Freedom from Our Fears

In one moment, we are peaceful and calm with most of what is going on in our lives, and in the next moment, we can be suddenly filled with the feeling of anxiousness, agitation, even panic or terror that comes like a huge wave washing over us. Often it is nothing more than the familiar fears that we live with every day but do our best to hide from those around us.

We try to make peace with our fears because they are never too far away and that is our attempt at managing them. When we are young they pop up at odd hours of the night and are like a bogey, which is "an evil or mischievous spirit." (Wikipedia) Most people have known a bogey as a scary being that starts out one way as a child and then evolves into something sinister as we grow, becoming more sophisticated as do our fears.

However, fears, whether they manifest as evil spirits, people, or difficult circumstances, are of no real danger to us except those which we believe and then take up residence in our minds and hearts. If we cannot overcome our fears, they will forever enslave us. On the other hand, some of our fears originate from clear and present dangers in our lives. It is "a risk or threat to safety or other public interests that is serious and imminent." (Wikipedia)

There are people who are proud of the fact that they instill fear in others around them. They parade around like a bogey monster as if they are to be feared like a harsh master, authority figure, or a mean boss introducing fear in all they meet. Sometimes bogeys can be disguised as a trusted friend but underneath their outer friendly demeanor lies a tyrant who attempts to dominate your life through psychological warfare. Other fears come from worrying about unexpected circumstances like accidents, natural disasters, and hardships that are devastating if they actually happen.

All types of fears, whether the neurotic type or the real-world type, are imposters. Our fears try to make us think that they have the power to take something that is simply not theirs to take, like our life, our stable emotional and spiritual state of being, and our secure relationship with those who are close to us. Our fears rob us of our trust, our stability, and our peace of mind. Fear is a silent killer. Fear is, "an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat." (Oxford Dictionary)

If you read Matthew 10:24-39 in your Bible, you will find out how Jesus taught his disciples about fear and how to deal with it in relation to his divine love and power. We are facing several kinds of fears that attempt to steal our health, our unity, our value, and our self-esteem. As you read the passage in Matthew 10, find out what Jesus said that we should expect regarding fear.