I want to share something that has been on my heart lately, and that’s how to overcome fear. I was counseling a couple years ago for chronic problems they had experienced throughout their 32 years of marriage. After speaking with them for a while I realized that most of their issues surrounded the husband’s controlling behavior.
Even though he was a very nice man overall, when he felt threatened by his wife—which was often—he went into a paranoia and began acting like a child. As I questioned him about his behavior he was very honest and owned up to it. He just didn’t have a clue as to why he did it or how to stop.
Fear Always Has A Root
As I questioned him for a while about when his fearful and controlling behavior started he went back to an exact date in his adolescence when his mother left his father and later divorced him. He said he remembered that until that day he always felt happy and peaceful. But that was the day his world ended.
Even though he admitted having many fears concerning just about every area of life—his main fear was being deserted by his wife. And because of that he tried to control her every move. The result was marital misery and mutual exhaustion. They sat in my office in a final attempt to make their marriage work.
Fear Is A Spirit
I told that man what I’ve told many people over the years. Fear isn’t an emotion—it is a spirit. Here is what the Apostle Paul told his disciple Timothy about this issue: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1∶7
When we are born God gives us a protective fear that is temporary, circumstantial and protective. An example would be someone swerving into your lane while you are driving. God’s gift of good fear causes you to move quickly to protect yourself. Once the problem is resolved, the fear leaves and all is well.
Bad fear is chronic, debilitating and demonic. It isn’t our emotion—it is a spirit that took opportunity at some tragic event in our lives to latch onto us in order to keep us from living the life God intended and from reaching our divine destinies.
You Can Take Authority Over Fear
To overcome fear you must begin by recognizing it isn’t your emotion—it is a demon. You have to address it as an outside entity and take authority over it in the name of Jesus. Listen to these words from Jesus that tell us the incredible authority we have as believers: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10∶19
Jesus has bestowed upon us incredible authority over all of the power of the enemy—but we must use it. No evil entity from the enemy can harm us if we use our authority. But when we don’t use it, we will be harassed and constantly attacked by our evil adversary.
Going back to the story of the man and his wife in marriage counseling – once we uncovered the fact that he was being controlled by a spirit of fear we took authority over it and cast it out. I prayed this simple prayer over him as he and his wife stood in agreement: Spirit of fear, I bind you in the name of Jesus and command you to leave this man and never return. And in the place of you I pray for power and love and a sound mind. In Jesus’ name—Amen.
The look of relief on his face was immediate and real. We had gotten to the root issue that was causing this man to act in such a controlling and immature manner. Upon leaving my office I told him to pray a prayer of authority over fear every time it tried to come back and take control.
I dealt with terrible fear in my life until I was around 35 years old. It affected every area of my life. And though I was a believer and even a pastor—I had no idea how to deal with it. And I didn’t have a clue that I was dealing with a demon. I just thought it was my emotion.
When I realized the truth and began to take authority over it, my fears vanished and I began to experience the power, love and a sound mind God intended me to live in. What about you? Do you have chronic and debilitating fears that negatively affect your life and relationships? Fears of abandonment, death, rejection, failure, loss, etc. If so, take authority over it. It isn’t your emotion—it is a demon. And Jesus gave you the ability to overpower it and kick it out of your life. You weren’t born with any fear. You were born fearless as an overcoming child of God!
You can learn more about overcoming fear in your life through my I Changed My Mind resources.
This book will help you eliminate fear and find fulfillment as well as help you achieve victory over other destructive emotions. It is my prayer that through this article and the I Changed My Mind resources that you will overcome any fear you have in your own life and be a fearless child of God.
Don’t Forget the Truth About Fear.
Remember fear is not an emotion, it is a spirit, and Jesus gave you the power to overcome it through prayer.