Many years ago, Brother Kenneth Copeland went to a bull fight in Mexico. As he was watching the fight, he thought, “that poor bull thinks that red cape is his enemy. If he ever figures out who his real enemy is, that matador doesn’t stand a chance!” He and I were recently discussing this and he made the statement that most people don’t know or understand that fear is an enemy.
Unfortunately, I see this all the time. I have heard many, many supposedly born again, tongue talking, healing believing Christians accept, condone and even justify fear! I’ve heard such erroneous statements as, “A little fear is good. It keeps you safe” and “Well, everybody is afraid of something – we just can’t help it!”
Another trend I have seen becoming quite common that is even more problematic is people walking and living in outrageous amounts of fear and calling it “wisdom!” Now, don’t misunderstand me at all, wisdom is the principal thing; however, we must be brutally honest with ourselves and make absolutely certain that we are not simply making that statement when, in fact, we are just plain afraid!
FEAR IS OUR ENEMY!
We MUST recognize it and treat it as the enemy it is!
The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2:11, said that we are not to be ignorant of satan’s devices and fear is one of his primary devices!
Fear is the reciprocal force to faith! It is the same force in the opposite direction producing the opposite results.
Satan cannot do anything to you apart from fear anymore than God can do something for you apart from faith!
In the book of St. John, we find one of the great dividing lines of the Bible. Look with me at John 10:10 KJV, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Jesus Himself made it very clear. If something takes place in your life that has anything to do with stealing, killing or destroying, then you can rest assured that satan is behind it. If something takes place that has anything to do with life and life more abundantly, then our Jesus is behind it without a doubt!
What does it take, though, for Him to bring the results of that abundant life into physical reality in our daily lives? He already told us back in chapter 3!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 KJV
We must BELIEVE! It takes faith!!
Not being ignorant of satan’s devices however, let’s look at the reciprocal. What does it take for satan to be able to bring about things, situations and people that steal, kill and destroy into physical reality in our daily lives? FEAR!
The place we see this demonstrated so clearly in Scripture is in the life of Job. Let’s look first of all at Job chapter 3.
“For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.” – Job 3:25 AMPC
What is Job referring to here? We need to go back to chapter 1 to find out. Let’s begin with the last sentence of verse 12 in the KJV, “So satan went forth . . .” So, now we know exactly who is doing all of these horrific things!
“And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: and there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” – Job 1:13-16 KJV
Notice these phrases and the order in which they are recorded . . .
“Took them away” – there is the stealing.
“Slain the servants” – there is the killing.
“Burned up the sheep” – there is the destroying!
Stealing, killing and destroying is what satan does, that’s all he does and he uses fear to do it!
It is very plain to see that fear has absolutely no place in our lives whatsoever! The simple truth of the matter is that whatever amount of fear we allow to function in our lives is the amount of stealing, killing and destroying satan will be able to bring into reality in our lives!
One of the first steps to getting rid of fear entirely is just simply to make the decision to do it based upon and in obedience to the Word.
When the leader of the synagogue was facing the fear of death itself, Jesus didn’t launch into a long teaching on the subject, although He could. He simply said, “Fear not, believe only!” And, as Brother Kenneth Hagin used to say, Jesus did, the leader did and the daughter did! Glory to God!
Say this with me, “Heavenly Father, I see in Your Word that not even the slightest amount of fear should be in my life. Your Word says fear has torment and I know you don’t want me tormented. So, in obedience to and by faith in Your Word and with Your help, I make the forever decision right now that I REFUSE to fear! I will NOT entertain, rehearse or allow fear in any area of my life from this moment forward forever in the Name of Jesus! Amen!”
Praise God it is done! Now stay with it! Meditate on these things! Keep them stirred in your thinking!
Jesus is Lord!