“Is fear a sin?” I heard this question in my spirit one day. I didn’t respond. Still, the question continued to play over and again in my mind.
I was at a lesson with my granddaughter (horse riding) when this question kept coming to me. I was watching as the trainer was attempting to get Brailee to go from a trot to a lope/canter. Brailee was quite comfortable with a trot but the speed of the lope/canter the trainer was requesting scared Brailee, you could see it on her face. Brailee softly said, “But I am not ready for that.”
Still, the trainer was compelling her to drop the reins and let the horse run. Brailee could not bring herself to release the reins – that’s how she controlled her horse, it was her safe place.
This grandmother’s heart ached for the fear I could see on her, and I began to pray for courage. I know we cannot allow fear to dominate us, and I certainly didn’t want fear stopping my granddaughter from doing something she loved. Before the lesson ended, Brailee had completed loping three times, with reins dropped. She didn’t enjoy it, her little hands shook as she rode, but she did it.
Is fear a sin? Well, there are many kinds of fear. Fear of fire will keep us from getting burned, so there is a good kind of fear. However, I knew the fear God was speaking to me about and it was not a healthy or good fear.
I had been in a battle of my health, and it had caused fear, I could feel it. I fought it but it remained there, under the surface, so to speak. I knew this was the fear God was speaking of.
The Bible says, for whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin. (Rom 14:23, Amp)
Fear does not come from faith – nor does it come from God.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)
God has nothing to do with fear attempting to overwhelm us – it is from the devil. It is his weapon, never Gods. So then, what do we do in our life when things appear that could cause fear? How do we fight it? I can only tell you how I did it.
1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I have used this powerful verse of scripture in my life many times to overcome feelings that do not belong to me through Christ.
That day I prayed, “Father, I confess this fear as sin, I repent of allowing it in my life. I thank You that You are faithful and just to forgive me of this sin and completely cleanse me of it and of all unrighteousness, in Jesus’ name.”
From that point any time fear attempted to get a hold, I confessed, “Father, I have repented of fear, it does not belong to me, I thank You that You have forgiven me and have cleansed me of all fear and all unrighteousness, Your love is being perfected in me and that perfect love casts out all fear in Jesus name, thank You that I am free of all fear.”
Fear is ugly and it can be debilitating and paralyzing. God does not want His people to live in fear. He has given us power, love, and a sound mind – that is His plan for us. After I began to pray and confess in this manner, it was only a few days before fear began to lose its grip.
I don’t know what is happening in your life today that is attempting to bring fear, but this I do know, God can and will completely remove it from your life. He is so very faithful.
This week, I found myself once again at Brailee’s riding lesson, not only did I watch her lope and cantor numerous times, but I watched her do this with no reins in hand and her arms out like an airplane – it was glorious to watch, as all fear was gone, there was only a smile on her face. That’s what God wants for each of us.
Today, if fear is trying to dominate your life – overcome it with the Word of God – He promises you peace, lay hold of that peace today!
