What to Do About Fear

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2015, all rights reserved.  

Chapter 1

When we talk about fear, we must distinguish between bad fears and good fears.  

The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Psa 111:10)

So then, the fear of God is a good fear.  

Whether they have electric stoves, or gas stoves, mothers teach their young children to keep their hands away from the burners on the stoves, so that the children won't get hurt.  

So here is another good fear, the fear of doing something that would hurt the body.  

This, however, can be exaggerated into an unhealthy, unreasonable fear of doing anything because one could get hurt.  

That would not be a healthy fear, and would be of the devil.  

There is a scripture about the slothful man who says, "There's a lion outside, I'll be killed in the streets."

Is that man really afraid of being killed by a lion?  No, he is a slothful man who is just making excuses why he shouldn't go out and find work.  

I recommend the book, "God's Creative Power Will Work for You," by Charles Capps.  

But I heard Capps make a mistake once when he said, "Fear is kind of the reverse gear of faith."

Capps forgot about good fears.  

Another scripture says, "Happy is the man that always fears." (Prov 28:14)

So here is another example of healthy fear.  

These days, there's something called Identity Theft.  It happens when some crooked person acquires too much information about their next victim.  

So I try to be careful to tear up documents that have personal information after I'm through with them.  Is that an unhealthy fear, or a healthy one?  It's healthy, and in accordance with Prov 28:14.

I would like to use Kathryn Kuhlman as an example.  She was certainly a woman of God, and got many people healed.  

But I heard that toward the end of her life on earth, she had a fear of crossing the street.  Perhaps it was only at places that had a lot of traffic.  

God doesn't want you to be afraid of crossing the street.  

NOW HERE IS WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT FEARS FROM THE ENEMY.  

OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND SAY, "GOD'S NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN."  

And why is God not going to let that happen?  Because you just spoke that into existence with your words, together with your faith.  

And I follow that method myself when I see that a demon has brought me a fear of something happening.  Then I ask the demon how many of them are there, and however many there are, I command them to go in Jesus' name.  

And after commanding them to go, I usually laugh a little, because the Lord said to Norvel Hayes, "Your problem is that you're not laughing at the devil." 

You can do a laugh even if there's not something funny.  

The Bible says, "Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you." (James 4:7)   But you have to resist him.  

The Bible also tells us, "We are not ignorant of his devices." (Satan's devices or tricks)

But you don't have authority over demons unless you're a Christian.  

You become a Christian by obeying Romans 10:9,10--
"If you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved.  For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation."

Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (Jhn chapt 3)

You become a born again Christian by hearing or reading the gospel message that we're all sinners, and that Jesus paid for our sins by dying on the cross, and that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion.  

You hear the gospel message, you believe it, and you say yes to Jesus' free offer of salvation.

Jesus said, "See, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I'll come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20)  Say yes to Jesus.  He will hear you, and accept you as one of His.

Chapter 2

When David went up against the giant, Goliath, was David in fear?  Certainly not.  

Goliath said to David, "I'll kill you."  David answered, "No, God will deliver you into my hand."  

David knocked Goliath down with a stone, and then killed the giant with Goliath's own sword.  

Was Samson in fear of all the Philistines that were against him?  No.  

And one time when they really thought they had him, and locked the city gate to keep him in, he got up in the middle of the night, and walked off with the city gate on his shoulders.  

But someone might say, "But I'm just a petite woman, not much more than a hundred pounds." 

But if you're a Christian, you have a big Jesus in you who will never leave you nor forsake you, He has promised.  

Was Jesus afraid as he stood before Pontius Pilate?  No.  God the Father had shown Jesus that it was necessary that Jesus be sentenced to death, and that Jesus die on the cross for the sins of the world.

The third day, God raised Jesus from the dead, and Jesus now sits at the right hand of God.  

Jesus told us, "In the world, you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jhn 16:33)  

"Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." (1 Jhn 4:4)

The greater one is in you, if you're a Christian.  

I believe it's in the writings of Solomon where he talks about a city that was under attack.  Things looked pretty bad.  But a wise man in that city gave deliverance to the city.  

Ask the Lord to increase your wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge.  

From James chapter 1--
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Were the three Hebrew young men afraid before King Nebuchadnezzar?  No.  They simply told the King they wouldn't worship his idol that he had set up.  

So the King had them thrown into a fiery furnace.  It was so hot that it killed the men that threw them in there.  

But the fire and the heat had no power over the young Hebrew men.  This is in the Book of the Prophet Daniel.  

Was Moses afraid before Pharaoh, King of Egypt?  No, Moses told Pharaoh, "You either let the Children of Israel go from Egypt, or my God will hurt you."

And after enough hurting, Pharaoh let them go.  

The Bible says, "The Lord is a man of war."

Who is your favorite soldier?

Is it General Patton, who defeated Rommel in North Africa?

This time of year is around the aniversary of D-Day, when the Allies began to take back France from the Nazis.  

General Eisenhower directed the D-Day invasion of France, and later became President.   

We've had some brilliant Generals.  But the most brilliant General ever is the Lord, who is a man of war.  

Have you read about the military battles in the Old Testament?  The Lord gave the victory to whichever side he chose.  

Sometimes He helped Israel.  But if Israel hadn't been living right, sometimes He gave the victory to Israel's enemies.   

The Lord is a man of war.  And you have the Lord with you if you're a Christian.  

The Bible says, "The righteous are bold as a lion." (Prov 28:1)

Do lions live in fear?  Of course not.  

Which of the other animals can chase away a lion?  None.  

We should be as bold as a lion, when we need to be.  

But another scripture says, "The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."  

Ecclesiastes says that there's a time for all things, a time for peace, and a time for war.  A time for gathering stones together, and a time for throwing them away.  

So, there's a time to be bold, and there's a time to be meek.  Ask the Lord to help you with this.  

"When you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them," says Jesus in Mark 11:24

___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.