The Right Kind of Fear
- Alisen Bigerton
- Nov 20, 2024
- 2 min read
“We are armed with His very spirit and empowered to live in the right kind of fear.”
“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
It's often said that faith and fear are mutually exclusive. I would argue that the statement is untrue, or at least incomplete. Scripture tells us the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and there are multiple commands to fear the Lord. How does that stack up against this verse in 2 Timothy? Hang on, ‘cause it's about to get nerdy.
The word used in commands to fear the Lord is yira, which means awe, reverence, worship, and respect. The Greek word Paul uses for fear is deilia, which refers to timidity, fearfulness, and cowardice. So while yira brings us closer to God, deilia paralyzes us and makes our ministries ineffective. It keeps us from living fully. It also does not come from God.
The Lord gives us a spirit of dynamis: moral power and excellence of soul; power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, or hosts; power for performing miracles. Miracles.
Mom friend, our Father knew you and I would face fear. He knew the enemy would attack us with fear in an attempt to sabotage our calling. He knew war would be waged over our souls and minds, and He does not send us into battle empty-handed and defenseless. We are armed with His very spirit and empowered to live in the right kind of fear.
Action Step:
When fear and anxiety come in, hand them to God. He is neither surprised by your fear nor mad at you for feeling it.
Prayer: God, thank You for Your Spirit and for the power You give through Him. The power You equip us with is incredible. Please help us to wield it well. When we experience fear, please remind us to surrender it to You. Please replace our deilia with yira, and may our lives bring You glory. Amen
Written by Alisen, a mom who wants more yira