The Five-Fold Ministry in a Nutshell!

 

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers

These are the gifts that Jesus himself gave to the Church and are often referred to as ‘the five-fold ministry’.

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NLT)

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people.”[Psalm 68:18]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

The function of the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ is to equip the body of Christ to do his work and to build it up and lead it into maturity in Christ Jesus. This is done in an attitude of servanthood – serving the body in God’s love, grace and mercy, in the power of the Holy Spirit - just as the ministry of Jesus is.

When we look at verse 13 above, we see that the function of the five-fold ministry is not to stop until we reach full maturity and unity as a body which, in all likelihood, will only be when our Lord returns, and we are clothed in our imperishable bodies!

The gifts of Christ in the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ are not just gifts alone but are also positions or offices within the local church – these five gifts are people! We find that these gifts also come, sort of naturally, with the gift of Leadership!

When expressed correctly, spiritual gifts will always point to Jesus and give him glory. There are four passages in the Bible which touch on spiritual gifts: Romans 12:4–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–31, 1 Peter 4:10–11 (in these verses Peter is just exhorting the Church to use the gifts), and Ephesians 4:11.

One of the most common questions regarding this topic is, “What is the difference between the gifts described in Ephesians 4 and those found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12?”

In Ephesians 4 there are two key factors that are unique to them that the Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 gifts do not have.

1. The source is Jesus (Eph 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,), whereas the gifts in Romans 12 come from the Father (Rom 12: 3-8 by God’s grace and the faith He has given us), and the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 come from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them).

It is fascinating how this highlights the Father, Son and Spirit (the Holy Trinity) working together in perfect harmony and unity to generate and distribute all these gifts! And it is these gifts operating and functioning in the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit that will ensure that the body of Christ work together in perfect harmony and unity of the Spirit to reach full maturity and be conformed more and more to Christ’s image!

2. The second factor is that the Ephesians gifts are nouns and are thus actual people who hold this office in the local Church congregation because they carry that particular anointing from Jesus, rather than showing an activity or manifestation through any member of the congregation as are the other gifts.

For example, an evangelist or a pastor is a person who holds that office in the local body; in contrast, a person showing the gift of mercy as an activity or someone sharing a word of wisdom are manifestations of the gift through a person speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit or a person prophesying under the power of the Holy Spirit for a certain time or event for encouraging an individual or a group of people.

Moreover, the Ephesians gifts result in a singular and unified effect with the other gifts of the five-fold ministry (rather than showing diverse effects as the other gifts do): specifically, equipping and building the saints to perform the works of service in the ministry, which builds up the body of Christ towards the goal of unity, and displaying the full measure of Christ Jesus in the Church both as individual believers and as a corporate body.

The gifts Paul describes in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 are all transitive verbs and are thus doing words – they require an action to be done to or for someone, for example giving a word of knowledge to someone; showing mercy to someone or giving an act of service to someone. They are the gifts that the children of God use under the power of the Holy Spirit for a specific event and/or time. These gifts can also be used by the person holding an office in the five-fold ministry.

The importance of the fivefold ministry in the local congregation
The Church, including every local body, needs every part of the five-fold ministry that Jesus has given to us. One or two are not enough; we need all of the five-fold ministries working together in unity to build up a vibrant and Spirit-filled body!

Sadly, in recent times, the five-fold ministry has not been operating to its fullness in many local Churches, one or more of them are missing. But as God restores these ministries to the Church, as He is about to do, we must correctly respond to them.

God’s purposes will not be fulfilled outside of His divinely appointed leadership. When the Church embraces the fullness of the ‘Five-fold’ ministry, then the more the Church in every local congregation will flow in God’s gifts under the power of the Holy Spirit and the more we live life in the Spirit, so the more we will become like rivers of living water – more like Jesus, glorifying His name and bringing life to the local community in general!

A local congregation that is not built on and governed by the five-fold ministry will be unable to function to its true potential in the power of the Holy Spirit. It will be like a bicycle wheel that is missing a number of spokes – it will wobble and misfire and will only be able to progress so far and then buckle or just stagnate, injuring many people in its wobbly path!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father

I pray in Jesus name that you would restore the five-fold ministry to your Church, to each and every local congregation across the world so that the Church can be empowered by your Holy Spirit to be the Church that you intended it to be. Amen.

