Why Fear? Part 2: The Anatomy of Fear and Its Impact

Welcome back to our "WHY FEAR?" series, exploring how to choose faith over fear. In Part 1, we discovered that God has already given us everything we need to fulfill our divine assignment. Today, we'll examine what fear actually is and the devastating impact it can have on our lives.

Understanding Fear: What Are We Really Dealing With?

Before effectively overcoming fear, we must understand exactly what it is. So, here are my three powerful working definitions of fear:

1. Perverted Awe

Fear is perverted awe, the reverential respect that only God deserves, given to someone or something else.

Think about that for a moment. We're commanded to "fear the Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:13, Proverbs 1:7). This isn't about being terrified of God but about having a deep, reverential awe of His power, holiness, and sovereignty. When we transfer that reverence to our circumstances, problems, or other people, we've perverted the awe that belongs only to God.

When you find yourself overwhelmed by a situation, ask yourself: "Have I given this circumstance the reverence that belongs to God only?"

2. A Negative Belief About the Future

Fear is the presence of a negative belief about the future that causes anxiety, slothfulness, inactivity, and a retreat from destiny actions or decisions.

Notice the key elements here:

• It's about the future, not the present

• It's a negative belief, not a fact

• It causes specific reactions---anxiety, slothfulness, inactivity

• It results in a retreat from decisive actions or decisions

Fear is more than an emotion; it's a belief system that shapes your actions and ultimately your destiny. This is particularly dangerous because we often don't recognize we're operating from a negative belief. We think we're being "realistic" or "cautious" when in reality, we're allowing fear to redirect our path away from God's purpose.

3. False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear is false evidence appearing real.

The enemy is a master illusionist. He presents scenarios and thoughts that appear legitimate, logical, and even likely. But they're counterfeit reality, they look real but have no actual substance or authority unless we give it to them.

The false evidence might be:

• Past failures projected into your future

• Others' opinions about your capabilities or calling

• Worst-case scenarios that exist only in your imagination

• Statistical probabilities presented as certainties

How Fear Manifests in the Life of a Believer

You might be thinking, "I'm a believer. I trust God. How could fear possibly get a foothold in my life?" Here's how it happens:

When We Allow a Situation to Decrease Our Awe for God and Increase Our Awe for It

Fear takes root when we allow a situation to become temporarily or permanently bigger or more powerful than God and His love for us.

Notice my emphasis on God's love. This is crucial. You might intellectually acknowledge God's power while doubting His willingness to use that power on your behalf. This is why we're encouraged to comprehend "what is the width and length and depth and height" of Christ's love (Ephesians 3:18). When we truly grasp how much God loves us, fear loses its grip. This is important because I know people who believe that God will do for others what He will not do for them. They believe that His love for them has been diminished by the mistakes they've made in the past; however, we must remember that scripture says nothing can separate us from God's love for us (Romans 8:38-39). God is not a respecter of persons, and we must believe that what He has done for others, He will also do for us.

When Faith is Replaced by Unbridled Emotion, Confusion, or Loss of Memory

Faith isn't just positive thinking; it's a confident trust based on God's character, promises, and love for us. Fear rushes in when:

• Unbridled emotions override what we know to be true

• Confusion clouds our understanding of God's word

• We forget what God has already done in our lives and the lives of others

This is why David often told himself to "remember" God's works (Psalm 77:11) and why he instructed his soul to "bless the Lord" even when circumstances were dire (Psalm 103:1-2).

Understanding the Enemy's Three-Step Strategy

We are told not to be ignorant of Satan's schemes, tricks, or strategies (2 Corinthians 2:11). One of the clearest pictures of the enemy's strategy is found in John 10:10:

"The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Notice the progression---a three-step strategy designed to ultimately render you defenseless:

Step One: Steal

The enemy first wants to steal your faith, the comfort, confidence, and consistency that come through trusting God.

