CHAPTER 10
THE SPIRIT OF FEAR
FOR GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER AND LOVE, AND A SOUND (or disciplined) MIND. Second Timothy, Chapter 1, Verse 7.
The Spirit of Fear was introduced to the World by Satan in the Garden of Eden. Adam sinned, and when he heard God’s voice in the Garden he hid himself from the Presence of God because HE WAS AFRAID.
We saw in Chapter 7 how the Spirit of Confusion and the Spirit of Fear often times work together to defeat the plan and purpose of God in our life. The Spirit of Fear is one of the strongest of all evil spirits, as well as one of mankind’s greatest enemies. The Spirit of Fear comes in many different forms, shapes and sizes. Fear always carries a suitcase packed with doubt when it visits our hearts and homes.
Fear is accompanied by its companion, Torment. We deny God’s Power and His ability to work in our life if we fear. Fear also hinders the Spirit of God’s love, faith and compassion from working in and through us. When we fear, a sound (disciplined) mind is not present within us. True Christians stand firm during the enemy’s attacks because they possess power, love and a disciplined mind through Christ our Redeemer.
Fear is the opposite of Faith. To a certain extent, all evil spirits have the power to produce fear in the lives of people. However, not all demons carry the rank of “Spirit of Fear.” The Spirit of Fear joins together with other spirits in order to perform its unholy missions.
Most people, even Christians, are subject to fear of one kind or another. Fear is a Spirit which can be passed down from generation to generation through generational curses. Many curses, and the propensity to commit certain sins, are passed down to offspring because of the sins of previous generations. If a parent has a Spirit of Fear, there is a good possibility that one, or all of their offspring will also possess that same spirit.
According to the Apostle Paul, “fear has torment.” Without faith (the opposite of fear) in God, fear can destroy a person’s life, home, family, and all he or she holds dear. While Faith is a unifier, fear is a divider. Without Faith we cannot please God. Without faith we are destined to be controlled and/or tormented by the Spirit of Fear in one way or another.
I cannot communicate in one chapter all the Bible tells us regarding fear, but I can share with you much of what I know and have experienced in dealing with this Spirit. The basic thing we need to understand and know is that this Spirit is evil, and God, through the Blood of Jesus, has given us power to overcome this enemy of our soul.
Many people have fears, and are reluctant or embarrassed to let others know they are fearful because they are afraid (fear) they will be judged for being weak or cowardly. Thus, they languish in their fears and are tormented throughout their entire life.
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 often travels with the Spirit of Fear in order to cause someone to question whether they will have anything to eat, or enough money to pay their bills. A Spirit of fear can grip a person’s heart when the Doctor tells them they have a terminal disease. Fear is a Tormentor.
Often the Spirit of Fear will place thoughts in our minds regarding a tragedy of some kind happening to our love ones. Many times the Spirit of Fear places thoughts in our minds of dying or our children or love ones dying. The Spirit of Fear works in the life of people in many different ways. However, we do HAVE AUTHORITY through the “Blood of Christ” to send Satan packing when he or his demons show up on our doorstep with his Weapon of Fear.
INTIMIDATION
Intimidation is another type of Fear. People are intimidated by many things. Thoughts which the enemy sows in the psyche, such as hopelessness, helplessness and depravity are planted there for the purpose of intimidation. It is imperative to remember these thoughts if not cast down will become strongholds in our minds. Thoughts which exalt themselves against the Knowledge of God must be cast down if we are going to live in peace and harmony with God.
Intimidating spirits are more subtle than most of the FEAR-BEARING spirits. Intimidating spirits may suggest to you that you are weak and timid. However, these Spirits need and call upon their stronger compatriots to help them establish greater strongholds of fear and terror in your life.
If we have Faith in Christ, our Intermediary, intimidating spirits cannot build strongholds in our minds. If we have faith in Christ, His power will deliver us from all the strategies of Satan. We must be able to recognize the Spirit of Fear or we will be helpless to render it ineffective. Intimidation cannot get past the Blood of Jesus if we have the Shield of His Faith protecting our hearts and minds.