From Milk to Meat: The Christian Path to Spiritual Maturity

The Christian Path to Spiritual Maturity

The Way of Holiness

When we become born-again there is a path or road that we need to follow in our walk with Jesus that leads us to spiritual maturity in growth stages. The prophet Isaiah calls this road or highway ‘the Way of Holiness.’

Isaiah 35:8-10 (NIV)

8 And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness;

it will be for those who walk on that Way.

The unclean will not journey on it;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

9 No lion will be there,

nor any ravenous beast;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

The path to Christian maturity (the Way of Holiness) is similar to what happens to us when we are born physically from the womb of our mothers. In our physical growth we start off as babies and then we grow into infancy, to teens, to young adults and to mature adults. All these stages are done over a period of time.

In our spiritual growth we start off as babies (immature Christians) and progress to maturity through infancy to young adults and then to fathers in a similar fashion to our physical growth.

The main difference between our physical growth as humans and our spiritual growth as born-again Christians is that we can, in our spiritual growth, control how fast we grow to maturity in accordance with our willingness to submit our will to God and to follow His will upon the path that He has set for us! That is, our willingness to live life in the Spirit and to be obedient to His Word in becoming more and more Christlike.

The Apostle John shows us that there are two spiritual growth stages we go through on our walk with Jesus when we become born-again Christians.

Let’s examine these growth stages that John talks about together:

1. Spiritual Children –those that are spiritually immature
This is the beginning stage of our Christian walk and includes those that are newly born again and are thus spiritually immature and those that have walked with the Lord for any number of years but have not grown spiritually and thus remain spiritually immature (like the Church in Corinth that Paul writes about).

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

1 John 2:12 (AMP)

I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior].

1 John 2:13c (AMP)

I have written to you, children [those who are new believers, those spiritually immature], because you have come to know the Father.

In this stage we have just become born-again; the spirit that God miraculously places within each one of us when we are conceived in the womb of our mothers, has been renewed or energised. This only happens when we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

Although our spirits have been renewed or energised by the Holy Spirit, we are immature in our Christian walk and need to be fed ‘milk’ in order to grow towards maturity just as our physical bodies do when we are babies. Growing to maturity is to become more and more conformed to Christ’s image, being imitators of Jesus!

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

When we are newly born-again it is important for us to realise that although our spirit has been renewed, we still have to submit our souls to the will of God, our souls should come under submission to our renewed spirit, and this is the area where we all struggle.

Here I will briefly touch on how God created us as this is a topic for another time.

We are created as triune beings with a body, a soul and a spirit. Our bodies are perishable, our skin, skeletons and internal organs etc but our spirits and souls are not.

When we become born-again it is time for our souls to be submitted to our renewed spirits. This process is not an instant change but is our Christian walk and will happen only as fast as we allow it to as we submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God and are obedient to His word and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is only in through faith in Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit that we are enabled to walk to spiritual maturity!

Our souls consist of the things shown in the below diagram and all these things need to come under submission to the Spirit as we grow to maturity:

The soul is the area that needs to come under submission to the spirit and this is done by our being fed and nourished by the Word of God and our living in compliance with it (The Bible), that is, our willingness to be doers of the Word and not just readers of the Word and in all this, being led by the Holy Spirit – living life in the Spirit (Rom 8) and being full of the Father’s agape love, grace and mercy for others. 

Only in this way will we be able to walk the road to maturity and be conformed to Christ’s image and bring glory to Him. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us for the sole purpose of bringing glory, honour and praise to Jesus!

So, what sort of food does the new believer need to be fed? 

In verse two below the Apostle Peter tells us as new believers in Christ to ‘crave pure spiritual milk’. In verse one he also tells us the best way to start off our Christian walk is by ridding ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Let’s have a look at the Greek word for ‘crave’ in verse two. The Greek word is ‘epipotheó’ and its full meaning is: long for, strain after, desire greatly, have affectionate longing for. In other words, we really need to be fiercely passionate in learning and devouring pure spiritual milk as new believers.

Now, what is ‘pure spiritual milk’? What does it look like and consist of? The Bible, of course, has the answer!

Based on what Peter said, the "pure milk of the Word" is what is best for new Christians (and foundational for all) to be fed and nourished on - the perfect food for our souls! The pure milk is meant to make one grow in the faith as a new believer. These are "the first principles of the oracles of God"

Hebrews 5:12-13 (NIV)

12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths (KJV translates as ‘oracles’) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

So, what are the elementary truths or oracles of God – the milk that we need to know and have embedded within us before we can progress towards spiritual maturity?

