Fear: Getting out of Darkness

By Daniel Hudson

Fear. It has become more than just something you find in a scary movie or storybook. It has become a part of our everyday lives. We need to know more about this darkness that threatens to overtake our way of life.

In my study of fear, I went to the beginning of humankinds recorded history to search its origin. The result was information for the believer and nonbeliever. The questions are as follows:

Where does fear come from?

How did fear start?

How did it spread to everyone on the planet?

Can we overcome fear?

In my search, I found a connection between fear and hope. There is an answerand this book puts all the pieces together. I found my answers and know that you can find yours. Lets free ourselves of this useless emotion and gain something greater: hope for tomorrow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490856254

Daniel Hudson

Daniel Hudson is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology and a licensed Real Estate Broker. He grew up in a family of English teachers, and has been immersed in the Arts his entire life. Daniel has written for his own enjoyment since he was ten years old, only now choosing to publish. After reading one of Daniel’s tomes, Sam Hodges, author of the novel B-Four, said, “Daniel is more erudite than William F. Buckley, on a good day.” Daniel lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his two Standard Poodles. He has two children and five grandchildren. For more insight into this story, please check out the author’s facebook page, Daniel Hudson Author.

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Copyright © 2014, 2015 Daniel Hudson.

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-5626-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5627-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5625-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015900028

WestBow Press rev. date: 4/9/2015

CONTENTS

Introduction: Fear: Getting Out of Darkness

Chapter 1:   The Beginning

Chapter 2:   Seeking Knowledge

Chapter 3:   Understanding the Effects of Fear

Chapter 4:   Needing God’s Love

Chapter 5:   Walking in a Relationship with God

Chapter 6:   Accepting God’s Wisdom

Chapter 7:   The Solution

INTRODUCTION

fear: getting out of darkness

Fear has been evident since the beginning of recorded history. The consequences of succumbing to our fear have cost us greatly. I was drawn to this subject during a study I was working on about hope. How can we have hope when we have fear, which is something that we cannot control? Fear is an equal opportunist that seems to have no bounds. It has taken over our economy and our lives, affecting how we look at the world, how we think, and where we live. This is nothing new to the world. We have survived this long. So, what is the point? People have studied the effects of fear, but what have we learned from those studies? The truth is that we have been overlooking the very thing that can change fear to our advantage. That thing is God the Creator. In my search for truth, I was drawn to 1 Corinthians 3:10–15, in which Paul is found speaking to the church of Corinth.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

These verses express a base for building a church, but they can also be used as a personal guide to spiritual growth. If you build a life on wealth, security, success, or fame without Jesus Christ as the foundation, then you are playing with fire. So, on what foundation are you building your life? After many years of studying the Word and experiencing trials and troubles in my life, I learned that without the love of God and His wisdom and knowledge, I could not overcome fear. Many professionals have written books about all types of fear. Others have written about hope. But I learned that the two are linked together. They both have their source in one’s knowledge of God. How can we fix one (fear) and establish the other (hope) without God? In order to understand the link between fear and hope, we need to understand more about God. I put this study together in the hopes that someone would be encouraged. I hope that my book will be a faith builder.

How are we to know the answers if we do not ask or seek for ourselves? How are we to proceed if we don’t know that God has made promises assuring us of our hope and eliminating fear? It starts with the soil and the foundation we build on. We cannot begin the growth process without turning over the old soil. I’m talking about a change of heart, a renewing of the mind, and a new attitude and environment. For many years, we have tried to overcome fear and encourage people not to give up on life. We need to renew our hope, but we have not succeeded in this. As with any formula or recipe, we need the key ingredients to be successful.

Without them, we will see failure—and we have experienced a lot of that. The first two verses of Proverbs 16 speak about humankind’s plan that started in the human heart. Humanity called it good, but God knows the motive for every plan, whether good or bad.

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. (Proverbs 16:1–2)

This leads us back to our subject: fear. It is generated from a thought, becomes a plan, and is birthed into reality. We must understand that fear operates in a place that is hard to control. We know that there are different forms of fear that are wide spread throughout the world. Even in the isolated parts of the world there is fear. I’m not just talking about war or disasters, but fear of survival from hunger, shelter and outside threats. For example, just like there are different forms of cancer and doctors have studied its origin. It’s the nature of the disease that makes it hard to eradicate. Fear takes on that its own nature and it is different in each individual. Fear is hard to stop, but God can change it. The verse above shows us that God has the final say about the outcome of our lives.

You might ask, Why does God allow fear to flourish? He allows it because of the choices we make. Many have chosen not to live with God. Many don’t even believe that God exists. This is why people have fear. God allows common grace to cover this world, which means that the sun shines and the rain falls on the just and unjust