Nervous Breakthrough: Finding Freedom From Fear and Anxiety in a World That Feeds It.Sample

There is a healthy fear. The fight-or-flight kind of fear protects you from danger and tells you not to jump into the deep end when you can’t swim. When the hairs stand up on the back of your neck when you find yourself in a dangerous situation, you know you need to get out now. Protective fear is a suitable type of fear, and we need to thank God for it. We welcome and are grateful for it. The fight-or-flight response is a beautiful gift from the Lord that needs to be activated on purpose when danger arises, not because our lifestyles are such that we are always running at supersonic jet speed.

Then there is fear of the Lord. Fearing the Lord is commanded in the Bible. One example is found in Proverbs 14:27 (NIV): “The Fear of the Lord is the fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.” Why would God ask his people to fear him when repeatedly he tells us not to fear? Fear, in this sense, is defined as awe or reverence. Fearing our heavenly Father means respecting, honoring, revering, and walking in wonder and delight before him. We should all have this healthy fear for our deep and great God.

The best way to fear God is to know his word by spending daily time in the Bible. A study by Barna Group in 2021 showed that only 16 percent of US adults read their Bibles regularly. Clearly, the benefits of knowing God’s word are undervalued in our world today. It’s no wonder that Americans are stressed out and anxious. We are unresponsive to the most important tool that can bring us peace. God’s Word is not dead and dull. In fact, it is quite the opposite. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12 NIV). I want something sharper than a double-edged sword judging my thoughts and attitudes; I’m sure you do, too!

What type of fear are you operating in currently? If it's a harmful kind of fear, what changes can you make today?