Hebrews 6:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Our Spiritual Milk According to Hebrews 5:12-13 & 6:1-2:

• Righteousness by Faith Through Jesus Christ
• Repentance from Dead Works
• Faith in God
• Baptisms (cleansing) and their meanings
• Laying on Of Hands
• The Resurrection of The Dead
• Eternal Judgment

These are the biblical teaching that we, as new, born-gain Christians, need to absorb, fully understand and be obedient to before we can move on along the path to Christian maturity. Let’s have a look at what the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthian Church below.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

Here Paul is telling us that as new, born-again Christians, spiritually immature, infants, we are still ‘wordly’ and we have a road to walk on that will lead us to maturity. 

The pure milk of the Word is the foundation that we need as infants and this is what needs to be embedded in us so that we will be well prepared for the next step on our walk to maturity. 

In verse three Paul tells us why we are still infants and names a number of areas that we need to deal with in our lives before we will be able to move on successfully - "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?"

The time it takes us to move on is in our own hands – how willing are we to submit to the Word and its teachings and put them into practice and be led by the Holy Spirit? 

Are we willing to be baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to actively allow ourselves to be changed and our minds renewed by the Word, etc, etc?

God does not want his children to stay immature he wants us to grow to maturity by constantly devouring His Word and by constantly being obedient doers of the Word and by constantly being led and filled with the Holy Spiti.

James 1:22-25 (NIV)

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

2. Spiritual Adulthood – those who are mature in Christ:
When we are ready to move on from our spiritual infancy we move into the ‘adult’ stage of our spiritual walk.

The ‘adult’ stage of our spiritual walk has two compartments or substages according to the Apostle John. These are ‘Young Men’ and ‘Fathers.’ We will examine these two substages separately.

Young Men:

The Apostle John describes Christians in this stage as:

• Believers who are growing in maturity – they are having victory over their sinful nature, over the flesh and their lifestyle proves this.

• Because they have victory over the evil one because they have accepted Jesus as Saviour.

• Because they are actively living according to the Bible.

• They are the ones that are physically strong and vigorous.

1 John 2:13b (AMP)

I am writing to you, young men [those believers who are growing in spiritual maturity], because you have been victorious and have overcome the evil one.

1 John 2: 14b (AMP)

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the word of God remains [always] in you, and you have been victorious over the evil one [by accepting Jesus as Savior].

Psalm 119:9 (NIV)

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

By living according to your word.

The Christian in this stage has the revelation that they have a spiritual path to follow, are growing in spiritual maturity and are actively engaged in walking this path and are serving the body of Christ. In other words, they have started bearing fruit!

John 15:8 (NIV)

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Just as a natural baby, as it begins to grow, is weaned off mother’s milk and moves on to solid food, so it is the same in our spiritual lives. When we move out of the milk of the Word and on to the ‘meat’ of the Word or ‘solid food’ as Paul calls it in 1 Corinthians 3:2 we are walking the path to full maturity.

Solid food is for those that have grasped the essence of elementary teachings of Christ – the ‘milk’ of the Word and are successfully dealing with the lusts of the flesh and their carnality. They are actively engaged in walking a closer walk with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Fathers:
Fathers in the Church are spiritually mature Christians who have fully embraced the purpose and plan that God has for their lives in Christ Jesus and are walking the road in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:13a (AMP)

13 I am writing to you, fathers [those believers who are spiritually mature], because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.

1 John 2:14a (AMP)

I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.

In the above two verses the Apostle John seems to repeat himself when he says, “Fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.” 

I think this is done deliberately for emphasis and to stress a point – “You know Him.” Spiritual Fathers in the Church really ‘know’ Jesus and have walked faithfully with Him for a number of years and have a really solid, life experiential relationship with Him, constantly being filled with and moving in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Now, let’s have a look at what is meant by ‘know Him’ in the two verses above.

In these two verses the Greek word for ‘know’ is ‘ginosko’ (pron: ghin-oce-ko, Strong’s 1097) and its expanded meaning is: to get to know properly through, deep personal experience; to know someone in a personal and intimate way; to get to know the knowledge of (Jesus).

