According to Harvard Health a phobia is an anxiety disorder consisting of a “persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity or situation.” We all fear things and not all of them are unhealthy. If you’ve encountered a rattlesnake on a hike, stood on the bank of a turbulent, rushing river or changed a tire on the side of a busy freeway, you know there is sound (lifesaving) reason to harness that emotion. Phobias, however, are irrational fears. More common ones include fear of tight spaces, fear of heights and fear of public speaking. One of the more peculiar is arachibutyrophobia, the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
Fear is powerful. It’s an emotion that drives people to action or prevents them from it. While that can be a good thing, often it is not. How many times have you said something hurtful out of fear? How many times have you failed to talk about Jesus out of fear? Perhaps fear even prevents you from confidently singing hymns in church!
Since fear affects your behavior it needs to be evaluated, and not by a mental health manual but by Scripture. The Bible says that you must “take every thought captive to obey Christ” so confine those things and subject them to the scrutiny of Scripture. Are your fears healthy or unhealthy?
Recognize that fear is often used as a tool of oppression. The Evil One wants you to live in fear so that you will carry an ongoing sense of guilt. He wants you to fear rejection if you share Christ. He wants you to fear the potential financial consequences of taking a biblical stand on a cultural issue. He promotes a “fear of missing out” if you don’t get to indulge in the sins that many others do. By means of fear, the Adversary and the unbelieving world labor to drive a wedge between you and God. They use fear to pressure you into being more like them and less like your Father in heaven.
This is no surprise to God. In fact, nearly 30 times in 15 different books of the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments, He is directly quoted as saying, “Fear not.” When God met Abram face-to-face He said, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great” (Gen. 15:1). God told Isaiah, Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you” (Is. 35:4). In Joel 2:22 God even told the animals not to fear! “Fear not, you beasts of the field….”
In the final book of the Bible, the Christian drops to the ground in the presence of the conquering Messiah. Take note of the Son’s response.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Rev. 1:17–18)
The One that holds the keys to Death and Hades has told you not to fear! Are you worried about receiving bad news? “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.” (Ps. 112:6–7).
Are you down on yourself due to fear of rejection, poor health, broken relationships or financial hardship? Even if you are suffering these things, you need not be gripped with fear. God has something for all believers that are in this state.
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. (Is. 41:14)
You may be a worm, but you’re God’s worm! You need not fear because the Almighty God is your Helper. Instead of allowing worldly fears to negatively control your behavior, use the light of Scripture to banish that darkness. God does not promise the absence of rejection, but He does promise protection and comfort to those that are. Believe His promises and fear not.
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Ps. 56:11)