WADE URBAN
Heb. 11:1, 6; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . .But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Job 3:25; “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”
Two spiritual forces dominate men: faith and fear. These are spiritual forces which demand fulfillment. The object of faith or fear will inevitably be manifest in your life. Those thinking they are in control of their own destinies are under demonic deception and are actually under the influence and control of a sprit of fear. Fear came into earth’s environment as a result of the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s sin and subsequent expulsion from the Garden resulted in fear-filled living for all Adam’s offspring. This includes every human ever born, for we all can trace our lineage back to Adam. It was the “Last Adam,” the Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed man from the consequences of a fear-filled life through His death, resurrection, ascension, and release of Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of men. Faith in God for those who believe can replace the force of fear. Unfortunately, many believers still are caught in the tyranny of living a fear-filled life, when in reality they have been given the antidote, faith in Christ Jesus. They just haven’t understood the reality of faith and purpose of Holy Spirit in their lives. This topic deserves far more detail than this quick thought can provide. My hope is that this will ignite a desire to pursue a faith-filled life and realize fear is an enemy to be defeated in order to complete your God-ordained assignment in life.
Here are the methods by which faith and fear operate:
1. Hearing: Rom. 10:17 explains that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Since faith is a direct result of heaven’s influence through God’s word, it stands to reason that fear comes through hearing something other than God’s word. Satan has various titles in scripture. One is “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and the “prince of this world”(Jn. 12:31). Satan’s influence is extended through fear and travels by hearing worldly conversation. Paul wrote, “for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom.14:23). This is a sobering statement for many who are more in the world than “in Christ.” Understanding we are influenced greatly by what we “hear” and that “hearing” determines which camp we reside in--faith or fear--is vitally important!
2. Heart: What a person hears, sees, and thinks about ends up in his heart. Jesus said what comes out of man’s heart defiles him (Mk. 7:20-23). Pr. 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Man’s heart is the residing place for either faith or fear. Believers must maintain tight control over what enters their hearts. Pr. 4:20-22 states, “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” Fear is the primary reason today for natural heart attack (Lk. 21:26) which results from stress and anxiety, symptoms of fear. The ultimate cause of natural heart attack is the spiritual attack of fear in the hearts of men.
3. Words: That which resides in the heart will be revealed through words. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:35). In other words your tongue is directly attached to your heart. Words which proceed from the heart will either bring justification or condemnation (Matt.12: 37). Pr. 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Words are powerful! God created all that is, through His Word (Jn.1:1-4). Words are thoughts verbalized or expressions of our hearts. They are containers of what lies within us. Words are filled with the spiritual forces of either faith or fear. When released, words will eventually return, bearing results of what was spoken. Man was created in the image and likeness of God. God created through His speaking the Word and likewise we do as well. Isa. 55:11 describes this process, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Unfortunately, most believers unwittingly become their own worst enemies through the words they utter. We often curse ourselves and others by idle, faithless chatter that binds faith and looses fear into our daily lives. The reality of life is that we prophesy our own pathways through the words we speak. If you are dissatisfied with your present situation, change what you say. Matt. 13 and Mk. 4 detail the parable of the sower. Jesus explains that seeds in the parable are words, and we reap the harvest of what we speak. The question is: Are you sowing faith or fear?
4. Believing and Speaking: Mk. 11:22-24 is known as the hallmark scripture of faith which describes two essential ingredients of faith: believing and speaking. Paul confirms this in 2Cor. 4:13 as he defines the spirit of faith. We believe what we hear, and what we hear we will speak. Just like faith, fear operates through the same ingredients, believing and speaking. When we hear “evil reports” of doubt, doom, gloom, failure, lack, and poverty and then speak them, the result is fear which is the force that brings the things feared into our lives. We must live by Pr. 4:23, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
5. Love: 1Jn. 4:8 proclaims God is love. Love Himself comes into our hearts in the person of Holy Spirit. Then 1Jn. 4:4 becomes reality in that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1Jn. 4:18 decrees, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” Love is the power behind faith. Gal. 5:6 explains that faith works by love. Love also supplies boldness necessary to carry out our divine assignments (1Jn. 4:17). James urges believers to submit to God (Love), then resist the devil (and his force of fear) and he will flee from you (Jas. 4:7). Our love level determines our power over or vulnerability to fear.
Not many like to confess that their lives have been fear-based. I often have to examine my own life and make radical adjustments. The next wave of Holy Spirit power is directly contingent upon the church living by faith not fear. We must realize not only the power of faith and fear, but also the process by which these dominant forces come into our lives, then choose to live by faith through love! AMEN.
