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Opponents of Grace: Fear 

We've been in an extended study as of late on the various opponents of Grace. Paul instructs us to stand fast in our liberty in Christ. Again I say if there is nothing opposing us there is no need to stand fast.

Today, I want to eradicate another opponent of Grace that afflicts so many's minds. Fear is a debilitating force that brings torment or the idea of punishment coming from God. Fear disables our walk with God, making us shrink back from trusting Him alone. Fear brings dread to our thinking. Dreading what tomorrow may bring. Fear is one of the greatest opponents of Grace.

Fear is those subtle thoughts of worry and anxiety. Did you know that worry is simply meditating on the thoughts, plans, and schemes of the wicked one? Instead of thinking long and hard about what could happen or entertaining the worst case scenario in your mind, turn to Jesus and His sure-fire weapon against fear.

The Opposite of Fear

Coming from a Faith background I was always taught that fear is the opposite of Faith. However, as I studied this New Covenant I have seen that this is an inaccurate concept. This concept is an incorrect conclusion drawn by some because of the similarities of Faith and fear. Both Faith and fear meditate on words. Both Faith and fear act on what it believes. Both Faith and fear grow by hearing.

Faith meditates on God's Word. Faith comes and is developed by hearing God's Word. Faith will act upon what it believes, which is God's Word. Fear meditates or ponders over and over the lies of the enemy. Fear grows stronger by continually hearing the negative that this World reports, the doom, and gloom some "ministers" keep proclaiming, and the lies the enemy continually speaks. In one sense fear is Faith in reverse.

Though Faith and fear have these similarities they are not the opposite of each other. If you study Paul's Epistles, you will clearly see the opposite of Faith is performance and works. We have a righteousness by Faith, not by works.

The opposite of fear is love, God's love. The Love of God drives out fear, see here. If we are in fear or dreading our tomorrow it's because we haven't believed in, accepted, and received the Love of God, that is His great love for us.

Fear tries to contaminate our Faith. Fear's subtle work is to attempt to get you to offer prayers in fear, riddled with anxiety, not in Faith. Think of this, we don't pray because the enemy is pressuring us. That's religion. We pray and commune with our Father because of relationship. We fellowship because of His perfect love for us not because despair is trying to overtake us.

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 KJV
Fear comes to us these three ways. In the spiritual arena, the enemy whispering his lies. Through words that are spoken, either spoken over you or to you. Through the letter, meaning something written, books proclaiming doom and gloom, negative news reports, an unexpected bill.

What do we do in these instances? We cast down those lying words of the enemy and believe God's love for us is greater. When negative words are spoken, we don't receive them. We stand fast in our righteousness. When the letter comes, we don't embrace fear we believe what God says not the enemy or man's traditions.

This is why the enemy seeks to discredit the message of Grace, our righteousness in Him and the depth of His great love for us. Fear seeks to diminish your understanding of just how much God loves you. Fear questions, it brings doubt. Fear is saying "hath God really said?" Fear puts a question mark where God placed a period.

The Cross and Finished Work of Christ said those who believe are righteous and accepted and redeemed and eternally secure. Fear comes along and tries to transpose that period with a question mark.

Fear: "Are you really righteous?" "What if this is a temporal righteousness?"  "If you sin the same sin continually you may no longer be righteous." "What if God is mad at you now?"

Don't allow these thoughts to take root in you. Recognize fear. Fear tries to bring you to a place of despair. It says there is no hope. What does God say?
‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you;I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’ Isaiah 41:10 AMP
When fear rears its ugly head daring to question what God has declared about you and what His Finished Work accomplished in you, rest in His perfect love for you and resist those thoughts. Understand your righteousness and stand strong in it. Fear will flee, here.

“You will be firmly established in righteousness: You will be far from [even the thought of] oppression, for you will not fear, And from terror, for it will not come near you. Isaiah 54:14 AMP

This is the good news. Being established in your righteousness in Christ and resting in God's love removes all fear. When you know you're irrevocably righteous, and that God always loves you what can fear convince you of? If God loves you why wouldn't He provide and care for you? If He loves you with an everlasting love, how could He hold your sins against you after Jesus already paid for them?

In summation, fear is a deceptive root cause of many people's problems. The way to uproot this evil, lying force is to recognize your eternal righteousness and embrace His unconditional, everlasting love. Perfect love casts out all fear. Fear is a deep root but the deepest root of all is another opponent of Grace, which is Condemnation. We'll address this opponent in our next study, you don't want to miss it.
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Labels: Faith, God's goodness, God's love, grace, New Covenant


