If One Does Not Master Fear, Then Fear Will Master the One.

Mike Hosey, Elder

Mark Twain wisely observed that courage is not an absence of fear. Instead, he argued, it is a resistance to fear – a mastery of fear. 

Certainly, fear can be a difficult force to master. But mastered it must be!  If one does not master fear, then fear will master the one.  Unfortunately, Satan uses a voice of fear in the same way, and for the same reasons that he uses the voices of insecurity, condemnation, and giving up. He strikes fear in the heart of a person as a means of paralyzing that person from doing the will of God.  Think about it for just a second, all of those voices have at their base a root of fear that keeps them anchored in our hearts and minds.

And when that root of fear isn’t keeping us completely paralyzed, it tries to force us into foolish decisions based on what-ifs and maybes, instead of on Godly visions and truths. How many poor decisions have been made because of worry or fear, instead of on faith, or even fact?

So how do we master fear? Well here are three important tactics.

1)  We must remember that God tells us to take courage:  At least one bible scholar has noted that God sometimes commands us to take courage, not because of a faith in our own ability, but because He is our God (Deuteronomy 31:6, Isaiah 41:10, Genesis 15:1).

2)  We must develop a behavior producing faith in God’s mastery: We must remember that God is in control of everything, and that his wisdom and love are perfect (Romans 8:28-29).

3)  Remember that nothing can pluck us from God’s love: It is good to place faith in the FACT that NOTHING can snatch us from the love of God – not even our own mistakes and failures! (Romans 8:38-39).

If you want to master fear, then place faith in God, His love, and his goodness.  It might not get rid of all of those fearful feelings, but it won’t let them master you either. As long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, you’ll walk on water. The moment you blink, you sink (Matthew 14:22-33).