It is very important for Christians to maintain a clear, clean and blood-washed conscience. Without a clear conscience, we will not be able to defend the territory of our mind and spirit from the wiles and schemes of the Devil. If we are to dwell in the perfect peace which Christ has promised to us, then we must possess the Wisdom He has given us to defeat this enemy which opposes our soul.
THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE. Isaiah, Chapter 26, verse 3. If our peace is going to be perfect, we must strengthen the perimeters of our soul with the parameters of faith and justice through the Blood of Christ.
What we sow is what we will reap. The principles, doctrines or philosophies we espouse or build our foundation upon will determine the outcome of our level of peace. We must refrain from all unrighteous behavior if we are going to continue in our quest for that peace which surpasses all human knowledge and understanding.
If we are going to dwell in peace, we must renounce and cast down all man-made principles, doctrines and philosophies. These are all rooted and grounded in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
If we are going to be at peace, we must build strong defenses to overcome fear and intimidation when the enemy strikes. God has not given us a Spirit of Fear, but of “Peace.” If we are going to dwell in peace, the Strongholds of Fear must be defeated. GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND LOVE AND A SOUND MIND. If we fear we have not been made complete in His love.
FEAR OF THE UNKOWN
All fear has to do with something in the future. We do not fear things in the past because the past is history. We do not have to face what has already happened, but what may or will happen in the future. For example, if someone has a fear of water, they will try to stay away from bodies of water. If someone has a fear of elevators, they will walk fifty flights of stairs rather than get on an elevator. These types of fears are more subtle than others.
Sometimes people can sidestep and find a way around fear if they try. Although some fear can usually be sidestepped, people who fear certain things may someday be forced to face and defeat those fears or find themselves tormented by fear.
Many people fear death because they are uncertain of what lies beyond the veil of death. It is not necessarily the pain of death that worries people, but the thoughts of what will happen after they die. Will death be unpleasant, or even unbearable, for them? Will they even exist after death? Will they be at peace or in a place of torment? Is there really a God who lives in a wonderful place called Heaven? Is there really a place called Hell where people are tormented for eternity? What will happen to me when I die?
The fear of death should not enter into a Christian’s mind. Heaven is a place where fear does not exist. If we believe in God we should never fear what is beyond the veil of death.
FEAR ALWAYS HAS TO DO WITH THE FUTURE. If we are secure in our relationship with Christ, we will not fear death or any weapon the enemy tries to use against us.
Fear can grip a person’s heart when the Doctor tells them they have only a short time to live. Those words can resound over and over in the mind and torment an individual. In fear the person goes and repeats those words to others without getting a second opinion or seeking the counsel of God. We are justified or condemned by the words we speak.
When someone tells me something negative, I always go to the final authority on everything. Jesus is the ultimate authority. Nobody’s opinion matters but His. If we allow fear to rule our life it will adversely affect and transmutate our future. Jesus is our Peace even in adverse circumstances.
On the other hand, peace is something which deals with the present. The opposite of peace is conflict, or confusion. If we are not experiencing peace, there is a war going on within our hearts and minds. Christ can keep us in PERFECT PEACE because He is our Peace. Christ will remove the thoughts which bring conflict to the soul, when we are trusting in Him.
Even though we may be at war with the unseen forces of darkness, we can still be at peace in our heart and mind because the Prince of Peace rules and reigns within us. Without that peace, sooner or later the enemy will gain a foothold in our life.
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. The consequences of fear is torment—torment is a precursor of judgment.
God is a just God and recompenses evil with harsh judgment. We do not want to find ourselves on the wrong end of His justice and judgment. We are justified through the Blood of Christ. Torment, which fear releases, has no place in the heart of the believer.
If you are ever in the presence of complete unadulterated evil, the Spirit of Fear, you would surely recognize immediately that fear is accompanied by torment. Without faith, which is the opposite of fear, one cannot escape the grasp of fear or its torment.
I have discerned the Spirit of Fear many times in my ministry. Some spirits of fear are larger and more powerful than others. Each and every Spirit of Fear has the power to bring torment. If a person entertains or possesses a Spirit of Fear, that Spirit will torment them.
