Banishing the spirit of fear - Halloween Series Part 3
In my last post I wrote about fortresses and strongholds and how they can overrun us. There is a big difference between a spirit of fear that has entered one’s life versus one that occasionally knocks on your door.
It’s the difference between an enemy who is inside your fortress and can take over, versus an adversary who regularly visits and shouts across the moat from below a barbed gate.
So while we may encounter the spirit of fear on a daily basis we need to make sure they stay outside the confines of our hearts and minds. Encounter them yes, but we must always keep them across the moat and behind the gate.
As parents we should be sensitive to the things that bring fear to our family. We can be sure they will pick up things from their friends, the media or even our relatives.
But the worse place to get them from is from us. For we are the final defense, When we sense the spirit of fear in them or in us we should be quick to banish them for our homes.
The way to do that is to pray and command any spirit out of your home and presence. They have no recourse but to obey the name of Jesus, specially if it is spoken in faith.
But what happens when strongholds have already been established. It’s time to…
Challenge the spirit of fear
Growing up one of my sons had a spirit of fear that constantly made him afraid. It happened when as a young boy he had a traumatic experience.
He could not take showers alone. He always needed the lights on when he went to bed and was always in fear. And as you may have guessed fear was building a stronghold in his life.
As I prayed for him the Lord gave me an idea that would change my son’s life and expose the spirit of fear to him.
Expose it for the lie that it is
I asked my son “How many of the things that scare you have actually manifested and happened to you?” My goal was to expose the truth about fear, most if not all the things we fear will not happen.
My son responded as expected not one of the things that he feared has actually happened. That’s when I asked him to stay in his room and close all the lights. Then imagine the scariest things and wait for them to happen.
After 30 minutes he came out of the room and told me that nothing did. He realized there was no point in being afraid. The vast majority of the things we fear will not happen. But often people remain in fear and don’t have any idea why they do. That’s because fear is a spirit.
Banish the Spirit of fear from your life
On a practical note our children will live a fearless life when we model it to them. When we read our Bibles, pray and listen to the preaching of God’s Word we are confronted with Gospel of Jesus Christ, the perfect love of God that casts out all fear (1John 4:18).
Nothing banishes the spirit of fear than to hear the Holy Spirit tell us how much the Father loves us with His perfect love in Christ Jesus.
Remember that behind our greatest and darkest of fears is a God who has a covenant promise that says, "I will never leave you, I will never forsake you." Have a great weekend!
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