So, in this context when the Apostle John is addressing the ‘fathers’ in the Church, he means those believers that have walked faithfully with God through many trials and tribulations and are experienced ‘overcomers of evil’ in Christ Jesus. They know the value of a deep relationship with God in the power of the Holy Spirit. They have made mistakes and learnt from them, they are quick to repent of all wrongdoing - and we are all prone to this!

These are the people that have fought and won many spiritual battles in life and have born much good fruit to the glory of Jesus. These are the ones that have been battered and bruised by life but have overcome because of their unbreakable relationship with Jesus Christ and have actively lived life in the Spirit and have not lost their faith in Christ Jesus.

The ‘fathers’ in the body of Christ are the people that Paul describes in the verses below as looking after those that are immature and have assumed responsibility to mentor and teach others about Jesus and living life in the Spirit. 

Paul is the perfect example of a ‘spiritual father’ in the body of Christ and he urges us strongly to imitate him in this way as he imitates Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (AMP)

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16 So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father].

1 Corinthians 11:1 (AMP)

Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Now, as mature Christians, what sort of spiritual food should we be eating. We have already learnt that in our immature stage we need to be fed to the pure spiritual ‘milk’ of the Word which gives us the sound, basic foundations of our Christian walk. 

But what do we eat as mature Christians? What should we be fed?

Let’s take our cue from the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 5:11 (AM)

11 Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen.

Hebrews 5:14 (NIV)

14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In the  verse 11 above we are told that we need to have teachable spirits and a willingness to listen in order be considered as being spiritually mature. To listen and obey and to have a teachable spirit are the keys that open the door to spiritual maturity and will keep us on the ‘Way of Holiness.’

Based on these exhortations, we can assume that the "solid food" mentioned pertains to the far deeper teachings of Christ. These go beyond the "elementary principles of Christ," going towards "perfection" in Him.

Hebrews 6:1-3 (AMP)

Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.] 3 And we will do this [that is, proceed to maturity], if God permits.

In Hebrews 5:14 above, let’s have a look at the phrase ‘solid food’ from its Greek origin.

The Greek word for ‘solid’ is stereós (ster-eh-os') – and its expanded meaning is, solid (firm); referring to what is immoveable (will not budge); stable (not changeable), standing fast without buckling or giving way (steadfast) – Strong’s 4731.

The Greek word for ‘food’ is trophe (tro-fay) and means nourishment, food that nourishes spirit and soul - the 'Bread of Life' - The Bible - Jesus! – Strong’s 5160

So then from this we can see that ‘solid food’ is the Word of God that has been taken by the believer, and by constant studying and reading and putting it into practice in their lives, coupled with constantly seeking fellowship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, have become solid in their faith from continuously being nourished by the Word of God in its entirety. 

In other words, they are immovable, stable and steadfast in their Christian walk and are bearing much fruit – they are living life in the Spirit constantly.

They are being conformed into Christ’s image and are not just readers of the Word but are doers as well. They know who they are in Christ Jesus and have established active and constructive prayer lives. They have, through constant use of the Word, trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. They are actively involved in spiritual warfare!

Jesus is the bread of life, the Word of God! Jesus is the solid food of the mature believer who devours it daily and puts it into practice – every morsel!

John 6:32-35 (NIV)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

The mature Christian is full of the agape love of God and his every motivation in His Christian walk is in the fullness of God’s love to bring glory to the name of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. They actively desire to mentor others in their Christian walk to maturity!

Now is the time for the Church to stand up and be counted, to grasp and eat of the bread of life, the ‘solid food’, and leave immaturity behind in the name of Jesus! To walk the ‘Way of Holiness!’

God says, “Be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2]

Prayer:
O my Lord help me, I pray, to walk in the Way of Holiness. To walk in maturity in Christ Jesus ever craving the solid food of relationship with you and feeding on your Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord, fill me with your agape love that I may be a blessing to others and bring glory to your name, the name of Jesus! Keep my feet constantly on the path that is your will for my life – not my will but yours be done! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last Updated: 24 October 2022

Embracing the Fear of God

The fear of the Lord is His treasure!

This week we will be looking at the Fear of God and how different it is from the spirit of fear that is sewn in our minds by Satan.

Let’s start our study with a scripture from the Old Testament. This is a verse that you don’t often, if ever, hear quoted or preached on in sermons and teachings from the pulpit, at least in my experience, but one that is an absolute treasure for us as born-again Christians. You will see why I say this when you read the verse!

Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure*.
(*NIV footnote: Or ‘is a treasure from him’)

In this short verse God is revealing to us the spiritual treasures we have in Him when we embrace the reverent ‘fear’ of Him.

• He will be a sure foundation for all times (Heb 13:8 He is the same yesterday, today and always). God’s Word is a living Word and is always relevant.

• He will be a rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.

And the key to this treasure trove that God has for us today and always, is ‘the fear of the Lord’ and when we have this kind of reverent fear for God, we have free access to all the treasures that He has for us! The fear of the Lord is our freedom in Christ Jesus!

• Salvation in Christ Jesus.

• Wisdom and knowledge through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• The sure foundation upon which we build our lives when we live in Him, He is our stability and security – live life in the Spirit (Rom 8).

1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV)

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

What is the fear of the Lord?

If it is not the spirit of fear that Paul talks about in 2 Tim 1:7! What kind of fear is it?

To start off let’s take a look at the Hebrew word for fear in the above scripture from Isaiah 33:6.

The Hebrew word is ‘yirah’ (pron: yir-aw – Strong’s 3373) and its expanded meaning is: a morally reverent fear. It is a fear that inspires awe and aspiration and is not a destructive, cowardly and controlling fear. It is a fear that all Christians should have for their creator and the author of their salvation.

It is a reverent fear that we need to hold on to tooth and nail. It is a fear that will prevent us from doing evil and ensure us being obedient to His Word in all things because we don’t want to disobey our Father in Heaven. He is an awesome God, and His love endures forever!

Now in stark contrast if we look at the Greek word for fear used in 2 Tim 1:7 which is ‘deilia’ (pron: di-lee-ah – Strong’s 1167) we see that its expanded meaning is: timidity, cowardice, reticence, inhibited and fear – all of which have a negative and destructive connotation and is from the Devil and has nothing to do with the reverent fear of God!

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Now, dear Readers, when the writers of the New Testament were addressing the Church of the day and of course today, when they were talking about the fear of God they used the Greek word 'phobeo' (pronounced 'fob-eh-o' Strong's 5399) and has the expanded meaning of: to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference and reverential obedience. 

For example in Luke 1:50 which is a verse from Mary's (the mother of Jesus) song of praise to God! Mary is talking (or singing) about the awesome and reverent fear of God that brings the blessings of God on His people and in the case of Mary, on her as being chosen to be the mother of Jesus the man!

Luke 1:50 (NIV)

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

    from generation to generation.

'Phobeo' is the same word that Mark uses in Mark 6:20 when he is talking about the 'fear' that Herod had for John the Baptist because he knew that John was a righteous and Holy man!

Mark 6:20 (NIV)

because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

It is also used in Luke 18:2 where the Lord is telling the parable of the persistent widow and about the judge that had neither regard or reverence for God nor man!

Luke 18:2 (NIV)

 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.

Unfortunately, in this day and age this reverent fear of the Lord is sadly lacking in the Church. I am not pointing fingers or being judgmental as I am talking to myself as well! The Church often forgets that we have a standard to live by and that standard is His Word. Our creator’s manual for a Christian’s daily living.

Instead, the Church chases after money - prosperity preachers. Church leadership have become people pleasers rather than God pleasers! The Pastors the rarely preach about the wages of sin leads to death. 

They are more interested in the numbers growth of their congregations rather that the individual spiritual growth of their flock. They are the false teachers and prophets that we are warned against. Those that manipulate the teachings of the Bible to tickle the ears of people! Those that ignore and neglect Biblical discipline in their congregation in fear of man instead of bringing Biblical correction in the awesome and reverent fear of God!

But just examine yourself closely and look around you at the things that happen in today’s Church and you will see that not many people in the modern Church today really understand what the fear of God is because of the things they should do but don’t and the things they do but shouldn’t! Even though our sin as Christians is covered by the blood of Jesus, we still have an obligation to be obedient to His Word in every way. If we don’t, how can we be an effective witness to the world!

Tragically today the things of God within the Church, for many ‘Church goers, take a poor second place to the things of the world. There is no real evidence today, generally speaking, that the Church as a whole puts the things of God in first place as they should do according to scripture, both individually and corporately. Some get it right, but most don’t! 

Where is that reverent fear of God in today's Church and today's believer?

Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Right now, some of you who are reading this article will be saying to yourselves that’s all very well, but the fear of God is an Old Testament thing and for those living under the Law. Well, if that’s you, then I am pleased to tell that you are wrong and I’m going to let scripture prove it.

The reverent, loving fear of the Lord is forever!

Psalm 19:9 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.

And if you read verse 10 in Psalm 19, you will see that the decrees (instructions of His Word) of the Lord are more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. Yummy for our spiritual tummy!

Psalm 19:10 (NIV)

They are more precious than gold,

    than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

    than honey from the honeycomb.

The fear of the Lord should be with us every day!

Proverbs 23:17 (AMP)
Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation],
But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord day by day.

The fear of the Lord should make us tremble at His awesome glory, power and majesty!

Psalm 114:7 (NIV)

Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,

    at the presence of the God of Jacob

The fear of the Lord forms part of our worship of Him as his children!

As Christians, how do we cultivate the reverent fear of God in our lives?

1. By going to him and listening to Him and being obedient to His Word – the Bible. Keep your lips and tongue from speaking evil and from lying:

Psalm 34:11-13 (NIV)
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience].
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.

2. By choosing to fear God we gain wisdom and knowledge. Fools (those that are morally deficient) choose not to fear God and their path leads to spiritual death:

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

3. By being humble and not associating with evil in any way. This brings good health and nourishment to our bodies.

Proverbs 3:7-8 (NIV)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

Do not be tied in or affiliated to what unbelievers do for bad company corrupts good character.

2 Corinthians 1:14 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”[

How do we benefit by fearing God?

God always gives us so much more than we can ever imagine. By His marvelous love, grace and mercy we always receive what we don’t deserve!

1. We gain wisdom and understanding.

Job 28:28 (NIV)
And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.”

2. God will teach us the way we should go – he will show us the path He has set for us, the path of His will.

Psalm 25:12 (AMP)
Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]?
He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.

Let us imitate Jesus, let us be conformed to His image and let the Father's will be done in our lives always, being led by the Holy Spirit to bring glory to Jesus!

Luke 22:42 (NIV)

 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

3. God will teach us the secret of having a deep, personal relationship with Him and with others. The fear of the Lord gives us a longer life, a more meaningful life.

Psalm 25:14 (AMP)
The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning.

4. The fear of God cements all our relationships with each other.

Ephesians 5:21 (KJV)
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

5. The fear of God gives us a longer life.

Proverbs 10:27 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

6. The fear of God brings security to the family and helps us to avoid sin and leads into eternal life in Christ Jesus who is the Word!

Proverbs 14:26-27 (NIV)
26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,
and for their children it will be a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.

7. The fear of the Lord enables us to live a contented life and empowers us to face and overcome the troubles the world throws at us.

Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

How do we prepare ourselves to live in the fear of God? Yes, we have to be active participators as His children!

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Where do we gain wisdom and knowledge of God? By reading and studying His Word.

Proverbs 2:1-5 (AMP)
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];
3 Yes, if you cry out for insight,
And lift up your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver
And search for her as you would hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.

Now, dear readers, what practical steps do we need to be taking as God’s children to cultivate a Christian lifestyle of fear and reverence for God?

Let’s examine what we are told from the verses in Proverbs 2 above. We need to:

1. Receive the Word and Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. How? By reading, studying, and applying the Bible to our lives. Not some of the Word but all of it. Receive and believe! Be doers of the Word and not just readers!

2. Treasure the Word within us, store it in our hearts. Hold the teachings of the Bible in highest esteem!

3. Conscientiously apply yourself to gaining wisdom and understanding from the Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will give you revelation from the Word.

4. Don’t be spiritually lazy, be fully attentive to reading and studying the Bible. Be ever passionately prayerful and lift up your voice to God and ask for wisdom and understanding.

5. If you seek these things (skillful and godly wisdom) as for silver and gold and make them your treasure, then you will come to understand the fear of the Lord and come to fully understand the knowledge of God!

The fear of God is the key to Church growth, the increase in those who are being saved!

Acts 9:31 (AMP)
So the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers].

My dear readers, prepare yourselves diligently in the fear of the Lord. Nobody can do this for you, not your pastor, your spouse or any other Church leader! This is something you have to do for yourself. It is your duty to walk your Christian walk if you are serious about the things of God. God is serious about you – He sacrificed His son for you! You don’t get any more serious than that!

