1 John 4:18, 19, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because he first loved us.”

We live in a time where emotions are running high. And rightly so, as we have seen a lot in the last 5 years alone. We dealt with and survived COVID, the first presidency of Trump, heinous acts against people of color, a fluctuating economy, and job loss. We have lived through the institution of DEI and the good and bad benefits that came with it. We are witnessing the dismantling of the same along with what seems like an increase is prejudice, bias, and outright bigotry. It is easy to understand why emotions are running high.

Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

There is something about the love of God! 

Fear only comes after us during those times when we lose sight of the love of God. God’s love gives us rest. That measure of faith that he gives us all, positions us to accept the love of God. Matthew tells us to “learn of me”. It is in this process of learning of Him that we understand how to rest in his love. There is no fear in his love.

Let’s talk about fear. 

By definition, fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Some accompanying emotions to fear are: terror, fright, alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation, dread, dismay, distress, anxiety, worry, angst, unease, apprehension, nervousness, doubt, and suspicion. 

There are many more, but you get the point. Anything that is not faith can be included here.

The goal of fear is to keep you so tied up or focused on your emotions that you do not have time to deal with the will and plan of God.

“In the last 5 years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for therapy has seen a significant increase. This is due to a combination of factors including a historic decline in mental health, destigmatization of seeking help, and the increased accessibility of virtual care.”

Social media influencers, Employers, and physical health providers all encourage you to seek therapy to deal with emotions that if left unchecked can lead to physical manifestations and lead to behavioral issues. 

Yes, we do need to deal with these emotions. If you need help, please get help and don’t be ashamed about it.

But we must also be careful not to allow the emotions we are experiencing distract us from the will of God for our lives.

However

The God we serve is the same – always. He operates outside of this spectrum of emotions. God has expectations – that we grow and mature in him. The struggles you had when you first came to know God, should not be the same after you have walked with him and gained personal experience of his goodness. This personal experience increases our faith.

Fear has no place in this equation!

The scriptures says it this way in Romans 14:23: “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

The opposite of fear are calmness and confidence.

Calmness is the state or quality of being free from agitation or strong emotion; being free from disturbances or violent activity.

Confidence the feeling that one can rely or someone or something; firm trust.

Nehemiah was facing threats from Sanballat, Tobias, and others, who wanted to undermine his efforts to rebuild the wall. 

• Do you not think Nehemiah experienced high emotions during this time?

They accused him of plotting to rebel against the King. They tried to use fear against him to trick him into stepping away from the work he was called to do.

• Nehemiah asked his accusers “why should I stop working to come and meet with you?

He understood the assignment. Nehemiah exhibited both calmness and confidence. He did not fly off the handle at Sanballat and Tobias. Instead, he prepared himself to battle the enemy while he kept working the work before him.

His primary duty was to complete the task of rebuilding the wall. He had 1 part in the plan of God. He understood if he failed the impact would be great and the ripple of his failure would affect Israel’s restoration. 

He decided to push the fear aside and focus on obedience to the call of God. He chose faith over fear.

Now that we know what God has not given us (fear) let’s talked about what he has.

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of Fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

God has given us a sound mind or self control. 

Self control is defined as the ability to manage your impulses, emotions, and behaviors to achieve long-term goals, often involving resisting short-term temptations for the sake of a greater future benefit. It is about choosing what is healthy over something that is more appealing in the moment.

We need to allow the love of God to swallow up the fear that is causing you to avoid your responsibility. There is a job/calling/gift/vision that God has invested in you with the expectation you will strive to perform. We cannot afford to allow fear to stop us from being obedient to God.

First of all repent. Then go back into the grave yard of your past. Dig up those dreams and visions that God gave you, but your fear caused you to hide them away. Brush off the dirt of uncontrolled emotions, and stretch your faith. Trust in love. The same God that gave them to you is the same God that is going to give you everything you need to fulfill the call.

We need to have the same attitude as Nehemiah. We must focus on the work God has given us, but be prepared to fight the enemy over this same work. Our primary focus should be to accomplish what God has breathed into our spirit.

Fear is not an option!