Flickering Fear
“For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control [a sound mind].”
2 Timothy 1:7 The Passion Translation
The light fixture in my bathroom is a double scone light (two bulbs) and one of them recently blew out – so I thought. My assumption was that it needed a new bulb. Until one day, it flickered back on. I am now in the process of determining whether the issue is the bulb, the fixture or if it’s an electrical issue. Either way, the light goes out at the most inconvenient times and comes back on at the most random and unexpected times. I was in the shower the other day and the light kept flickering on and off. While this was happening, I just happened to be praying about a promise God gave me 11 years ago. It was almost as if the light flickering on and off represented the doubt that I have experienced on this journey of trusting God in this particular area. I’m always waiting for the next hard thing to happen. I’m always holding my breath. I carry perpetual nervousness. The same uncertainty I have that my light will stay on when I need it to stay on, is the same apprehension that I carry, constantly questioning if God will work this thing all the way out. In that moment, I realized that my nervousness was more than the cycles of disappointment I have experienced in the past – it’s fear. My prayer turned into a really honest and vulnerable talk with God about all my distrust that I wish I didn’t have. Right as tears began to well up in my eyes, the light came back on and it has remained on for days without flickering. I took that as a personal sign, but I found myself reminded of today’s scripture.
The Greek root word for fear in this scripture is timid, dread or faithless. See many of us won’t admit to having fears because we view fear as this big terrible, pervasive feeling that we see in movies. When the truth is that the markers and characteristics of fear, many of us experience every single day. To be able to recognize fear when it shows up, we must understand the practical red flags. The characteristics of fear (aka fear flags) are:
Lack of self-assurance or confidence
Lack of courage
To be disheartened/discouraged
To be easily alarmed or caught off guard
Apprehension
To be reluctant or hesitant
Inability to make decisions (or allowing someone/something else besides God to decide for you)
To consistently lack trust
To be unreliable in thought (the Bible calls it double-mindedness)
This scripture doesn’t just talk about fear, it talks about a spirit of fear. The word for spirit is the movement of air (wind), influence that fills and governs the soul (mind, will, emotions). It’s a word that describes a force that has the power to guide. A spirit of fear is one that influences and leads us to lack assurance or confidence, to be apprehensive, to be impulsive, to be flighty. It leads us to a place where we are never quite able to land the plane…
While God does not give us the spirit of fear, He does give us His Holy Spirit which endows us with power, love and a sound mind. I have often wondered why the scripture mentions these three things in contrast to fear.
Fear comes to depress – to lower in force, to discourage, to lower in position, to lower in spirits and to press down. Fear also comes to attack our stamina to stand in faith. Power in this scripture refers to a force, ability or strength that produces miracles, abundance, moral power, excellence of soul, might, and power & influence which belongs to riches and wealth. This is a type of power that makes one steady and established.
Fear comes to rob us of the ability to experience self-assurance and confidence that can only be found when you have experienced love. Fear comes to steal our freedom. The root word(s) for love means to approve of, to be fond of, to be friendly to, to be well pleased, to treat affectionately or kindly. 1 John 4:18 tells us that perfect love is what casts out fear!
Fear comes to cause us to be shaky in what we believe, to waver, to vacillate, to be apprehensive, and double-minded. A sound mind in today’s scripture literally means safe in mind. It refers to moderation, self-control, curbing one's desires and impulses, to be self-controlled and temperate. A sound mind makes us clear in thought, speech and deed. A sound mind causes us to embrace boundaries. Now, we live in a culture that loves to talk about and enforce boundaries for others, but this type of sound mind refers to self-boundaries. As believers, there should be lines that we don’t cross for any reason. Not to punish us, but to keep us safe.
For many of us, like my light fixture – we don’t live in a perpetual state of fear, but our fear flickers off and on dependent upon what it is we are faced with. Fear exposes where we are weak. Thank God for His Holy Spirit which is strong! This week, I want us to pay attention to the fear flags that we can so easily overlook. As you notice them, increase your dependency on the Holy Spirit and ask for an increase in your power, in His love for you (even ask Him to send you people to show you His love), and in your ability to have a sound mind.
REFLECT & RESPOND
How do you know when something is not from God?
What boundaries do you have in place in the areas where you are most susceptible to fear? If none, create a list of boundaries this week. Share them with a trusted confidante and ask that person to help hold you accountable to those boundaries (this means you must share with them when you notice red flags of fear).
What connections do you see between hope and fear?
Write out a list of circumstances, situations, relationships, decisions to be made, in which you experience any of the fear flags. Pray over them this week and ask God to strengthen you, but also to work those things out, and bring them to culmination!
As you think about the areas you experience some of the fear flags, what do you need (outside of power, love and a sound mind) in order to feel a sense of peace or resolve? Write a list. The things that are in your control – do them!
PRAY
God we thank you that you are the power that has overcome the world – that includes fear! Because you live in me, I thank you that I can and will overcome every fear that I have. Lord, expose the areas in my life that need your power, might and love. Show me the places where fear leads instead of you. Show me the decisions where I allowed fear to influence me, instead of you. Holy Spirit, fill me anew. Cast out every fear, and light up every dark place that causes me to give way to fear. Ground me in your love, your wisdom, and your might. The only fear I want to have is holy awe and reverence toward you. Strengthen my faith as I continue this journey with you. You are deeply loved by me and I bless your holy name!
Amen.
