Fear's Antidote

A couple summers ago, one of my sons struggled with fear.  He would become anxious and scared over several things, especially at night.  The Lord brought 2 Timothy 1:7 to my mind, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”  I began to teach it to him.  I wrote it out on a piece of paper and put it up by his bed.  I would quote it to him when he was afraid.  I began to ask him to say it out loud whenever he wrestled with fear.  

Something powerful began to happen when he quoted this verse for himself.   

As he began to speak this scripture, God’s truth poured over him.  Not only did he begin to know it in his mind, but he spoke it with his mouth and heard it with his ears.  As he quoted this verse, his whole being began to change.  His fears began to subside and he took on a new confidence and strength in the Lord.  

God’s Word began to change his life, because God’s Word is alive and active and is able to transform us to the very marrow of our being.

We are in our Summer to Soak Series, and our verse this week is 2 Timothy 1:7.

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”  

Earlier this week we looked at the first half of this verse and focused in on that word fear, defining it as False Evidence Appearing Real.  We looked at several way we as women struggle in this area.  If you missed it, here it is.

Today we are going to sink into the second half of this verse.  God has given us power, love and a sound mind.  Each of these words are clear and concise and speak in direct opposition to fear.  Take some time to look at each one:

1.  Power.  God hasn’t given us fear, instead He’s given us His power.  The word POWER in this verse in the Greek is “dunamis”, which is where we get our word “dynamic” and “dynamite”.  If you saw any fireworks last night, that word takes on new meaning.  But even more than that, check this out – look at Ephesians 1:19-20:  

“I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

Power in this verse is the very same Greek word, “dunamis”, used in our 2 Timothy verse…do you see what I’m getting at here?

The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the very power that is at work in us.

That has got to do something to your soul!  The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is at work in you.  And Paul is not praying that we would get this power, he is praying that we would be given a divine awareness of this power we possess in Christ as a believer.  Sit in that for a second or two…His resurrection power at work, inside of you.  

2.  Love.  He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, He has given us His love.  His amazing, unfailing, enrapturing love.  God is love, and in Him there is no darkness, only love.  He offers His love in fullness to us who believe on His name.  All His love is available to us, and for us to pour out to others.  It is relentless, as we talked about in Week 2.  You can count on it and live your life by the true north of that love.  And although the enemy does everything, all the time, always, to get you to believe otherwise, God does indeed love you.  And all His love is available to you every moment of every day.

3.  A Sound Mind.  This word is also translated as discipline or self-control.  It is referring to a mind that is secure and sound, self-controlled and divinely prioritized.  Our thoughts need His prioritizing, yes?  We have so much that influences our thinking every single day.  Whether it’s our past, present or future, so much comes at us constantly.  But in the middle of all the noise and crazy confusion, God gives us access to His divine clarity.  Romans 12:2 says “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Girls, we have full access to that clarity and we must continually submit our thoughts to Him and allow His soundness to transform our thinking.

How Can I Soak In This Verse?

1.  Write it out!  Find a notecard and write this verse out.  Put it up somewhere you will see it.  

2.  Memorize it and say it out loud.  A lot.  Ask God to give you a divine awareness of His power.  Ask Him to make your tangibly aware of His love.  Ask Him to transform your thinking with His clarity.  Exchange the lie of fear with His Truth.

3.  Spend time looking at scriptures on having a sound mind.  Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Romans 8:6, Ephesians 4:17-18.  Write one or more of them out.  

4.  Determine to stand in truth.  Believe God for all that He is on this one.  You have full access to God in every single one of these areas.  Stand in His truth.  

As we close out, I have to give you the follow-up story about my son.  Later that same summer, our whole family was out on a lake, on a pontoon boat for the afternoon.  We stopped for a while and my husband and our three oldest were having a blast, jumping off and swimming, and I was sitting on the boat with our 3 year old, laughing along with them.  As the afternoon progressed, my son looked at me and asked me to get in the water.  I really didn’t want to and was absolutely content being dry, so I used the excuse of having to stay there to watch our littlest.  

He was not deterred.  He kept after me, which rallied the other kids to all start yelling at mom to get in.  So I ventured to the side of the boat – it looked so cold!  Seriously guys, no!  They would not give up, c’mon mom get in!  I just stood there at the edge of that stinkin’ boat, with so much hesitation, anticipating the coldness, and acting…afraid.  My son looked at me, square in the eyes and boldly stated, “Mom, God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind!!”  …oh, my son.  I looked at him, filled with so much joy at the Truth that had permeated his life enough to speak it out loud to his mom.  I laughed, and said “You are SO right!”  And I lept off that boat.

Girlfriend, what is the fear that is keeping you stuck on the edge of the boat?  What fear has got you so wrapped up that you’re too afraid to jump in?  Friend, let me look at your square in the eyes and boldly tell you, God has not give you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.  Take that truth and stand in it.  Allow it to transform you from the inside out.  

Know that I am praying for you, and you are held and loved by our God, who desires His freedom to rule in your life.  Stand strong in His Truth today.

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How is God moving in your life?  

There is something powerful when we share our story – it brings encouragement and strengthening to so many others.  Feel free to leave comments below throughout our series. 

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6 Comments

  1. V Bragassa on July 5, 2013 at 11:43 am

    Yay Julie!!! You go girl!!! I was so encouraged with your message it gave me goose bumps and a Holy Spirit high 😉 thanks for sharing from a deep place of love and generosity. May God continue to bless and inspire…
    Love to you!
    V

  2. Mary Ann McMinn on July 5, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    Julie – I knew that He had given me power, but somehow it had never sunken in before that it is the same power that raised Him from the dead. Wow! That really touches me and makes me think of how little I let this power work through me. Thanks for this insight.

    • womenwhobelieve on July 5, 2013 at 10:59 pm

      Mary Ann, thanks so much for sharing this! I too was so challenged when I studied this. SO great to hear from you!

  3. Angie on July 9, 2013 at 10:44 am

    Beautiful and powerful blog, thanks! It reminds me of the time my child came home to an empty house and was afraid, and immediately began quoting Psalm 56:3 over and over, “When I am afraid I will trust in you”! It isn’t only us as parents that remember and share this story, but the almost twenty year old still holds this truth close.

  4. leilu98 on July 9, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    Reblogged this on Faith Journey.

  5. patricia Garvin on August 14, 2013 at 9:46 am

    I was truly bless with your commentation on II Timothty 1:7. I was truly blessed with your testimony of your son’s experience with fear. I’m presently on a 15 day fast with my church, today is day 14th and this is the scripture I read today. I will end my fast tomorrow believing in God power, love and of a sound mind in my life. Be blessed

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