If you want to serve God, then you have to serve him in reverent fear – no half-hearted fence sitting or laziness in seeking His fellowship!

1 Peter 1:13-19 (AMP)
13 So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”
17 If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth. 18 For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, 19 but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.

The fear of the Lord is His treasure!

Dear reader, where is your heart and where is your treasure? When you have reverent fear for God, you are His treasure!

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father

I pray that you would teach me your ways. Show me, Lord, how to cultivate and live my life in reverent fear of you. By you Spirit, Lord, help me to set aside the things of my flesh, the things that prevent me from walking a deeper walk with you. Help me, Lord, to glorify your name, the name of Jesus by living my life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Humble me, Lord, under your mighty hand! Father in Heaven. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus! 

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last update: 4 February 2023

Overcoming the Spirit of Fear

Let's examine how we can overcome the ‘Spirit of Fear’ as a born-again Christian.

In my own Christian walk there have been many times when I have allowed ‘fear’ to prevent me from doing things that I know God wants me to do. There have been times when I have not done things because I have had a fear of what other people might think and say about me. There have also been times when I have not done or said things because I have been afraid of failing or because they have seemed to be too difficult for me to do.

In these times I know that I have either robbed somebody of a blessing or robbed myself of being blessed or both. All these things have caused me plenty of heartache and disappointment over the years. But God in His infinite love, grace and mercy gives us plenty of room to keep trying. Try and try again until we get it right! Praise His name!

Now, we all know that there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. But how do we overcome the fear that prevents us from doing the things that we know God wants us to do?

If you are like me then you will find some things easy to do and some things that are not so easy to do and many things that I’ve been too scared to do!

From the below scripture; the Apostle Paul is speaking to his young prodigy Timothy; and through Paul's words to Timothy, revelation came to me from the Holy Spirit from a scripture I had read many many times before true revelation hit me, I came to understand the true nature of fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Let me show you what I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me about this scripture.

Firstly, what did I initially understand by the word ‘fear?’

My own little definition was this: ‘fear is something in me that makes me scared to do or say something.’ I don’t know where this feeling of fear comes from or how to stop it coming! I do know that it prevents me from doing the things I know that God wants me to do and hampers my Christian walk to maturity.

Secondly, what does the verse in Timothy tell me about fear?

It tells me that the fear is a spirit, and this spirit does not come from God (For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear).

So, if fear does not come from God, where does it come from? Well, anything that does not come from God can only come from one other place and if fear is a spirit, as it says in our verse, then the spirit of fear is an evil spirit and thus, in most cases, comes from the devil.

At this point I feel I need to mention that the fear the Apostle Paul is speaking about here is not the fear we should have when we are referring to the fear of God as in the below verse. The fear of God is a reverent fear born out of a genuine desire not to sin or do evil because the consequences of sin are not good for us.

Proverbs 8:13b (NIV)

To fear the Lord is to hate evil;

The fear Paul is referring to in 2 Timothy 1:7 is the fear of things that are destructive and harmful to us. The fear of man that prevents us being compliant with the things of God. The things that are not of the Spirit but are of the flesh!

Now that it has been established that the spirit of fear is from the devil, how do we overcome it? Fear is a state of mind and Satan wants to control our minds by filling them with lies and fear!

We now have to understand that overcoming the spirit of fear is a spiritual battle and is not a fight against flesh and blood.

Ephesians 6:12 (AMP)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

Coming back to our verse in 2 Timothy 1:7, what spirit did God give us that will help us overcome the spirit of fear.

He gave us three: Power, Love and Sound Judgement and personal discipline or of a sound mind as some Bible versions say.

Where do they come from and how do we receive them? They come from the Father to the Son and to us by the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-17 (NLT)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

John 16:12-15 (AMP)

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. 14 He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you.

Let’s examine these three ways to overcome the spirit of fear, Power, Love and Sound Judgement and personal discipline, individually and in more detail.

The spirit of power
The Holy Spirit is the power of God. He is the power of God at the beginning of creation. He is the power of God that created all things through and for Christ Jesus who is the Word of God.

Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

John 1:1-4 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

The Holy Spirit is the power that resurrected our Lord Jesus from the dead, and He is the power of God that will give us our resurrected bodies.

Romans 8:11 (NIV)

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because o] his Spirit who lives in you.

He is the power that helps us overcome the evil one and gives us victory in Christ Jesus. He is the power that when God spoke, He created everything through Jesus and for Jesus.

