Fearproof: How to Overcome the Paralysing Power of Fear

By Bruce Hills

FEARPROOF is thoroughly biblical, easy-to-read and very relevant.

It may come as a surprise, but the most common command God gave people in Scripture was: ‘Do not fear.’ Why? God knows our human nature and its propensity to fear.

Fear permeates all aspects and strata of society, is found in all personality types and attaches itself to all the pursuits of human beings. Learning how to cope with inevitable and wide-ranging fear is one of the most important and liberating lessons we can learn.

One of the keys to effective Christian living is to make right choices. FEARPROOF will help you discover:
+ How to unmask, identify and define fear so we can deal with it
+ How to limit the damage that fear seeks to do to us
+ How to reject fear as a permanent resident in our life
+ How to no longer live with debilitating and crippling fear
+ How to confront and face fear with tenacity and determination.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9780994260710

Book preview

What Others are Saying About This Book…

Bruce Hills is known for his clear biblical preaching. He has been a blessing here in Singapore on many occasions. His new book, Fearproof, is thoroughly biblical, easy-to-read and very relevant. I recommend this book to you and believe it will inspire and challenge you to overcome the power of fear and live a life of courage for Jesus!

Rev. Dominic Yeo

Senior Pastor, Trinity Christian Centre Singapore,

General Superintendent, The Assemblies of God Singapore

Most people grapple with fear at some point in their life and whilst some may be able to cope well and deal with it, others I am sure will find a great resource in this book as it tackles some of the common fears that Christians experience. I am grateful that Bruce has invested time and energy to help others find freedom from fear.

James Condon

Commissioner of The Salvation Army, Australia Eastern territory

Bruce Hills engages the reader in a journey of overcoming and understanding fear. It is stingingly based in the world and an understanding of life. Putting these principles into your life will help you understand and reject the way of the enemy in trying to destroy lives. Reject fear and embrace life.

Dr Brendan Roach

President, Harvest Bible College, Melbourne Australia

FEARPROOF

How to Overcome the

Paralysing Power of Fear

Exploring the ‘do not fear’

statements of the Old Testament

by

Bruce Hills

Published by CHI-Books

PO Box 6462

Upper Mt Gravatt, Brisbane

QLD 4122, Australia

www.chibooks.org

[e-mail]

FEARPROOF

How to Overcome the Paralysing Power of Fear

Exploring the ‘do not fear’ statements of the Old Testament

Copyright © 2015 by Bruce Hills

Print edition ISBN: 978-0-9942607-0-3

eBook edition ISBN: 978-0-9942607-1-0

Under International Copyright Law, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, including by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise in whole or in part without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of sermon preparation, reviews or articles and brief quotations embodied in critical articles. The use of occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the, Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Printed in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Distributed globally via a range of internet distribution outlets like: Ingram Book Group, Amazon.com and BookDepository.com. Distributed in the USA via Spring Arbor - Christian Alliance nationwide, Barnes & Nobel and others. Distributed in the UK and Europe through distribution outlets like Wesley Owen and Koorong UK. Also available through Chapters in Canada and Koorong in Australia.

Global eBook distribution available through outlets like Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Nobel Nook, KOBO, Koorong.com and Wesley Owen (UK).

Editorial assistance: Anne Hamilton

Cover design: Dave Stone

Layout: Jonathan Gould

Contents

What Others are Saying About This Book…

Foreword

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Fear of Attack and Retaliation

CHAPTER 2 Fear that No–One Sees and No–One Cares

CHAPTER 3 Fear that a Cycle of Negative Circumstances Will Never End

CHAPTER 4 Fear of the Future

CHAPTER 5 Fear that We are Trapped by Our Circumstances

CHAPTER 6 Being Afraid of God Rather than the Reverential Awe (Fear) of God

CHAPTER 7 Fear of Change

CHAPTER 8 Fear We Haven’t Got What It Takes to Do What God Has Called Us to Do

CHAPTER 9 Fear that Past Failures Will Hinder Our Future Successes

CHAPTER 10 Fear of Being Rejected Because of How We See Ourselves

CHAPTER 11 Fear that What God Has Promised Will Not Come to Pass

CHAPTER 12 Fear that We Will Go Without If We Give to God

CHAPTER 13 Fear of the Invisible Forces of Darkness

CHAPTER 14 Fear of Defeat in a Spiritual Battle

CHAPTER 15 Fear of Being Overwhelmed by What We’re Going Through

CHAPTER 16 Fear of Satan’s Intimidating Words

CHAPTER 17 Fear that God Has Rejected or Forsaken Us

CHAPTER 18 Fear that Our Message or Ministry Will Be Rejected

CHAPTER 19 Fear that Our Best Days are in the Past

CHAPTER 20 Fear We Won’t Be Able to Finish What We’ve Started

Conclusion

Appendix

References

About the Author

Foreword

From my long experience as a pastor, professional counselor, coach and mentor I can testify to the paralyzing and disabling effect of fear. Fear permeates all aspects and strata of society, is found in all personality types and attaches itself to all the pursuits of human beings. Learning how to cope with inevitable and wide-ranging fear is one of the most important and liberating lessons we can learn.

