Overcoming Fear
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good,
or make the tree bad and its fruit bad,
for the tree is known my its fruit” (Matthew 12:33 ESV).
I came across this social media post from Tom Crandall. I think it perfectly captures how we can identify lies and the roots of our issues.
Tom’s post, focused on overcoming fear, is so simple yet breaks down the enemy’s attacks into actionable steps. Let’s go through each one now. (Note that these principles work for more than just fear. You can switch out fear for perversion, hatred, witchcraft, or many other issues.)
1. Recognize that fear is a demonic spirit.
Fear is not your friend. And fear is not from God. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV). Fear is not even an option for true believers in Christ (except the fear of the Lord).
The first step to dealing with fear (anxiety, stress, or worry) is realizing that it comes from the enemy. No one wants to partner with evil, so call out fear as the demonic attack that it is and send it back.
Sample declaration: “I see you fear, and I do not partner with you. I send you back in Jesus’s Name.”
2. Understand that behind every fear is a lie
Fear is a complex issue. (So are issues like rage, depression, or perversion.) These often have underlying mindsets keeping them in place. When you feel fear, ask God, “Is there a lie I’m believing?”
The goal is to become an expert at digging out the roots of each issue. Like the tree Jesus referred to in Matthew, we must search our beliefs. See if any mindsets are creating bad fruit (sin, unhealthy actions or habits) and renounce their hold. If there is bad fruit in your life, ask God to show you what lie is causing you to act in this way.
Sample prayer: “Jesus, is there a lie I’m believing that’s causing me to partner with fear?”
3. Invite the Holy Spirit to disarm fear with truth
This is the most important step. Satan is the father of lies. Jesus is the source of all truth. When God reveals a lie to you, it’s your job to exchange it for heaven’s truth.
In Sozo, we believe that spaces vacated by ungodly beliefs need to be filled by godly virtues. Otherwise the enemy will come back and exploit this newly exposed area (see Luke 11:24-26 ESV).
We encourage clients to meditate on Bible verses that speak to their area of healing. For someone newly freed from fear, they should read scriptures about courage and declare this virtue over their life.
And that’s it!
Tom’s post shares such a powerful weapon we can use in times of warfare. It seems so simple, but it can bring radical breakthrough. If you want to go deeper in removing fear, check out my book, Overcoming Fear.
Here’s a quick prayer you can release over yourself this week:
“Jesus, thank You that You are my deliverer. Please expose any unhealthy beliefs I am partnering with. Help me to discover any root issues so I can remove them and embrace God’s truth. I ask this all in Jesus’s Name, amen.