Beyond Normal Part 4: Why Fear Is Not Fun
Do you like to be scared? Do you get a thrill from watching scary movies or reading a thriller? Some may argue that fear as part of entertainment is harmless and fun – it doesn’t have any bearing on actual fear. But is that true? Do our bodies and minds categorize entertainment vs. real fear? Fear is engrained in the fabric of our lives, from the nightly news to TV shows and movies. Unfortunately, it is also rampant in our minds taking the form of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
The Root of Fear
If we look at fear through the lens of the Bible and God’s perspective, what will we discover about fear? It is said that the phrase “Fear not,” in some form or fashion, is stated in the Bible 365 times. Isn’t that interesting? One time for every day of the year! We find in researching these “fear nots” that fear stops God in His tracks.
What do I mean by that? Well, fear and faith are opposites. It says in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” If fear and faith are opposites, we can also say, “Fear is the substance of negative things suggested, the evidence of things not seen.” You cannot have fear and faith working at the same time. That’s why every time it was necessary for faith to be in action, you will find the words “fear not” in some way.
The devil uses fear to steal, kill, and destroy things in your life. But Jesus uses faith to bring you life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) You will NEVER find Jesus associated with fear in the scriptures besides telling you not to do it, and I believe that goes for all forms of fear.
It saddens me when I talk to someone who struggles with anxiety or depression and find that they like to be entertained by fear. The two are not mutually exclusive. For example, smoking and lung cancer are not mutually exclusive – one was the root cause of the other. Everything we consume through our eyes, ears, and touch, and what we eat, are “seeds” for what is revealed in our lives. If you eat a diet of cookies, pop, and ice cream, you will become sick, fat, and have many other health problems. Why do we think what we consume by watching, reading or listening is any different?
Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He says to not LET your heart be troubled or afraid. In other words, don’t let fear in!
Stir Him Up
This month we have been discussing the Holy Spirit and who He is in our lives. Uncovering the depths of who He is is impossible, but we can try. It starts by stirring Him up - His power and love in our hearts. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 says, "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Anytime we entertain the spirit of fear, we ignore and short-circuit the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Notice that the scripture says fear is a spirit. Well, if it's not from the Holy Spirit, what spirit are you entertaining and having fun with?
Galatians 5:16-17 says, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish."
What you like in your flesh is contrary to the life and power the Holy Spirit wants to bring into your life. People have often come to me for counseling, especially with anxiety issues. But it becomes clear that they want to fix the problem without changing their habits and actions. Spiritual things don't work like that. We can't entertain the things of the flesh and get "God results."
I encourage you to consider what seeds your entertainment is sowing into your life. Are you keeping your mind's door of anxiety open by what you consume? (This includes the news!) Ask God to reveal to you where you need to make some changes.
