Different kinds of fear….

We see fear around the globe and there are different kinds of fear. People react to fear differently and that is called “fear reactions.” Fear is an “endemic” which we see around the world and it does affect all humanity. The word “endemic” means (of a disease or condition) regularly found among  people. Fear seem to be the “governing emotion” for humanity and has to be checked regularly. What are the different kinds of fear that affects people?

For example: fear of death, fear of man, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of sickness, fear of God, and fear of lack which includes famine, fear of pestilence,  fear of drought,  fear of losing something precious, fear and loss of business, fear of the financial wealth, fear of losing the job, and the list has no end.

Let us try to understand how our body responds to fear. A rapidly beating heart is a fear reaction. This means there is generally fear, worry and anxiety within a person continuously. The person may be depressed and feels as if a load is crushing him/her down. The person has no peace in his body, and that is the body feels as if it is in constant distress.

Fear is part of the effect of the fallen world. Let us see where the fear originated. It started back in the Garden of Eden, and the Scripture affirms as follows: “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself;” Gen. 3:5-10.

Let us see how to address some kinds of the above-mentioned fears.

Fear of death (Psalm 23), “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me;” Psa. 23:4.

Fear of man, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” Prov. 29: 25. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;” Heb. 13:5.

Fear of failure, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” Rom. 8:37. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” 1 John 4:15.

Fear of rejection, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out"  John 6:37(KJV). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Romans 8:1.

Fear of sickness, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” Acts 10:38. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” 3 John:2.  

Fear of lack, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32.

Fear of God, is another fear which is not mentioned above. The fear of God is the one fear that removes all others. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” John 10:10.

J.E. Adams. The Christian Counselor’s Manual, The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling, writes: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love, 1 John 4:17-18.

Mathew Henry Study Bible, writes: “The psychosomatic effects of sin are more readily seen in, “I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. LORD, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee” Psa. 38:8-9. David said that he felt as though he was benumbed and thoroughly bruised.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine” Psalm 33:18-19. “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” Luke 12:7. We can also listen to this old gospel song called “His eye is on the Sparrow.”