Fruits of Fear and Worry.
1. FEAR HINDERS OR DELAYS GOD’S INTERVENTION IN A PERSON’S LIFE DURING A TIME OF CRITICAL NEED
Fearful actions during times of seeming danger are more dangerous than the seeming danger itself. In ministering to the sick and demon oppressed, it is often better to first and foremost attack the spirit of fear and let the person realize how he must cooperate with the minister by shunning all voices of doubt and fear in his mind. When this is taken care of properly, the deliverance often manifests quicker than we expect. If not, there is usually an irritating delay.
Even if the person receives deliverance because of the anointing and faith of the minister, if the receiver is not schooled as fast as possible on how to resist fear with God’s Words daily, he is likely to fall victim to the same problems again…sometimes, even deeper than he was before deliverance attempts.
An older minister friend of mine, Dr Ben Okoro, who has now gone to be
with the LORD, learned this lesson in a very exceptional way. Years before he went to be with the LORD, he was spiritually attacked and was bedridden for two years plus. Several times he would go into a coma and then come back again. In fact, the best word to use is half-dead, for he died many times and came back to life. I interviewed him and compiled his testimony in a book after his recovery. While talking with him he confessed that he later knew where his major problem lied. He said, “I believe that my major problem was fear. I saw myself overwhelmed with the highest degree of fear; that became a ground for the enemy to do all the things he did in my life.”
He learned that the thousands of prayers offered on his behalf by many saints were delayed because he believed his fears. He believed that God was done with him and that he was going to die. It was when he started to doubt the things he was afraid that his deliverance began to take place.
In his book, Walking in the Miraculous, Bishop David Oyedepo shared a testimony about a brother who was travelling by sea with some other fellows. On the way, they were hit by a furious storm that destroyed their boat. They all fell into the water, but this brother, while falling, courageously shouted, “Jesus, I refuse to die!”
According to the testimony, something that looked like a stick came close to him and he held it. As a result, he stayed floating. When a rescue team
eventually arrived after three days of search he was rescued.
The most incredible part of the story is that when he was rescued, he looked to see what it was he was holding onto, that had kept him afloat, but found nothing. It was certainly the name of Jesus.
Every act of faith always invites God into a situation, while every act of fear invites Satan. Fear always hinders and delays God’s intervention even when a serious danger is threatening.
Pray to the LORD to keep your faith on fire every day.
2. FEAR MAKES A PERSON UNPRODUCTIVE
In Matthew chapter 25: 14-30, Jesus told a now-famous story of the talents. One of the men refused to invest his money. When propped for the reason he didn’t trade with the money, he said:
… “I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth”
If he had invested and lost the money, it would have been a different ball game. His master would not have given him the harshest punishment. But for not making any attempts out of fear, his master instructed to “…cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vs 30).
I came across an interesting piece of advice some time ago that said, “If you think investing is too risky, then wait until you are handed the bill for not investing.”
Life is full of risks. If you try to avoid the risks, you’ll live a very small life. The Bible says:
“Cast your bread upon the waters for after many days you will find it again. Give a portion to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may
come upon the land.
“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the could not reap.
Sow your seed in the morning and at evening let not your hand be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well – Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
That’s talking about investing in multiple businesses. Not because all will succeed, but at least some will.
It’s okay to do a proper analysis before you put money in any venture, but’s it’s equally terrible to over analyse. The problem with over-analysis is that you see more reasons why it can’t be done than reasons why it can be done.
When the analysis becomes too much, make sure you are not guided by fear. Listen to your inner man and explore.
3. FEAR TORMENTS
Fear has torturing effects. It can be a gateway to spiritual attacks, evil dreams, nightmares and all kinds of torments in one’s life. The bible says:
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18
Fear is a spirit that chokes the love of God from full manifestation. Whenever fear attempts to raise its ugly head in your life, cut it off with the SWORD of the Spirit.
4. FEAR BRINGS UNBELIEF
All acts of unbelief and doubt stem from fear, and you remember that unbelief is sin. “A doubt-full and unbelief –full” person, the bible says cannot please God (James 1:5-8).
The ten spies were afraid of the giants, the descendants of Arak, because of their size. Their fear led them to doubt the power of God. They convinced others to follow their fear. Unfortunately, the result was terrible. They did not enter the Promised Land.
Permitting the size of your obstacles and problems to make you afraid is very dangerous. The moment you begin to look at your size and the size of the situation before you and become afraid, you will grow doubts and unbelief and when these are in you, you block God from coming to your rescue.
5. FEAR ENDANGERS ONE TO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
Revelation 21:8 says:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Notice that the ‘fear-full’ and the unbelieving are classified with murderers, idolaters, sorcerers, liars, the abominable and the other sinners. “That’s a pretty ugly crowd” you don’t want to belong to.
Fear is actually much more serious than we think. That’s because fear takes us out of faith, making us do things that do not please God.
“And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” – Hebrews 11:6.