Heb. 11:1, 6; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . .But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Job 3:25; “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”
Two spiritual forces dominate men: faith and fear. These are spiritual forces which demand fulfillment. The object of faith or fear will inevitably be manifest in your life. Those thinking they are in control of their own destinies are under demonic deception and are actually under the influence and control of a sprit of fear. Fear came into earth’s environment as a result of the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s sin and subsequent expulsion from the Garden resulted in fear-filled living for all Adam’s offspring. This includes every human ever born, for we all can trace our lineage back to Adam. It was the “Last Adam,” the Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed man from the consequences of a fear-filled life through His death, resurrection, ascension, and release of Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of men. Faith in God for those who believe can replace the force of fear. Unfortunately, many believers still are caught in the tyranny of living a fear-filled life, when in reality they have been given the antidote, faith in Christ Jesus. They just haven’t understood the reality of faith and purpose of Holy Spirit in their lives. This topic deserves far more detail than this quick thought can provide. My hope is that this will ignite a desire to pursue a faith-filled life and realize fear is an enemy to be defeated in order to complete your God-ordained assignment in life.
Here are the methods by which faith and fear operate:
1. Hearing: Rom. 10:17 explains that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Since faith is a direct result of heaven’s influence through God’s word, it stands to reason that fear comes through hearing something other than God’s word. Satan has various titles in scripture. One is “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and the “prince of this world”(Jn. 12:31). Satan’s influence is extended through fear and travels by hearing worldly conversation. Paul wrote, “for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom.14:23). This is a sobering statement for many who are more in the world than “in Christ.” Understanding we are influenced greatly by what we “hear” and that “hearing” determines which camp we reside in--faith or fear--is vitally important!
2. Heart: What a person hears, sees, and thinks about ends up in his heart. Jesus said what comes out of man’s heart defiles him (Mk. 7:20-23). Pr. 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Man’s heart is the residing place for either faith or fear. Believers must maintain tight control over what enters their hearts. Pr. 4:20-22 states, “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” Fear is the primary reason today for natural heart attack (Lk. 21:26) which results from stress and anxiety, symptoms of fear. The ultimate cause of natural heart attack is the spiritual attack of fear in the hearts of men.
3. Words: That which resides in the heart will be revealed through words. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:35). In other words your tongue is directly attached to your heart. Words which proceed from the heart will either bring justification or condemnation (Matt.12: 37). Pr. 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Words are powerful! God created all that is, through His Word (Jn.1:1-4). Words are thoughts verbalized or expressions of our hearts. They are containers of what lies within us. Words are filled with the spiritual forces of either faith or fear. When released, words will eventually return, bearing results of what was spoken. Man was created in the image and likeness of God. God created through His speaking the Word and likewise we do as well. Isa. 55:11 describes this process, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Unfortunately, most believers unwittingly become their own worst enemies through the words they utter. We often curse ourselves and others by idle, faithless chatter that binds faith and looses fear into our daily lives. The reality of life is that we prophesy our own pathways through the words we speak. If you are dissatisfied with your present situation, change what you say. Matt. 13 and Mk. 4 detail the parable of the sower. Jesus explains that seeds in the parable are words, and we reap the harvest of what we speak. The question is: Are you sowing faith or fear?
4. Believing and Speaking: Mk. 11:22-24 is known as the hallmark scripture of faith which describes two essential ingredients of faith: believing and speaking. Paul confirms this in 2Cor. 4:13 as he defines the spirit of faith. We believe what we hear, and what we hear we will speak. Just like faith, fear operates through the same ingredients, believing and speaking. When we hear “evil reports” of doubt, doom, gloom, failure, lack, and poverty and then speak them, the result is fear which is the force that brings the things feared into our lives. We must live by Pr. 4:23, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
5. Love: 1Jn. 4:8 proclaims God is love. Love Himself comes into our hearts in the person of Holy Spirit. Then 1Jn. 4:4 becomes reality in that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1Jn. 4:18 decrees, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” Love is the power behind faith. Gal. 5:6 explains that faith works by love. Love also supplies boldness necessary to carry out our divine assignments (1Jn. 4:17). James urges believers to submit to God (Love), then resist the devil (and his force of fear) and he will flee from you (Jas. 4:7). Our love level determines our power over or vulnerability to fear.
Not many like to confess that their lives have been fear-based. I often have to examine my own life and make radical adjustments. The next wave of Holy Spirit power is directly contingent upon the church living by faith not fear. We must realize not only the power of faith and fear, but also the process by which these dominant forces come into our lives, then choose to live by faith through love! AMEN.