For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
Operating from a position of fear negatively affects our lives in many ways. For example, anxiety can cause us to pull away from the very blessings God wants to bring into our lives.
Numbers 14:1-10 illustrates this. After the spies Moses sent returned from Canaan, some of them spread scary stories about the people and cities they had seen there.
Instead of heading in to possess the land God had promised them, the Israelites let fear grab the reins. They panicked, then plotted to assassinate their leaders the following day and wondered if Egypt would consider accepting them back as slaves!
When we allow fear to rule our hearts, it leads us in the wrong direction every time.
It can also cause us to reject wise leadership and then blame others for our lack of results. When the Israelites heard about giants living in the Promised Land, rather than trusting God and taking the land, they shrunk back, blamed Moses and Aaron for their situation and complained against the Lord. The people listened to fear instead of their wise leaders and even God.
If you recognize fear affecting any area of your life, get into God’s Word and possess His promises to you. Then you will operate from a spirit of faith. It will help you remain level-headed and keep your emotions from derailing you from God’s best. Staying anchored in the Word will help you recognize Godly wisdom and listen to faith-filled people.
Regardless of your circumstances, never allow fear to rule your heart. Choose to operate in faith over fear, and it will keep you steady on the right path.