Spiritual Warfare: Our Struggle against Fear

"For the Lord has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self-discipline." 

2 Tim. 1:7

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in your faith;" 

1 Peter 5: 7-8

The Christian life is a life of struggle.  I so wish this were not the case!  I wish those folks who always speak of "the victorious life" were right.  It would be awesome if Jesus made it so I immediately grew wealthy, strong, healthy, and spiritual fit.  All I need to do is name it and claim it to make it so.  How I wish for this to be true.

Yet, it is not true.  It is absolutely false!

You want biblical proof?  Jesus was wrongly killed.  He is our model.  Paul knew the Lord Jesus Christ in incredible ways, but he knew torture, torment, and spiritual struggle.  Did he just not believe enough?  Virtually all the apostles were martyred for their faith.  In fact, Church history is full of difficulty and death for the faith.  As Tertullian wrote in his Apologeticus (c. 197 AD), "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

In other words our modern view of the Christian life has not wrestled with the paradox, "In this world, you will have trouble…" says our Lord (John 16:33),  "but, take heart because Jesus has overcome the world."

So, what does it mean to have trouble?  How has Jesus overcome the world?  Why do both exist?

The answer lies in a solid biblical understanding that includes all of scripture.  We live in a created good but fallen world.  Jesus came to restore that which was lost in the fall, but while we remain in this fallen world, His victory is not completely realized.  As theologians have argued, we live in an already, but not yet state.  Christ has won, but the victory will not be completely realized until He comes to establish His kingdom.  Until then, we struggle with faith.

How do we struggle?  Against what do we struggle?

We struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

In the past couple of weeks, I have written briefly about our struggle against the world and the flesh.  Today, I wish to explore how the evil one uses the world and our flesh in an attempt to upend our faith.  

Satan's favorite strategy to bring a believer defeat is to promote fear.

When we live in fear, we do not live a life of faith and trust.  Instead, we are marked by self-regard, self-effort, and a lack of knowledge of the true God.  Paul reproves Timothy because he lives in fear.  The gospel gives us a spirit of power and love and discipline, not fear!  

Peter tells us that our adversary prowls like a roaring lion.  I have heard it said that the roaring lion is not the one to worry about.  He roars to drive fear into his prey so that the intended victim runs away from the roar.  What the prey does not know is that his scheme drives them directly to the other lions in the pride so they can kill it.  Peter warns us to be aware and alert.  He commands us to stand firm in the gospel.  The devil may roar; but when you hear it, arm yourself with the gospel and Christ's victory!

As Mark Bubeck states,

"The victory of Christ over Satan is total and complete.  The person who appropriates and applies by faith the victory which Christ has purchased and provided will find a gracious, God-authored courage stabilizing his inner man." 

The Adversary, 80.

Fear takes many forms in our fallen world.  Some are wise and some are harmful.  It was wise to fear the 1800 pound bull that lived my back field.  I gave him a healthy respect and distance.  Yet, I did not walk about in constant thought and fear of that animal!  I was "sober minded" about his power and I sought to respect and be mindful of his power.  I knew he has a job to do, and I allowed him to do it without putting myself, my family, or visitors in his path.  I think this is an example of wise fear.  Why?  It illustrated proper respect and knowledge of this beast's power.

Other types of fear are mixed between wise and harmful.  It all depends upon what you do with it.  Most of these fears are even socially accepted!  For example, it is prudent to lock your doors in these desperate times.  Yet, those who live in fear of being robbed, those who think about it all the time, those who check their doors repeatedly for fear of an intruder do not walk in faith.  They believe that their resources and diligence will save them.

Where does God fit into this picture?

Most likely He doesn't.  Still, it is socially acceptable and encouraged to lock your doors!  Where do we draw the line?  That is a question for each of us.  If we walk in fear, we need to repent and ask God for mercy to rest and trust.  We need to ask for His protection.

Another example is parenting.  How many of us fear for the future of our children?  It is true that we have a responsibility to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  Yet, study after study has shown that those in the 20s now have been "overly protected" by their parents from life's hardships.  Why? I believe the key reason was a socially acceptable fear.  We fear, so we give money, protection, shelter.  The unintended consequence is a generation that "has a failure to launch."  Another unintended consequence is that we have given Satan ground into our families by walking in fear.  We have not been sober minded and aware of Satan's schemes.  We have fed fear, and without repentance we will reap the consequences.

A final example is ministry.  How many of us have not spoken to a neighbor about the Lord because of fear?  What if they reject me?  What will they think?  The real question should be, "Are they in bondage and do they need the gospel?"  If so, then out of love for them and in response to walking in the power of the Spirit, we need to share the gospel with them.  We need to pray that the Lord will open the door so it just flows naturally.  Most importantly, we need to say something!

Why do we not do this?  Fear.  Plain and simple, it is fear.  What about a ministry that you would love to start or be part of, yet you do not do so for fear that it will not go well or that you will "not find the time."  We so often put off to tomorrow what should be done today (to quote the great theologian Garth Brooks).

Again I say, fear is not from God.  "There is no fear in love; but perfect love drives out fear." 1 John 4:18  Do we not believe that God can work it out to bring someone to faith without making us their enemy?  Do we not believe that God can work through us, even with our frailties?  Do we not believe that God loves our children, and that He will take care of them?  Is everything really all about us?

I know what it is like to live in fear.  I know how we can busy ourselves so we avoid walking in faith.  I also can say clearly, walking in fear is not from God.  Pray about this.  Fear gives the devil a foothold in our lives, our families, our churches.  It is the primary way that Satan works to hinder the work of God.  

Pray through these passages I mentioned in this blog.  If the Spirit gives you insight into areas where you are dominated by fear, I ask you, no beg you, to repent!  Confess to God your sin and your need for His grace.  Ask Him to work instead of you thinking it is all about you.  Walk in faith.  Claim the victory of Christ and the truth of the gospel as your own.

May your life be marked by grace, trust, rest, and God's power instead of fear.  In so doing, you will defeat the schemes of the Evil one against you, your family, and your church.