What is There To Fear But Fear Itself

Judges 6:1–6 NLT

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

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Judges 6:3–4 NLT

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.

Biblical Counseling Keys on Fear A. What is Fear?

• Fear is a strong emotional reaction to a perceived imminent danger characterized by a fight, flight, or freeze response.

• Fear can be real or imagined, rational or irrational, normal or abnormal.

• Fear acts as a protective reaction, placed in us by our Creator to activate all of our physical defense systems when we face real danger. Fear triggers the release of adrenaline in the body that both prepares and propels us to action often called “fight or flight.”

• Fear is a natural emotion designed by God. However, fearfulness is not designed by God, for fearfulness suggests living in a state of fear.

• Fear is a translation of the Hebrew word yare, which means “to be afraid, stand in awe or fear.” When Gideon was trying to thresh wheat in the winepress and the angel of the Lord appeared to him,

“He was afraid.”

(Judges 6:27)