I have cast the Spirit of Fear out of many Christian people, and in my own life as well, through the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in the finished works of Christ. If the Spirit of Fear is not dealt with appropriately, it will continue to torment a person. “THE FEARFULL, AND UNBELIEVING AND THE ABOMINABLE, AND MURDERERS, AND WHOREMONGERS, AND SORCERERS, AND IDOLITARS, AND ALL LIARS, SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE; WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.” Revelation, Chapter 21, Verse 8.
One night after I went to bed a large spirit came into my bedroom. It walked through the open bedroom door and came and stood beside the bed next to me. I immediately sensed an overwhelming presence of fear as it walked up to my bedside. I had seen and discerned many evil spirits in my life, but this was one of the most hideous looking evil spirits I had ever seen.
This Spirit of Fear stood around six feet tall. It had a body like a man. That, in itself, is no big deal because many evil spirits have human-like bodies and many have animal-like bodies. It was the head and face of this spirit which made this devil so hideous looking.
This devil possessed no facial features. This Spirit of Fear had no eyes in order to see. He had no mouth or nose. Fear had no ears, eyes, nose, mouth or any other type of features on his face or head. He could not see to walk because he had no eyes, yet he walked through the doorway and directly to my bedside and stood next to me.
The presence of evil which I saw and felt standing next to me was almost overwhelming. I understand now how some people can be completely overcome by fear. Of course, the first thing which came out of my mouth was a rebuke in the Name of Jesus. Immediately, the evil spirit was gone.
Over the next month I saw this Spirit of Fear on two more occasions. The second time I saw this Spirit of Fear he walked through the doorway as I laid down on my bed. I immediately rebuked the Spirit as I had done before, and he fled. This time the Spirit only managed to get two or three steps inside the door.
On the third and last occasion I encountered this devil, I had just laid down when I saw him coming from a distance. I recognized it immediately as a Spirit of Fear. Fear did not come through the door this time, but was walking toward the bedroom wall in front of me.
I watched this Spirit as he walked closer and closer to the wall. This time I noticed he was wearing a hat just like the hat I always wore fishing and/or canoeing. I further noticed he also walked with the same gait as I walked. Except for his hideous looking head and face, he dressed and walked just like I did. I watched this Spirit as he came closer and closer. This Spirit of Fear finally reached the wall and started bouncing off the wall. He could not enter into the room because there was a Wall of Faith preventing him from entering the room again.
I knew the Lord was teaching me something through this experience. I rebuked this Spirit of Fear again as I had previously done the other two times, and immediately he disappeared. Since that night, I have never again encountered the Spirit of Fear in this way. The first and second time I encountered the Spirit of Fear, he was able to enter the room through the doorway because I had left a door open for him to come in. If we have fear in our life, it is because we have left a door open for it to come through.
All evil spirits enter through doorways in our minds which we leave open and unattended. If we have faith, the Spirit of Fear has no doorway by which it can enter. If fear tries to enter our mind another way, a Wall of Faith can stop it from doing so. This is called our SHEILD OF FAITH. Many Christians are not utilizing the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD. If we are fearful we are not rooted and grounded in the Tree of Life. If we are walking with Christ daily we have nothing to fear.
Faith is like a wall or shield of protection. That is why Paul said we have been given THE SHIELD OF FAITH. Demon spirits cannot enter in through a wall or Shield of Faith. Fear can only enter through the doors we leave open and unattended. The only power the enemy possesses in our life is the power we allow him to have.
The enemy comes to steal our peace through various trials, tests and temptations. However, PEACE LIKE A RIVER will flow within the hearts of those who make the Prince of Peace their Habitation. The Love of Christ will cast out all fear as we partake of the Tree of Life daily. Christ is our Peace and we live in Peace because we are communing with Him daily.
A year or so after seeing this devil, my mother, who has since went home to be with Jesus, told me about a similar experience she had with a Spirit of Fear. I had never told her about the Spirit I saw, but the Spirit she saw looked exactly like the one I had seen.
She had seen a Spirit of Fear not long after my Father had gone home to be with the Lord. She was in bed when a Spirit of Fear appeared before her bedside. She said the evil spirit came into the room and stood beside her bed. She described this Spirit as having no eyes, nose, mouth or ears. She said all she could think to do was pray. She said after praying the Spirit went away.