The word "thief" used here is kleptēs in Greek, and it refers to a false teacher, one who seeks to replace truth with false doctrine to create confusion, hesitation, and doubt.

This thief doesn't actually have the power to take your faith from you by force. Instead, he wants to get you to a point where you voluntarily stop exercising the faith that has worked for you in the past.

Step Two: Kill

When the enemy has successfully distracted your faith, he has effectively killed:

Your ability to protect yourself from future attacks. Without your shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16), you're left vulnerable to every negative thought and circumstance that comes your way. Consider Peter walking on water toward Jesus (Matthew 14:28-30). He accomplished the impossible as long as his faith remained fixed on Christ. But the moment he allowed the wind and waves to steal his attention, fear replaced faith, and he began to sink. The same disciple, walking supernaturally on water moments before, now found himself drowning in the same circumstances he had previously risen above.

Your ability to overcome the world. The victory that overcomes the world's obstacles is our faith (1 John 5:4). Without it, mountains remain immovable. Look at the Israelites at the edge of the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14). Ten of the twelve spies allowed fear to kill their faith when they saw the giants in the land. The same God who had parted the Red Sea was still with them, but their ability to overcome was killed because they allowed fear to steal their faith. What should have been an eleven-day journey became forty years of wilderness wandering because fear killed their ability to overcome.

Your ability to use the resources God has given us. Remember those five resources we discussed in Part 1? Faith is what activates them all. Consider King Saul when confronted with Goliath (1 Samuel 17). As king, he had been given authority, divine backing, and resources to lead Israel to victory. Yet fear paralyzed him. Though he possessed the position, the armor, and the army, his faith was stolen, and he couldn't access or activate the very resources at his disposal. Meanwhile, young David, full of faith, accessed those same divine resources and triumphed where the king could not.

Your ability to please God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). I struggled with this thought over the years because I always thought that in my moments when I lack faith, God was not only displeased but also angry with me. But at some point, I sensed that God’s displeasure was not due to anger but hurt. Remember, John 10:10 tells us that Christ came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. That tells us the quality of life that God desires us (His children) to live, but it’s a life that’s only available through faith. So, without faith, our loving Father will never get the joy of seeing His children experience the life He desires, which Christ’s sacrifice has already paid for.

Step Three: Destroy

When you've lost your faith, you have also lost your ability to protect yourself; you're rendered voluntarily defenseless. This is when the enemy moves in for his ultimate goal: destruction, because the loss of faith renders the believer useless to:

• The fulfillment of your Kingdom assignment

• The fulfillment of God's plan and purpose for your life

• The demonstration of God’s love and power that draws others to Him

Why Recognizing This Matters

Understanding the anatomy of fear and the enemy's strategy isn't just academic, it's practical and powerful. When you can recognize what's happening, you can resist it.

This is why we're instructed to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Resistance begins with recognition. You can't fight or resist what you can't identify or recognize.

Your Assignment This Week

1.      Identify one area where fear has been operating in your life. Which of the three definitions of fear described above resonates most with your experience?

2.      Consider which step of the enemy's strategy you might be experiencing:

o   Is he trying to steal your faith?

o   Has he already killed some of your spiritual protective abilities?

o   Are you experiencing the destruction that comes from prolonged fear?

3.      Each day this week, when fear arises, speak this truth aloud: "This situation appears real, but it has no authority over me. I choose to give my reverence and awe to God alone."

4.      Write down one past victory God has given you and keep it visible as a reminder of His faithfulness.

In Part 3 of our series, we'll explore what I believe are the 5 Fear Tactics of the Enemy and specific strategies the enemy uses to instill fear in our lives. Understanding these tactics will further equip you to recognize and resist fear's influence and impact.

Remember, the question is not whether fear will knock on your door, because it will. The question is: WHY FEAR when God has already equipped you with everything you need for victory?

Stay strong in faith. I'm praying for your breakthrough.