Peter saw the wind and began to sink
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me (Matthew 14:30, KJV)
Fear is a universal quality of fallen human nature. There is not a single one of us who has not known what it is. We might have outgrown it or learn to master it, but it lingers around for any opportunity to take over. What is the real reason behind our fears? Let me quickly discuss two fundamental truths to allow you to grasp an understanding of the genesis of our fears fully.
The first is that fear came into the world only after the Fall. Fear is that disgusting and distressful feeling of impending danger or hurtful occurrence. It is a consciousness of the new reality that we can be hurt or killed by things in our environment. Before the Fall, it was impossible for anything in the environment to hurt man. It was not possible for him to drown, be hurt by a falling tree or attacked by a lion. These things only become a reality after the Fall, and our consciousness of that new reality living outside of the presence of God is at the root of the fear ingrained in humanity. This is a brief account of the genesis of fear. Let’s now discuss the present-day reality.
In Matt 14:30 Peter stepped on the water and was walking towards Jesus in faith but suddenly began to sink. It says, “when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid”. Fear came in after Peter’s eyes saw the waves. Before then, he had believed what Jesus told him and walked on the sea. When he believed the word, his heart was full of faith. When he saw the wild waves on the sea, his heart BELIEVED in what he saw. The waves “spoke to Peter”, as circumstances of life often “speak to us” and told him something like this: “these waves are deadly and you will sink and drown” or “oh my God, these waves will kill me”. Fear was produced when his heart BELIEVED what he was seeing and hearing.Fear is an emotion that is the result of believing in potential danger or hurtful event. It is a testimony or proof that there is something we believe that is contrary to God’s words.
Every fear in your heart is the result of you BELIEVING something. Maybe a thought came to your mind that you have cancer and you believed it and suddenly fear gripped you. Whether the danger is real or just an illusion, fear is a product of you believing! I want you to take a self-assessment and see for yourself how this works. Is there a fear in your heart right now? Look behind that fear and see what you have believed that is causing the fear. The worst part of it is that we sometimes believe dangers that are not even real and suffer from constant imprisonment from fear.
It is crucial to ensure your heart believes the Word, which is truth. If you believe a lie, whether you are conscious of it or not, you are in trouble. And there are many small lies many of us have believed unknowingly which are driving the fears and anxieties we deal with. I remember I had a thought as a young Christian that God was really not pleased with me because I was seeking the baptism of the Spirit, and it was not forthcoming. I believed that thought, which was a lie, but it had a significant impact on my daily life. I have met Christians who have believed that God is allowing some sickness in their lives to teach them some lesson. There are many such lies, small and deadly, that many of us believe without realizing it. If you find fear, remember that you have believed a lie, whether it is a real danger or an illusion, and whether you are conscious of it or not. Be careful what you truly believe.
MEDITATE
I have some simple and subtle lies I believed that God has helped me discover, and I am still finding out more. What about you? What is the real result behind that fear and anxiety in your health, marriage, finances, spiritual life, ministry, etc?
APPLY THE WORD
The secret of our fears lies in the truth about what we have TRULY believed. Many of us think we are believing God and walking in faith, but when the Spirit shows us what we have truly believed, the secrets of our fears and anxieties will be revealed. Engage in a heart-searching endeavor with the Spirit. Start looking at what drives your fears.
PRAY
Ask the Spirit to open your eyes to see the real reasons behind the fears in your life, whether in spiritual, financial, marital, or health matters.
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