My mother was of the Baptist Faith and had not been taught, or had any knowledge about demon spirits and spiritual warfare. However, she knew what she needed to do. Fear can bring torment if you allow it to, but prayer can bring peace. If fear can find an open door, it will always enter in to bring torment.
Fear can bind and hinder us from receiving instruction and guidance from God. When God gives us a mandate, we must trust that He will provide every need we have to perform that task, no matter where He may send us or what He tells us to do.
At this particular time in my life I was getting ready to move to another state and was unsure if this move was of God. Abraham, not knowing where God was leading him, was moved by faith to receive the land of his inheritance. Sometimes God gives us a word we can stand on with step by step instructions. Sometimes we just have to go, believing God will show us where to go and what to do as we obey Him. God is always faithful when we are obedient.
Many times I have waited on a word from God or a vision to point me in the right direction. At times God gave me an open vision or a word, but the move has always been the right one. I did not base my decision on a word from God or a vision alone, but upon faith in the fact that He had told me what to do and where to go. I did not have to know and see what was ahead, only that God was leading me there one step at a time.
God rarely shows us or gives us the entire picture when He tells us to do something. Most of the time He gives us direction step by step. Each step can be a miracle which leads us to a greater walk of faith with Him.
The Fear of the unknown is the enemy of our souls. Faith in what I know and who I know will guide me through the unknown. God is love, and faith in His Love for us will cast out all fear and intimidation. The Devil would not try to stop us from fulfilling the plan of God if the move we are about to make is not of God. God will always give us His Peace concerning His will for our life. In my confrontation with the Spirit of Fear God revealed to me how fear affects us and impacts the decisions we make.
FEAR NOT
God repeatedly tells us in His Word to “FEAR NOT.” We need to grab hold of all the FEAR NOTS and trust God. Faith, not fear, needs to be written on the BANNER of our hearts so we can defeat the Spirit of Fear when he tries to influence our decisions. When fear comes knocking at the door, we can use the Word of God to defend our territory. Truth transforms us into the image of Christ. Satan cannot get past the Blood of Jesus and the Cross embellished on the doorposts of our hearts.
Fear always challenges and confronts the Word of God which is the Sword of the Spirit as well as our Shield of Faith. Fear always intimidates, antagonizes, and probes the strongholds of our Faith in an effort to find any weaknesses we may have in our defenses. Fear always questions the integrity of God and His Word. FAITH CANNOT FAIL, and will not fail when our Faith is established on the tried and true Foundation of Truth. Christ our Redeemer is the Truth which sets us free from the torment of fear.
The reason the Spirit of Fear has no eyes, nose, mouth or ears is because it does not need any of these features. It utilizes your mouth, eyes, nose, and/or ears. The Scripture tells us “not to be afraid of sudden fear when it comes upon you.” Proverbs, Chapter 3, Verse 25. Fear will surely come knocking at the door of your heart. However, if Fear senses the Blood of Jesus on the doorpost of your heart it will flee in terror.
We are either justified or condemned by the words we speak. We will be delivered to our tormentor if out of fear we choose to speak the words of doubt, defeat and unbelief. If the power of the tongue produces life and death, then 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 ALWAYS uses our own words and actions to condemn and defeat us if we are weak in Faith. What shall we eat, drink or wear? How will we pay our bills? Am I going to die? Will I live long enough to die??????? How will it all end? Where is God who swore to protect us? Why did God allow this to happen to me? Fear always questions the integrity of God’s Word and the relevance of His promises to His children.
We speak our own demise when we align our thoughts, words, actions and ideas with our enemy, Satan. REMEMBER, WHOEVER WINS THE BATTLE OF THE MIND IS THE ONE WHO WILL TAKE THE SPOILS AND CONTROL THE LIFE OF AN INDIVIDUAL.” Faith is the VICTORY which overcomes the World.” Either we have faith--OR--we do not have faith! If we find ourselves lacking in faith, it is obtainable if we will seek Christ who is our “source of Faith.” God offers us mountain moving faith enabling us to cast off the works of darkness and perform the miraculous.
The enemy would have us believe that MOUNTAIN MOVING FAITH is not obtainable and something which is beyond our grasp in this life. However, SATAN IS A LIAR. Christ said if we have Faith as a grain of mustard se