That is why Bruce Hills’ book Fearproof is such a welcome addition to current Christian literature. It is a book that is solidly based in Scripture and well-balanced in its appreciation of the human and divine elements of emotion, human weakness and vulnerability and the much-needed dependence on divine guidance and empowering by the Holy Spirit along with personal responsibility. Through a sequential Old Testament study of 20 occurrences of the term Do not fear, Bruce has been able to draw us into the lives of Old Testament saints all of whom experienced fear, and through careful analysis provide principles and practices to overcome and manage the many facets of fear.

Fearproof is a great example of the value of reading and studying Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in a prayerful response, committing to apply God-given insights to the issues of daily life. Bruce has shown us how this can be done in the area of fear. His analysis of each character study reinforces the timeless and contemporary life relevance and application of Scripture, and provides those in Christian ministry a methodology to explore other pressing issues in the same way.

Whether in my personal devotional life, my counseling, coaching and mentoring, or preaching, this book will be an important addition to my library and a practical resource in my ongoing work. Well done, Bruce!

Rev. Ric Benson

Former Senior Pastor, Kenmore Baptist Church, Brisbane, Australia

Church Consultant, Coach, Mentor and Counsellor

Introduction

Some years ago I heard the account of a British anthropologist who was studying an American Indian tribe in the late 1800s. The tribe was located in the north–eastern United States, not too far from the Canadian border. In his absorbing report he wrote about a unique ceremony this particular tribe held to initiate a boy of about 13 years old. The purpose of the ceremony was to create a brave.

Up to this point in the boy’s life, he had been taught many skills for subsistence living: fishing, hunting and fire–making. To prove his bravery however, he had to undergo something he had not been prepared for. All the braves would take the boy deep into the surrounding forest, moving on until they came to unfamiliar territory. The boy would be escorted far from home, beyond any recognizable landmark.

When they reached the designated site, it would be nearly sunset. All the men would then leave without even the hint of a good–bye or any instructions. To prove his courage, the boy had to remain in the forest alone all night and somehow find his way back to his village.

Wisely, the first thing he’d do would be to build a fire. In that part of the United States there are grizzly bears and mountain lions, along with other dangers. Sleep would escape him as he stood vigilantly by the fire. Every time he heard a twig snap or the rustle of a bush he knew to fear the sudden onrush of one of these predators. Yet, to demonstrate his manhood, he had to wait out the night despite any inward terror or tremor.

As the first rays of dawn pierced the forest canopy, the young Indian boy would begin to get a better view of his surroundings. The first thing he would notice was that he had actually been left on a track that would lead him home. But the second and more important discovery was that somebody else was there with him. Because of the darkness, that person had been hidden from his sight. His father had been silently and stealthily watching over him all night with bow and arrow at the ready, protecting him against every predator.

The boy had felt vulnerable, exposed and fearful, but his fear was needless. His father had been watching over him all night.

This story is reminiscent of Psalm 121:5–8 which states:

‘The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.’

Sometimes we feel vulnerable, exposed and fearful because of the ‘dark’ experiences we are enduring. No matter how dark our ‘night’ becomes, we do not need to fear because our Father is watching over us.

However, fear is a very real human emotion. How do we control, curtail or master our fears? God’s Word gives us some answers.

It may come as a surprise, but the most common command God gave people in Scripture was: ‘Do not fear.’¹ God knows our human nature and its propensity to fear. As we read Scripture (and we know from our own human experience), fear is often an automatic human response to unexpected tragedies, trials or overwhelming circumstances. In God’s Word we read that the Lord often spoke into the lives of people in crisis, turmoil or threat with the command: ‘Do not be afraid.’

The questions most inquisitive readers will be asking are, ‘How do I respond to the command, Do not fear? How can I proactively and purposefully overcome the fears affecting my life?’ We find the answers to these valid questions in the pages and principles of Scripture.

In this book, we will chronologically trace many of the references to ‘do not fear’ in the Old Testament. This will not be an exhaustive list, but a representative list of the key times when God, or a key Old Testament character, issued the command not to be afraid. As we unpack the pages of Scripture, our quest is to identify why God said, ‘Fear not.’ In other words, what did God reveal about himself or his purposes that became the basis for why they were instructed not to be afraid?

