by Angela S. Young

Created on: September 04, 2009   Last Updated: September 12, 2009

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

In an ever changing world, fear lurks around every corner, waiting to pounce on us and take us down. Fear paralyzes; God wants to free us from this fear so we can truly live. The fear God talks about in 2 Timothy 1:7 evokes an image of people trying to please a god who cannot be pleased. God does not want us to fear making a mistake so much that we do nothing. He wants us to live a powerful and love-filled life, free of the distortions of mind that come with chronic fear.

John 14:27 (KJV) tells us "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Fear is the opposite of peace. It creates an unsound mind. Psychology tells us that several mental and physical illnesses result from prolonged or repeated episodes of fear. The illnesses that do not result from fear are worsened by it. This tells us that chronic fear and a sound mind cannot exist together.

Chronic fear also leaves us powerless and unable to give or accept love. Fear cannot coexist with a sound mind, a spirit of power or a spirit of love. God wants us to understand this dynamic and turn our fears over to Him in trust and faith. He wants us to understand that he's not standing over us with a lightning bolt waiting to get us if we mess up. He wants us to fully understand and explore our liberty in Christ.

How often do we see people who fear commitment because they have been burned in the past? That pain teaches fear and fear teaches a reluctance to trust and give love. God knew we would not have the power to love and serve if we had the chains of fear wrapped around us. He broke those chains in Jesus, and He wants us to realize we're free.

A trainer teaches the elephant not to pull against its chains by chaining it to something strong and gradually moving to a flimsy stake in the ground as the elephant stops trying to run free. From then on, the elephant only thinks he cannot go beyond certain boundaries. That's what sin and fear have done to us. We only think we're bound because that's what we've learned. God has set us free and now he coaxes us to go beyond the boundaries of fear and run free in His liberty.

Imagine that elephant accidentally goes beyond his boundaries and the stake comes out of the ground. Suddenly, he realizes he is free. What do you suppose he will do? You can imagine

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