roof over our heads.
Laying up treasures here on Earth is like building a “house on the sand.” When the storms of life come, and the storms will come, the house will fall. When the storms of life come, the only things which will remain are the incorruptible foundations which are built upon godly principles. These foundations rest upon the incorruptible Rock of our Salvation--Jesus Christ.
The fear which motivates greed will only sustain someone as long as their money or material goods last. When the “stuff” is all gone, the fear becomes even greater. When people who trust in mammon are left with nothing, they have nothing else in which to place their trust. Many people who trust in mammon commit suicide when there is a financial calamity in their lives. For those who are trusting in riches, there will come a “day of reckoning” for them. The “day of reckoning” may come in this life or it may be in the life hereafter, but make no mistake--that day WILL come.
As I write this subchapter on greed, the U.S. Senate is holding meetings about what to do about the “possible financial collapse” of our entire monetary and banking systems as we know them today. Wall Street and all the financial markets in the world are on the verge of collapse. All of this has happened because of greed. Right now it is not a question of IF it will happen--but WHEN! According to the Book of Revelation, the financial collapse IS going to happen. I wrote about the coming financial collapse a few years ago in a book entitled “I AM–A PROPHETIC LOOK AT END TIME EVENTS.” This book is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
Today Secretary of the Treasury, Paulson, made the statement “if something does not happen soon God help us all.” God did not get us in this financial mess, what makes him think God will get us out of it! Yes, we do need God’s help. The financial experts are likening this tragedy to the Great Depression when the Stock Market crashed on Wall Street in 1929. I looked into the eyes and on the faces of Secretary Paulson and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernacke, during the hearings, and saw the fear which gripped them as they testified before Congress.
The greed or avarice which has brought the world to the brink of a financial meltdown was predicted by many financial gurus as well as many Prophets of God. As I said, it is not a matter of IF the world economies will collapse--but WHEN!
I watched Congress as they tried to make sense of all this financial turmoil during the hearings and saw the fear on their faces because they understand the dire consequences which face us all if they do not quickly come up with some workable solutions. Unfortunately, any answers they may come up with will only delay the inevitable.
Avarice (greed) will always bring down a nation or nations when greedy men are in control of the financial systems. That is why we must put our faith and trust in God’s financial system. The Bible admonishes us to “Give and it will be given to you, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” (Luke 6:38). When we trust in Him, God is faithful and will provide every need we have, even when the economies of the nations of this world are collapsing. There is no lack in the Kingdom of God. God can and will provide everything we need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He promises to meet all our needs when we “seek first” the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
AND THERE SHALL COME FORTH A ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE, AND A BRANCH SHALL GROW OUT OF HIS ROOTS: AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SHALL REST UPON HIM, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND MIGHT, THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Isaiah, Chapter 11, Verses 1-2.
The Bible says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10). Not all fear is bad--only fear which comes from the enemy. What fear we possess depends upon which fear we align ourselves with. We must ask ourselves the question “are we subject to the Spirit of Fear or the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord?” The fear of the enemy brings torment, but the Fear of the Lord brings hope, and peace.