Each chapter looks at one Old Testament incident where the Lord said, ‘Do not fear.’ In each case, we’ll seek to identify the specific fear which the Lord addressed, then enunciate the reasons why God told a person or group of people not to be afraid. I’m sure you’ll be able to identify with the characters and circumstances and apply their lessons to the realities of your life.

Defining fear

An obvious question, then, is: ‘what is fear’?

Fear has been described as many things, but here are some common definitions of fear:

•The psychological and emotional state of being afraid

•An emotion caused by impending danger, distress or dread

•Motivational speakers often use the acronym of FEAR being False Evidence Appearing Real.

Importantly, we’re not seeking to address ‘fear’ from a psychological perspective. That is outside of my field. Our focus will be on what the Bible says about fear, and how God instructed particular people to deal with their fears.

For the sake of this book, and based on the many references in Scripture, we’ll define ‘fear’ as ‘a human emotion precipitated by being in some actual or perceived form of emotional, physical or mortal danger.’

At various times in our journey tracing the Old Testament characters, we’ll see that there are degrees of fear from mild anxiety (at one end) to all out unrestrained terror (at the other).

Distinguishing a healthy fear from an unhealthy fear

There is an important distinction to clearly draw: not all fears are bad.

There is a world of difference between a good fear and a bad fear. Some fears are natural, healthy, rational and founded, whereas other fears are unnatural, unhealthy, irrational and unfounded.

Good fears protect us from imminent danger, distress and harm, whereas bad fears suffocate, distort and hamstring our lives.

Healthy fears

By way of personal example of a healthy fear, I openly admit that I am afraid of snakes. I live in Australia which has an abundance of venomous snakes. In fact, seven of the ten most venomous species of snakes in the world have their habitat in Australia. Some Australian species are especially dangerous, such as the Taipan, Eastern Brown, Red–belly black and Tiger — just to name a few.

I have no interest in herpetology. From the safety of my living room, I have watched documentaries and seen the late Steve Irwin confidently and cautiously pick up a ‘grumpy’ (to use his colloquial language for an agitated or aggressive) snake. However, I have no desire to do likewise.

The fear of snakes is not something I need exorcism from — I simply have a healthy ‘fear’. I’ve consequently adopted the principle that, if I leave them alone, they will leave me alone. This ‘fear’ is not unhealthy; in fact, it protects me from potential danger.

The pre–eminent ‘good’ fear is what the Bible calls ‘the fear of the Lord’. This ‘fear’ is ‘God’s answer to the ordinary fears that master human beings.’² The ‘fear of the Lord’ protects us: from sin and its consequences, from living recklessly and irresponsibly, and from anything that would tarnish our relationship with God.

It would seem, therefore, that God created us with the emotion of fear, which, in its original, pure and uncontaminated form, is designed to protect us from things that may hurt, harm or endanger us.

Unhealthy fears

Most people, however, struggle with unhealthy fears. An unhealthy fear is one that has an adverse, damaging or harmful affect upon our lives. There could be many potential sources or causes, such as:

•Consumed or riddled with anxiety

•Result of some paranormal experience like dabbling in the occult, witchcraft or an eastern religion

•Ongoing residue or consequence of trauma or tragedy

•Unresolved or untreated pain from past experiences

•Unexplainable or irrational thinking process which manifests itself in fear

As Christians seeking to grow in likeness to Christ and live a victorious life, it is imperative to identify and address any or all of the unhealthy fears at work in our lives.

To discern the difference we need to ask ourselves the following questions:

•Is this a healthy or an unhealthy fear?

•Is this a natural or an unnatural fear?

•Is this fear protecting me or is it paralysing me?

•Is this fear a positive (productive) influence in my life or is it a negative (destructive) influence in my life?

Cause of destructive and negative fear

If fear was created by God as a human emotion to protect us, how, then, did it degenerate into an emotion which can distort and damage our lives?

To answer this question, we have to go back to the first reference to fear in the Bible. When something is first mentioned in Scripture, it is often significant and revealing. The first reference to ‘fear’ in Scripture is linked to the tragedy of the Fall.³ Adam and Eve were created by God as creatures of free will for the primary purpose of relationship with him. As part of their communion with God, they were given functions to fulfil⁴ along with one command which carried severe and irreversible consequences: ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’ (Genesis 2:16–17)

Adam and Eve were deceived and tempted by Satan (Genesis 3:1–5). Tragically, they succumbed to temptation and ate the forbidden fruit, thus violating the one command God had given them (Genesis 3:6). They immediately became aware of their exposed state before God, both in their physical nakedness and the shame of guilt (Genesis 3:7, 10).

In a frantic but futile effort to cover themselves,