This brings me to the fictional character, Freddy Krueger, who killed his victims through the power of fear. He fed on the fear of those he haunted, visiting them in their dreams and killing them; eventually killing them in reality.
In the movie "Freddy Vs. Jason," Krueger used the killing machine to bring fear into the town that had long forgot about him, rendering him ineffective. Without fear, he was powerless. The townspeople devised a plan to forget Freddy and it seemed to work until his name was mentioned again. His name wasn't to be uttered and those who were tormented by him were in nursing homes taking meds to suppress their dreams. They tried to overcome their fears by burying them instead of facing them. Fear is what kept them silent and fear is what gave Freddy the authority to terrorize their lives.
Satan too, uses these tactics to render Believers ineffective. For example, those who may struggle with porn addiction and masturbation, he will use fear of what others may think or say about you to keep you in bondage. As long as one remains fearful, they will remain under the power of the enemy. Sin thrives in darkness but when it is brought to the Light, there is freedom, liberty and hope.
One of the greatest fears I've had throughout my life is the fear of death. Recently, one of our followers shared with us their fear of death and this is what really prompted me to open up about my struggle with this. Ever since I was a young boy, I would ponder on the ways I would die and they were always violent deaths; whether it be strangulation, stabbing or being shot—fear of death was prevalent in my life since I was young. I cried at the thought of my mother passing away, I would go to her room just to give her a hug and tell her how I didn't want her to die. I knew nothing about an afterlife, all I knew was here and now. As I grew older, I began to grow in the knowledge of God, salvation and life after death but since I wasn't saved, I was always faced with the reality that if I died apart from Christ I would go to hell.
In 2010, Jesus saved my life. I felt a relief because I knew I crossed from death to life but I still had an overall of dying because I hadn't yet grown in who Jesus is and what exactly He has done for His people. If anyone desires to grow in Christ, they must abide in Christ. As we grow in Christ, we must expect the attacks of the enemy. Out of all our weapons of warfare, one of my favorites has grown to be the "shield of faith," wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16)
This tells us that we have a foe that attacks us with fears, doubts and anxieties and the only way we can extinguish his lies is with the truth of God's Word.
Here are some verses that I meditate on and I believe they will bless you as well:
Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death–that is, the devil– And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. (Hebrews 2:14-15 AMP)
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. (Psalm 91:3, 5-7 ESV)
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3:8 NKJV)
What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] [Ps. 118:6.] He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us? Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?
Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 AMP)
-1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (read the whole chapter preferably)
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Author: Jarrad Miller