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

Whenever we are afraid we can know that it is not of the Lord. As children of God, we have something different, something supernatural. This is very helpful because when we recognize this we can deal with it appropriately. Fear never has to control a Christian.

Instead of fear, our text tells us three things that we have instead. The first is power. Fear can result from the feeling of helplessness when we think we are up against something that is too strong or big for us to handle. However, the Christian has the power of God which is never outmatched. When God is in control there is nothing too much for Him to handle.

The second is love. When we feel anger or hatred toward another we know, this is not the Lord. It’s the flesh which has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). Surrendering to God gives great love for others. The answer then to hatred and anger is to surrender to the Spirit. It starts with obedience. God’s love through obedience. Take a step of faith and love those you don’t. God will bless your obedience.

The last thing we see is a sound mind. God gives us the power over panic and confusion. He gives us control over our mental battles and stresses. There may be times where medication is appropriate for chemical problems, but faith will always be needed for a sound mind. Learn to take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. Learn to think on true things and meditate on God’s Word. God will clear things up and give you peace in your mind.

The lesson here is to recognize that fear is not from the Lord. Whenever you have fear, fight back with faith. Give your fears to God, rest in Him and let Him fight for you. Don’t let fear hold you back from God’s plan, rather, embrace life with fearless trust in the Almighty Savior.