Spirit of Fear

In 1805, a book was published called Songs For the Nursery. One of the selections was a nursery rhyme written by an unknown author with the intent of entertaining children. These familiar words have survived over two centuries:

Chapter 10: The Spirit of Fear

In 1805, a book was published called Songs For the Nursery. One of the selections was a nursery rhyme written by an unknown author with the intent of entertaining children. These familiar words have survived over two centuries:

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet eating her kurds and whey, along came a spider who sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away.

This nursery rhyme about the life of Little Miss Muffet has stood the test of time, yet her only notable trait was her ability to feel fear. Her life – at least what we know of it — has factored into our world because of her fear of spiders. It should be noted:

-We don't know who the true author of the poem was.

-We don't know for sure the year in which it was written.

-We don't know anything about the family to whom Miss Muffet belonged.

All we know about little Miss Muffet, memorialized through the ages, is this child was well acquainted with fear. Perhaps the reason for the longevity of this nursery rhyme is all humanity can identify with this emotion on his fear.

The Spirit of Fear

Fear is among the most basic and yet the most debilitating emotions that touch the lives of humanity.

A completely natural predisposition to look at something, assess it's threats, and respond accordingly is built into our intellect.

Fear serves a great purpose by giving us the ability to respond to danger and, in turn, facilitate our survival.

However...

be aware that fear is both a protector and a predator.

While it has the ability to assess threats and stop us in our tracks, the very nature of fear allows it to be both a tool of self-preservation in a tormenting plague to any life. God identified the 10 of Hell’s 12 apostles when he referenced Hell’s ability to use fear as a tormenting plague

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV 1900

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 2:17 KJV 1900

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

1 timothy 2:17

As with most of these 12 spirits, the demonic spirit of fear tends to weaponize our natural human instincts. While Miss Muffet feared spiders, we all have some element of fear:

As with most of these 12 spirits, the demonic spirit of fear tends to weaponize our natural human instincts. While Miss Muffet feared spiders, we all have some element of fear:

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As with most of these 12 spirits, the demonic spirit of fear tends to weaponize our natural human instincts. While Miss Muffet feared spiders, we all have some element of fear:

A fear of darkness

A fear of accidents

A fear of heights

A fear of strange noises in the night

However, what this chapter delves into is more than the fear of a single strange noise or a single close call. There comes a time when certain individuals become tormented by a demonic spirit of fear.

One of the key differences in natural fear and the spirit of fear is that the range of objects causing your fear broadens to a debilitating degree when it becomes a spiritual issue, causing you to be fearful of things that should never remotely be a torment in your world.

A consuming dread about what tomorrow might bring.

An overwhelming fear of what people think about you.

An illogical potential for some dreaded disease.

And untrue perception of someone trying to hurt you.

A demonic spirit of fear will weaponize your own natural apprehensions and find a way to make almost anything in your world a dreaded adversary in an attempt to damage and torment your walk with God. An abbreviated list of damaging traits and manifestations driven by the spirit of fear in our lives includes the following:

Manifestations of the Spirit of Fear:

Agitation, anxiety, apprehension, confusion, distrust, debilitating panic, doubting God, doubting people, dread, embarrassment, excessive emotions, fear of authority, fear of confrontation, fear of death, fear of disapproval, fear of poverty, fear of rejection, fear of pain, fear of sickness, heart attacks, hypertension, joylessness, lack of faith, lack of trust, low self-esteem, nightmares, overly protective, panic attacks, paranoia, phobias, procrastination, reclusive, self-deprecation, sleeplessness, stress, suspicion, tension, terrors, trembling, unworthiness, worry

While most people are acquainted with fear on some level, there are times...

the symptoms of fear can become demonically driven, even to the point of crippling your ability to function in the normal routines of life. Worse, it devastates your ability to function on a spiritual level.

Suffice it to say the spirit of fear becomes debilitating even though a vast majority of the time nothing remotely come close to making those fears come true. Yet make no mistake: while the thing you fear may never become a reality, the fear you encounter is woefully real!

How real can the spirit of fear be? As a pastor, I went through a season of suffering with an individual who told me of the dreaded disease she had. Doing my best to comfort her, encouraging her to not give into the dark emotions that often times accompany such dreaded sicknesses, I eventually saw her grow emaciated and frail. I was standing at her bedside along with her children and her doctor when her feeble body took its last breath.

Immediately my attention turned toward her children, all unchurched, and I attempted to consult them. In the midst of our discussion immediately following her death, I expressed to them how much I hated the dreaded disease. Looking at me and knowing much more than I do, they turned to the doctor and granted him permission to talk freely to me.

To say I was stunned would be an understatement. The doctor told me this precious woman absolutely did not have the sickness she had claimed. In fact, he said there wasn't a solitary thing wrong with her. He went on to tell me, in a very blunt manner, the only affliction she suffered from was fear.

