Paralyzing Fear vs. The Fear of God: Part 1

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

FEAR

How do you define it?

That overwhelming emotion which has the ability to paralyze your thinking so as to prevent any rational or logical reason to calm you.

Fear, the force that throws you into a black hole and in the perpetual falling you think, “The bottom must lead to disaster and despair.”

If I have not cultivated the discipline of taking every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5), my feelings of fear are fueled. The overwhelming despondency begins an avalanche of rocks covering the entrance to the cave of fear and I become trapped.

But there is a way out. A shift in perspective on the feeling of fear must take place.

Jennifer Rothschild, blind since the age of 16 said,

“Fear is an intuitive detective that walks you to the hand of God to the place of truth.”

I can prevent or resist this detective work and let fear paralyze me.

OR

I can let the feeling of fear trigger my need to run to God. In His hands I’m led to the truth of His Word.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10

My watercolor painting (my completed tutorial from Watercolor Secrets), depicts a castle with strong towers. Light still shines on it and on the path leading up to the castle but storm clouds threaten above. I picture the Holy Spirit giving me just enough light in the midst of my fear while guiding me to the strong tower of God in his name!

Climbing the steep hill to the refuge is work when fear captures you. But that ascent is necessary. For me it is a refusal to entertain “what if” thoughts and focus on “what is.”

Jennifer Rothschild calls “what if,” “the language of fear and speculation, but the ‘what is’ thoughts is the language of faith in God."

What is:

God is Almighty - Giver and Sustainer of Life (El Shaddai)
God is the Most High God, the One and only God (El Elyon)
God is High above all things and Ruler of all there is (Adonai)
God is the One who sees, He is constantly aware of everything about me (El Roi)
God is my source, my sufficiency, my provider (Jehovah Jireh)
God is the Lord who heals (Jehovah Rapha)
God is my friend, my faithfulness, ever present with me (Jehovah Shammah)
God is the all conquering Savior, and guardian of my soul (Jehovah Sabbaoth)

A.W. Tozer writes in Knowledge of the Holy, “Sovereignty and omnipotence must go together. Once cannot exist without the other. To reign God must have power, ant to reign sovereignty, He must have all power.”

Whatever has initially caused my fear (circumstances out of my control); it is controlled by an all-powerful God.

When David had to keep on the move with his men, fleeing from Saul for his life we find him in overwhelming circumstances in 1 Samuel 30:1-6. After helping the people of Ziklag by freeing them from their Amelekite captors, he and his soldiers have a tiring, three day journey home. Upon arrival he finds that the women and children were raided by the Amelekites and carried away. The men talked of turning on David, needing to blame someone. Did David wallow in despair or allow fear to paralyze him?

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God,” 1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV).

Charles Swindoll writes in Intimacy with the Almighty, “Don’t miss the point - David faced the situation with realism; but he refused to panic, to fight back, to run, or to dissolve in self-pity. Realizing his dire need for time alone with God, he moved away from his embittered companions, away from the chaotic scene, and sought a place of quietness and stillness to strengthen his soul.”

David knew how to climb to the high tower of God and dwell with what He knows of God, rather than wallowing in fear.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1

As I call on who God is…, I’ve taken refuge in his strong tower. The feeling of fear may still ebb and flow but I can face the storm clouds in the shelter of his sovereignty, secure in my unchanging Savior.