Know God, No Fear

By Sandra Zirkle

We all experience fear in life, and that fear is real, but living in fear is to live less than the abundant life God has to offer us. See how getting to know God through God’s Word can take away fears and bring the joy, peace, and love of God that we were meant to have in life. See God protect and provide through fear and grow one’s ability to experience His peace and presence in whatever lies ahead. Using Scripture and personal experiences, see how you too can combat the lies of the enemy that create fear and, instead, walk in the joy and peace that Jesus make available to us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639034383

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Know God, No Fear

Sandra Zirkle

Copyright © 2022 by Sandra Zirkle

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All scriptures, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Cover Photo by Lyle Detwiler (Lyle Detwiler.com or Lyle Detwiler Photography.pixieset.com)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Fear Begins with Sin in Our Lives

Two Kinds of Fear: Healthy and Unhealthy

Fear Can Cause Us to Miss Out on Our Blessings

Fear Comes When Not Trusting God

Fear Can Cause Us to Control and Manipulate

You Can Live in Fear When You Don’t Know God’s Promises

Fear Can Come in Times of Persecution

Fear of What the Future Will Bring

Fear of Loss

Fear of Confrontation

Fear of Authority

Fear of the Lord

Introduction

I wanted you to know that I wrote this book because of the fear that I had in my life. God took me through a journey of acknowledgment of my fears, and I was able to deal with them by handing them over to God. In this journey, I learned that faith is the opposite of fear. When I put my trust in God, my fear dissipated, and I don’t use that word lightly. God has pressed on my heart to share my journey, and I am praying He will help others to rid themselves of fear. One of the ways the enemy comes to destroy our lives is through fear. Fear does not stop death, it stops life

I have heard it said that God tells us fear not 365 times in the Bible. I actually counted, and the word fear is mentioned 457 times in my Bible. But knowing God, and knowing God has a reason for everything He does, I know this is something He really wants us to grasp in our lives on a daily basis. He has worked on all my fears since the time I surrendered my life to Him over thirty years ago. Since then, He has given me life and life more abundantly. I want this healing for you, and I know He wants it for all. John 10:10 says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Each chapter has a scripture story found in the book of Genesis as examples because these are stories God has given us of how fear affects us. All of us, even the Chosen Ones of God…and those who know the Lord are the Chosen of God. Then I placed a personal experience of mine in each chapter to show you how God worked things out in my life. I noted a Resolve, some questions to ask yourself, and some scriptures to consider regarding the subject in each chapter, along with more scriptures at the end of this book.

When we ask God into our lives and start learning who God is, through a personal relationship with Him, we can’t help but release that fear. Just know that a personal relationship with anyone, including God, takes time and effort on our part. Go for it! It is so worth it!

Know that God is still a God of miracles.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

When you KNOW GOD, you will have NO 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)

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be afraid; only believe. (Mark 5:36)

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Author of quote unknown

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

Chapter 1

Fear Begins with Sin in Our Lives

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

—Genesis 3:10 (KJV)

This is the first mention of fear or being afraid in the Bible. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. Paradise! God placed them in this paradise and gave them dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on earth and gave them wonderful plants and fruits for food. All their needs were taken care of by God.

They had no reason to be afraid. They saw from God beauty, nurturing, love, provisions. God gave them power and authority. Why then, were they suddenly afraid?

It is no coincidence that we find, in this same chapter 3, that sin entered the world. Sin, evil, and unhealthy fear go hand in hand. The wages of sin, is death.³ Eve was deceived by Satan (the evil one) into thinking God lied to them, and Adam was totally disobedient by listening to Eve instead of God.

Once they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they died a spiritual death. They separated themselves from God and were sent out of God’s Paradise.

For God had told Adam of every tree of the Garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:16–17). God was protecting them from evil and keeping them in paradise until then. They now knew evil and knew that death would come, and they were afraid.

To help understand this concept, God has given us a clear example that is in front of us every day—young children. They are so innocent and trusting and pure until they come to face with evil.⁴ Then fear enters their life and changes it. Maybe their innocent eyes watched a parent hit someone that they knew or loved. Maybe they saw the change come over someone when they got drunk. Maybe they were lost and alone somewhere or abandoned by someone they loved and thought would protect them. They could have seen evil in the eye of an adult or an older sibling or friend. They may have watched a violent show on TV or on a video game. Maybe, and I hate to say it does happen, they have been physically, mentally, or emotionally hurt themselves by someone they put their trust in…or it could have been something as simple as being left alone in the dark at bedtime.

Sin/evil affects us all, and those effects can show as unhealthy fear. There was no fear before sin entered the world and we knew evil. Just living in a world where evil and sin reside opens up fear in our lives.⁵

Encouragement: My Personal Experience

I was that child who was physically, mentally, and emotionally abused.

When I was about six years old, I was hit by a car. I went into shock, then into a coma and almost died. I was in the hospital for months. After that, my world, as I viewed it, was never the same again. I believe my mom blamed my dad for my near-death experience, and that stemmed from her guilt for not being there when I crossed the street. They fought bitterly and constantly until my dad was forced to leave for the last time when I was around the age of thirteen.

I had fear because of the physical pain I was in. I had fear because everything in my life was out of control. I didn’t know if my dad would ever be there for me. Was it something that I did to cause all of this, because it all went crazy when I came home from the hospital?

My life with my mother was filled with physical, mental, and emotional abuse. I feared that I was not loved. I then looked for love in all the wrong places. I tried to control everything in my life, and the more