Unbeknownst to anybody except her family and her doctor, this poor lady – without one trait of the disease she claimed was in her body — became so convinced she was going to “get” the disease that she eventually started to believe she already “had” the disease. Mind you, without one diseased cell in her body she was so haunted by the spirit of fear constantly telling her she was sick and would soon endure horrendous suffering, she stopped eating and eventually willed herself to a slow, miserable death.

Can you imagine? She never had the disease, but she was brutalized every day by the spirit of fear! The spirit of fear is so real that I have actually heard of various otherwise healthy individuals who, driven by the spirit of fear to believe they had a disease, committed suicide to escape any suffering.

The spirit of fear is so real that some individuals will be victimized every day by the fear of things that will never come to pass. The spirit of fear is so real that scripture deals with “fear” or “being afraid” 694 times. The vast number of times God addresses fear should scream to us of the importance of knowing how to deal with it.

One of the most prominent signs that the spirit of fear has invaded a person’s world is their life suddenly ceases to be joyful and peaceful but instead becomes a miserable mixture of unholy expectations and dreadful anticipation of what might happen at any moment.

The Spirit of free will transform:

- carefree children of God into pessimistic, tormented wrecks.

- Precious family members into miserable badgering souls.

- Blessed individuals into creatures of constant agony.

- Peaceful-hearted Christians into contemptible, depressed mourners.

- Holy minded people to become negative, critical wretches.

When discussing fear, it is necessary to realize it is utilized by both God and evil, albeit in very different ways. Scripture tells us that the fear of God is “the beginning of wisdom,” producing conviction in our lives. However, when the Bible speaks of an unholy fear, it tells us “fear hath torment.” Thus...

the key difference is whether it is producing conviction or torment. If this fear you were dealing with is causing torment, you are battling a demonic spirit of fear!

Scripture tells us that the fear of God is “the beginning of wisdom,” producing conviction in our lives. However, when the Bible speaks of an unholy fear, it tells us “fear hath torment.” Thus, the key difference is whether it is producing conviction or torment. If this fear you were dealing with is causing torment, you are battling a demonic spirit of fear!

Undoubtedly there are people that are precious to you, being victimized by the demonic spirit fear. Perhaps you yourself are being tormented by this demonic fear.

When we found the individuals home – a mobile home in the middle of a cornfield – we pulled down the long driveway toward the house. When we opened the door of our vehicle, the stench almost took our breath away. No, it had nothing to do with the sweltering summer sun beating down on us. Rather, upon opening the doors of the vehicle, A hideous odor lurched forth to greet us. Knocking on the door, we heard someone tell us to come in. Stepping inside the mobile home was one of the most sickening things I have ever done. With no air-conditioning all the windows shut and sealed, the smoldering summer he was almost unbearable.

Huddled in a corner of what once appeared to be a living room, we saw an old man who looked away about 100 pounds. He wore soiled clothing. He had green, rotting teeth. On his head was literally a thick crust of filth and dirt.

Waves of nausea flooded me with every breath. We soon saw the sources of the hideous smell:

Trash was stacked to the ceiling in the kitchen.

Rotting food and trash cover the floors and furniture.

He was eating from a plate with thick mold on it.

A hole cut in the floor of the living room was his toilet.

The carpet around the hole was covered in human waste.

Unconcerned rodents walked around freely in the filth.

We saw such putrid sights and smells that the very thought of them still turns my stomach. Even so, in the midst of all those things, the most haunting thing was the old man's eyes. Eyes that were tormented. Eyes that exposed the misery in this man's agonized mind. Many things screamed for my attention, but there was something tortured in his eyes. They were without a doubt the most tormented eyes I had ever seen.

As we entered into conversation with the old man, we were instantly deluged with his panicked voice telling us how “they” were “after him”. He told us they would come at night and he could hear them laughing. They watched every move he made and wanted to kill him. He was shaking from head to toe in terror even as he talked to us.

Just when my senses were trying to decide whether to stay and listen or run outside and look for a place to vomit, I happened to look out of the window and saw a grasshopper flying to the window pain, making only a slight noise on impact. Instantly this old man jumped up and then fell to the ground at my feet, wrapped his filthy arms around my legs, screaming, “they're here! Please help me! I can't live like this anymore! Please help me, sir! Please protect me!”

I am honest enough to admit it wasn't in my own power, as I was still sick and by the smells and sights that surrounded me, but something happened to my spirit in that moment that caused me to get my eyes off the rats and the rubbish. A compassion for this tormented man so overwhelming that I knelt down by his side, laid my hand on his head, and began to pray against the spirit of fear tormenting this man's mind. In time, while the stench in sweltering heat remained, his tormenting fear finally subsided.

As you read this book, there are people in your world being victimized by the same demonic spirit fear. Perhaps you yourself are being tormented by this demonic fear. Sadly, I have seen those same tormented eyes in the faces of some precious people who have called me their pastor.

This is NOT the will of God! The Bible emphatically erases a belief that God intends life to be anything but joyous:

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. ()

But just as surely as God desires your life to be fulfilled and happy, never forget the goal of the spirit of fear is to rip away anything resembling joy, filling the void with dread and anxiety. Those feelings of dread and anxiety are diametrically exposed to everything God wants for your life.

