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Title: Fear And Success_2
Below is the concluding part of this article. The first part of this article can be downloaded from the site address below: www.crossandcrownchristianministry.org.
What needs to be made clear at this stage is that “Fear” is not limited to any specific group as every living thing has something to fear. What all try to do is either to master particular fear by developing or acquiring the ability to overcome the fear effect or learn to live with the object of fear in such a manner as to avoid its effects.
Which ever is the case, it must be noted that “Fear” is not entirely negative as one needs a dose of fear to achieve success in this world and in the life after life. “Fear” in most cases is not the challenge but how it is managed. It will be difficult for man to make success in life without Fear. Fear can become the right tool to motivate for success if it is managed rightly.
Life challenges are mostly tackled because of fear of what failure can bring. The fear of homelessness, hunger, societal humiliation, dis-honour and dis-regard by people generally and similar acts which potentially makes someone feel inconsequential in the society, and which are mostly products of poverty, remains the motivation for most people who troop out on a daily basis to seek a means of living. No society reckons with someone with a failed life and the fear of any or all of this happening remains the motivation for taking steps to avoid them. How this is done is however, a different issue entirely as that will require proper management of the fear that poverty is posing.
Similarly, the fear of what happens to man after departing this realm remains the major reason for many getting involved in religious activities today. There have been several postulations, as to what happens to man after leaving this realm but what is not in doubt is that man will exit this world at some point. The Bible says the only thing that awaits man after departure from this realm is fearful judgement – Heb. 9:27; 10:27. This fear is sufficient to make anyone plan an appropriate reaction to avoid the effect of being found guilty. The only consequence of that judgement is eternal condemnation in hell. Some choose to ignore such truth claiming other theories that have no proven foundation, while some decide to do the needful by taking the advice given in the scriptures which is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The fact remains that, until the fall in the garden of Eden, there was no room for fear in man. The breaking of God’s instruction by Adam and his wife brought the first incident of fear in man with Adam telling the Almighty God that he was afraid when he heard His voice – Gen. 3:10. Of course the fear was further entrenched when the curses were pronounced by the Almighty God – Gen. 3:16-19. From then on, the man started experincing poverty and its scary effects, the woman became afraid of the pains of child birth and man generally, started getting scared of most animals like snakes, which they were supposed to dominate – Gen. 1:28-30.
All that man is scared of today are things or situations that were well taken care of at creation but which the fall turned to fear. There is therefore no doubt that fear is a product of sin. If man can then eliminate sin either by avoiding it or getting forgiveness for it, it is very likely that fear will disappear.
The Apostle Paul once asked that question and his response to it is also useful to the Christian today – Rom. 7:24-25. Convincing the Almighty God to restore man to his Garden of Eden state remains the best solution for fear and this will only be achieved through the mediation act of Jesus Christ. The Bible reveals God as love (1Jn. 4:8) adding that those who have Love in their life already have God. A significant advantage of this is that where this love for God is genuine, the Bible says fear is completely eliminated – 1Jn. 4:18-20. It implies therefore, that genuinely having God in one’s life remains a major way of eliminating fear.
Jesus Christ advises the Christian to have fear for God rather than recognising all those situations that trigger fear. According to him, fear for anything or anyone aside from God can only produce a solution that will protect the body but not the soul unlike fear for God that will protect both body and soul – Matt. 10:28. Of significance is the fact that Fear remains the factor that is triggering both reactions. He who does not have God will have fear but he who desires to avoid fear must believe in the Almighty God and his son Jesus Christ as it is impossible to get to the father without the son – Jn. 14:6. The Christian status of one who still entertains fear for anyone but God will remain in doubt and such will sink in the seas of life and it is very important to avoid fear at all costs if one is to succeed – Matt. 14:30. The Bible says we can avoid fear of all those sin generated fear objects by fasting all our fears for them on Jesus who is always willing to bear them for us – 1Pet. 5:7. So why continue to burden yourself with them. Drop all of them at his feet so you can live a fear free life.
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