Fighting Fear
Fighting Fear
Dear New Covenant Family,
I’ve been reading a little gem of a book by the Puritan John Flavel called Triumphing Over Sinful Fear. The moment I saw the title, I knew I needed to order the book. It has been one of the main pursuits of my soul this past decade to fight against fear and unbelief with the promises of God’s Word. In His kindness, God has given me opportunities to trust Him in the midst of fearful circumstances. I can therefore say with confidence, “The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:9-10).
But I am far from a fearless person. And in some ways, that’s a good thing. I would be deeply concerned if my children, when they were younger, were not afraid of playing in the middle of the street or dancing on the edge of a cliff. And it’s a very good thing that I am afraid of driving down Randall Road at 100 miles per hour. God has put a natural fear into our hearts that can serve to protect us (and others around us) from very real dangers.
Moreover, there is a godly kind of fear we must cherish: “The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure” (Isa. 33:6). The fear of the LORD is also the beginning of knowledge and wisdom—and cultivating it prolongs our lives (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 10:27). That’s the kind of fear I desire to have in ever-increasing measure. For if I fear God, I need not fear anything else.
Therein lies my problem. Too often I find myself fearing lots of other things: What if I disappoint so and so? How will I get through this next responsibility? Am I able to meet this deadline? Will I be able to afford my kids’ college education? What if this sermon fails? And what if the next CT scan does not look good?
These are sinful fears. Why are they sinful? Because, says Flavel, “Sinful fear arises from unbelief—an unworthy distrust of God. This occurs when we fail to rely upon the security of God’s promise; in other words, when we refuse to trust in God’s protection … If we were to rely upon God’s promise (so far as He enables us to believe), we would reckon ourselves to be very secure.” To the extent I fear these other things, I am revealing a deficiency of the fear of the Lord in my heart.
Fear is a huge problem because it has a powerfully distracting influence over our hearts. When fear interferes with our minds, it interrupts our peace, disables us from duties, and at times puts us into such a frenzy that we can hardly pray or read God’s Word for our comfort. How much better is the example of Jehoshaphat. When he heard that a great multitude was coming against him, Scripture tells us, “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD” (2 Chron. 20:2-3a). He fixed and composed his heart for prayer at a time of great fright and terrible alarm. Flavel says “It is rare to find such constancy and evenness of mind.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on to something when he assumed the presidency with these unforgettable words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
But I need more than that. If FDR’s wisdom (as good as it is) is all I have to go on, my fearful heart might even start fearing how I’m going to overcome my fears (some of you can understand what I’m saying, and like me you feel well-qualified to play the role of Bunyan’s Timorous).
Thankfully God met me with a good word from His Word many years ago, and it has served me well ever since. It happened during a prayer meeting when I heard one of the older ladies in our former church pray something like this, with clear conviction and calm assurance: “Father, thank you that you have told us over and over again to ‘Fear not.’ But thank you that you also have given us the example of David, who said, ‘When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.’”
That quotation from Psalm 56:3 sets me free from the paralysis of analysis when it comes to fear. Instead of worrying about why I am afraid, I simply need to recognize when I am afraid—and at those moments (and this may need to be reaffirmed sixty times in an hour!), I need to consciously and deliberately put my trust in the Lord.
I have no control over fearful circumstances or the uprising of fearful thoughts. But by the grace of God, and through the power of the Spirit, I do know the remedy for sinful fear: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).
That really helps me—I hope it helps you too!
Fighting fear with you,
Pastor David Sunday
Dear New Covenant Family,
I’ve been reading a little gem of a book by the Puritan John Flavel called Triumphing Over Sinful Fear. The moment I saw the title, I knew I needed to order the book. It has been one of the main pursuits of my soul this past decade to fight against fear and unbelief with the promises of God’s Word. In His kindness, God has given me opportunities to trust Him in the midst of fearful circumstances. I can therefore say with confidence, “The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:9-10).
But I am far from a fearless person. And in some ways, that’s a good thing. I would be deeply concerned if my children, when they were younger, were not afraid of playing in the middle of the street or dancing on the edge of a cliff. And it’s a very good thing that I am afraid of driving down Randall Road at 100 miles per hour. God has put a natural fear into our hearts that can serve to protect us (and others around us) from very real dangers.
Moreover, there is a godly kind of fear we must cherish: “The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure” (Isa. 33:6). The fear of the LORD is also the beginning of knowledge and wisdom—and cultivating it prolongs our lives (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 10:27). That’s the kind of fear I desire to have in ever-increasing measure. For if I fear God, I need not fear anything else.
Therein lies my problem. Too often I find myself fearing lots of other things: What if I disappoint so and so? How will I get through this next responsibility? Am I able to meet this deadline? Will I be able to afford my kids’ college education? What if this sermon fails? And what if the next CT scan does not look good?
These are sinful fears. Why are they sinful? Because, says Flavel, “Sinful fear arises from unbelief—an unworthy distrust of God. This occurs when we fail to rely upon the security of God’s promise; in other words, when we refuse to trust in God’s protection … If we were to rely upon God’s promise (so far as He enables us to believe), we would reckon ourselves to be very secure.” To the extent I fear these other things, I am revealing a deficiency of the fear of the Lord in my heart.
Fear is a huge problem because it has a powerfully distracting influence over our hearts. When fear interferes with our minds, it interrupts our peace, disables us from duties, and at times puts us into such a frenzy that we can hardly pray or read God’s Word for our comfort. How much better is the example of Jehoshaphat. When he heard that a great multitude was coming against him, Scripture tells us, “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD” (2 Chron. 20:2-3a). He fixed and composed his heart for prayer at a time of great fright and terrible alarm. Flavel says “It is rare to find such constancy and evenness of mind.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on to something when he assumed the presidency with these unforgettable words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
But I need more than that. If FDR’s wisdom (as good as it is) is all I have to go on, my fearful heart might even start fearing how I’m going to overcome my fears (some of you can understand what I’m saying, and like me you feel well-qualified to play the role of Bunyan’s Timorous).
Thankfully God met me with a good word from His Word many years ago, and it has served me well ever since. It happened during a prayer meeting when I heard one of the older ladies in our former church pray something like this, with clear conviction and calm assurance: “Father, thank you that you have told us over and over again to ‘Fear not.’ But thank you that you also have given us the example of David, who said, ‘When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.’”
That quotation from Psalm 56:3 sets me free from the paralysis of analysis when it comes to fear. Instead of worrying about why I am afraid, I simply need to recognize when I am afraid—and at those moments (and this may need to be reaffirmed sixty times in an hour!), I need to consciously and deliberately put my trust in the Lord.
I have no control over fearful circumstances or the uprising of fearful thoughts. But by the grace of God, and through the power of the Spirit, I do know the remedy for sinful fear: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).
That really helps me—I hope it helps you too!
Fighting fear with you,
Pastor David Sunday
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