Again, nobody is exempt from common feelings of apprehension about some things, but nobody has to continually fight the vicious spiritual warfare this Satanic spirit of fear is hurling at them. If this is the battle you are facing, here are some important steps to overcoming the spirit of fear.

Step 1: Never, ever, fear demonic forces over which you have authority.

When you were dealing with the spirit of fear, you must establish in your heart that no demonic force has authority over your life. Power is not—nor has it ever been—the problem with God's people as it pertains to operating in spiritual warfare. Power is resident within our commitments to God, but authority is something that is required when dealing with demonic spirits. Learning to operate in the authority God offers us is perhaps among the greatest challenges we have in spiritual warfare.

As we arrived and before we exited the vehicle, my man of God instructed me very firmly of certain things to bear in mind when dealing with demonic spirits. The first of several things on his list with simply, “whatever happens, you are not to be afraid of devils.” His experiences have taught him that fear was the greatest weapon and demons used to effectively push an individual away from operating on a level of spiritual authority.

After these many years, I agree wholeheartedly with his observations. I have seen godly individuals, greatly anointed people, who are completely incapable of operating with the level of spiritual authority needed to drive back demonic influence. It had nothing to do with a lack of anointing; these individuals were incapacitated solely because they became fearful when encountering those unholy spirits.

For this reason, when you were dealing with the spirit of fear, you must establish in your heart that no demonic force has authority over your life. Power is not—nor has it ever been—the problem with God's people as it pertains to operating in spiritual warfare. Power is resident within our commitments to God, but authority is something that is required when dealing with demonic spirits. Learning to operate in the authority God offers us is perhaps among the greatest challenges we have in spiritual warfare.

Ultimately, the spirit of fear has no authority in your life, and knowing that should help alleviate the fear of its attempted hindrances.

Enter into warfare with the spirit of fear knowing you are the one with authority because of your relationship with God.

Step 2: Love God, love people, and love life.

God's promise as part of the covenant of salvation was that your life would be infused with “joy unspeakable.” His righteous intent is for you to live in a relationship with him, making your life reflect the beauties that accompany a life of holiness. Knowing the importance of joy and beauty in your life, the spirit of fear invades your life, causing intimidation, apprehension, and suspicion about people, about your life, and even about God. The spirit of fear does this in an evil attempt to portray living for God as less than a beautiful experience. The spirit of fear mars the beauty of living for God by causing someone who has triumphed over their past to be tormented by the fear of the future.

God both understood in addressed this in His Word:

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. ()

God not only declared that love casts out fear, but also that people who are tormented by fear cannot be mature in love. The maturity that accompanies true love will understand the following things:

-People are not perfect, but loving them has nothing to do with their perfection.

-Life is not always going to be easy, but loving life doesn't require it to be easy.

-God will not always be understood, but loving God has nothing to do with understanding him.

Without a mature love in your world for people, for life, and for God, you suddenly cease being a pleasant member of society and become a frightened, apprehensive, distrustful basket case.

Be aware of the spirit of fear not only will make you miserable, but it will push you to make others miserable as well. For this reason, entertaining the spirit of fear leaves you isolated from those whom God meant to be among the support system in your life.

The spirit of fear is starved to death by an individual who genuinely loves God, loves people, and loves life.

Step 3: Fight fear with trust.

Fear is a tormenting spirit that refuses to allow trust in God to survive. The spirit of fear is the assassination of trust, trying to change your life from beautiful to bleak. This change can happen only when you forfeit your trust in God and his ways.

For that reason, a vitally important step in surviving warfare with the spirit of fear is to have a strong, unwavering trust in God. Even when you feel like you don't deserve God's favor, you should always remember he is a God that can be trusted.

It is interesting that our first glimpse of fear in God's word came when Adam and Eve fell into sin. Scripture paints the picture of God beckoning Adam back to the relationship they once shared, only to see Adam covered with a Fig leaf and hiding from God. Adam revealed the reason why he hid:

I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid. ()

Sadly, all humanity battles the fear that our failure means we can no longer trust God. We feel like our failures have eliminated us from God's willingness to show us favor. This fear was humanity’s immediate response when imperfection first showed up.

However, in spite of Adam’s failure, God did show up and willingly remain an active part of Adam's world. In the midst of his struggles, God could still be trusted. While I offer no justification for sin, be assured God can still be trusted to have favor on his children today. Trusting in God eliminates any power that the spirit of fear may attempt to have in your life.

The ability of trust to eradicate any attacks by the spirit of fear is seen in David's testimony:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies in my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. ()

David’s refusal to give in to fear was predicated on the fact that—despite all the fearful things he listed that could happen to him—he could say, “In this will I be confident.” David refuted the spirit of fear, as every child of God should, by living a life that said, “Whatever may come my way, I still trust God.”

A sincere trust in God stalemates the spirit of fear, rendering impossible its attempts at causing you to fear.