Fear Not
A Misunderstood Theology
Since “fear not” is mentioned 365 times in the Bible, it’s easy to understand why I once believed, like many people, that experiencing fear is sinful. Despite this popular belief, even among devout Christians, the Bible never states that feeling afraid is a sin. In this blog post, I will attempt to clarify the theology of “fear not” from the perspective of my own experiences and Holy Spirit revelation from scripture. I will present how I have learned that it is not feeling fear that is sinful, but rather the coping mechanisms that we employ in response to fear that can lead to sin. For example, the males in my family are encultured to deny fear because macho men aren’t fearful, right? But despite your gender, some people are inclined to experience guilt and self-condemnation for experiencing fear. It is my experience that fear can trigger a response that denies that we are feeling it, to escape the shame it may inspire.
This is a wrong theology that I had practiced and perhaps some of you have a similar coping strategy; so, allow me to share scriptural references and my experiences as to why this theology hinders us. Scripture says in our weakness, God’s strength is perfected (2 Corinthians 12:9). I didn’t understand the relevance of this Scripture when I had my open-heart surgery, so when they wheeled me in for the same surgery that my father did not survive, fear attacked! It had a voice that was eerily familiar because it sounded like mine, it said, “You look just like your father, you act just like your father and you were given his name, and since you are having the same surgery, you will die just like your father!” There was just enough truth is those twisted words that a part of me believed because faith comes by hearing, and I was listening to the wrong voice. I was struck with a deep, personal, and agonizing fear.
By instinct, I hid my feelings, but the hospital had a BP monitor strapped to my arm that revealed that my facade of courage, though Oscar-worthy, was just a performance. The surgeon warned that my pressure was dangerously high and told me to relax, and then he whispered in my ear, “Despite all your complications you still have a 50-50 chance of survival.” Honesty is always the best policy? I think not! Needless to say, his words didn’t offer any consolation, as I was drowning in fear now more than ever, imagining I would end up just like my father, So I did what I planned never to do: I admitted I was fearful. And this was the key to my resistance of fear’s vicious attack. I called upon the name of Jesus, and I received his very present help, and He held my hand for the entire 4.5-hour surgery.
This event confounded my surgical team because I had my hand lifted for 4.5 hours under general anesthesia and there is no medical explanation, but I have had a spiritual one; Jesus tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us. It is also confirmed by scripture in 2nd Corinthians 12:9, that it was by Jesus’ power that I was strengthened to throw off fear’s attack like an irritating pest, as described in Hebrews 12:1. This Scripture tells us to “throw off everything that hinders” and James 4:7 tells us this resistance will cause Satan to flee. Since His strength is perfected in our times of weakness, this must be the explanation of what occurred in my surgery room after I admitted my weakness and resisted it with a certified miracle.
So, if you are continually losing battles with fear, you should apply the forementioned battle techniques from 2 Corinthians 12:9, Hebrews 12:1, and James 4:7. Through these scriptures, you will also learn to humble yourself and admit that we are sometimes vulnerable and weak in our fears. This allows us to overcome fear because by admitting we are weak,
Jesus is then able to strengthen us.
I want to close in a prayer of encouragement for those who are in warfare with the enemy’s weapon of fear. I pray that Jesus gives us His humble spirit, that we may have the courage to boast in our inequities of fear according to 2 Corinthians 12:9, and that we are bold enough to cast off fear’s hindering spirit when it attacks, according to Hebrews 12:1. Amen.
About the Author
Wayne Williams
Longtime member of Church of All Nations