He is the power that came at Pentecost in tongues of flame and a mighty wind. He is the power that brings miracles, signs and wonders in the Church.

Acts 1:8b (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;

Acts 2:2-4 (NIV)

2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

He is the power that brings the prophetic word. He is the power that draws man to salvation. He is the power that conforms us to Christ’s image. He is the power that has defeated Satan.

This is the spirit of power that we receive when we are in Christ Jesus. The spirit of fear is from the Devil who has no rights over us unless we invite him into our lives through sin, disobedience to the Word, unforgiveness, pride, bitterness or any other acts of the flesh.

Fear is a mindset that is sewn in our minds by the lies of Satan! Take every thought captive and kick out those that are evil before you put them into sinful action! Fight evil in the power of the Holy Spirit!

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (AMP)

3 For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. 4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.

The power we receive from the Holy Spirit is linked to the authority that Jesus gives to us as His disciples.

Matthew 10:1 (AMP)

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

If the disciples at the time had not taken up this authority and had succumbed to fear, there is no way they could have used the authority they had been given and they would have been ineffective in the world. 

It is the same for us today – we need to appropriate the power and authority that we have in Christ Jesus. When we do this, we will bring glory to His name and we can effectively change the world to His glory!

Fear strips us of the power we, as the Church, have been given. It strips us of the authority Jesus has given us as sons and daughters of God. We have been given the authority to go and preach and do the things Jesus did in freedom!

Matthew 10:7-8 (AMP)

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

John 14:12 (NIV)

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Fear will close your hands and your minds to the power you have been given in Christ Jesus.

The enemy does not want us to understand the power we have. He will use fear to strip us of our authority. We become so preoccupied with a sense of worthlessness, failure, false humility and everything else we say about ourselves that we can’t accept the authority that has been “freely given” to us.

God wants us free from fear and operating in the spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind. This is our inheritance in Christ Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit!

To be effective servants of the Lord, the true believer cannot operate in human strength and power but only in that supernatural power of the Holy Spirit – the power that is beyond all human understanding! The power that comes to us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. It is Jesus that baptizes us with the Holy Spirit!

John 1:33 (NIV)

And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

The spirit of love

The perfect love of God casts out all fear!

God’s agape love will always be with us when we are born-again, filled with the Holy Spirit and when we walk in the Spirit. When we are walking in the Father’s love, we are then able to overcome the fear and the lies of the enemy. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Romans 8:37-39 (AMP)

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 38 For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we repent and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour (being born-again) we have assurance that God lives in us and that His love is always with us. In God’s love there is no fear because His love is perfect and perfect love drives out all fear!

1 John 4:15-18 (NIV)

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

When we are living in God’s love by living life in the Spirit, we have assurance that we live in His full protection for when God is for us who can be against us?

Romans 8:31 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The devil is a corrupter of purity whenever he gets the chance, if we look at the way the ‘world’ loves today we will see that it is self-serving and controlling and full of insecurity – it wants something in return. This is the total opposite to the pure agape love of God, the love that gives us complete freedom and expects nothing in return.

One of the ways fear manifests in carnal love is through control. We try to control others because we ourselves are fearful. Our relationships suffer due to fear and insecurities. It can manifest through jealousy, anger, selfishness – and many other ways, all of which are the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

However, when fear is removed, we can operate in the spirit of love – God’s agape love. We have the ability to love the unlovable. We can love our enemies. We can love those that do not show grace. When we are free from fear, we can love as we are loved by the One who loves perfectly.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

The Spirit of a sound mind

What is a sound mind? The mind that is governed by the Holy Spirit and not by the flesh, the sinful nature. When we let the Holy Spirit control our minds and not our sinful nature, we will live a life of peace in Christ Jesus no matter what storms we are going through or are surrounded by. The mind governed by the Holy Spirit has nothing to fear!

Romans 8:5-8 (NLT)

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

When we are living life in the Spirit (Romans 8) we have the mind of Christ so that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can be instructed by Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:15-19 (AMP)

15 But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. 16 For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].

The believer who is living life in the Spirit has his mind set on heavenly things where there is no fear, rather than having his mind set on earthly things where fear, instigated by the devil, prevails!

Colossians 3:1-2 (AMP)

Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].

The spirit of self-control (one of the facets of the fruit of the Spirit) gives us the ability to maintain the internal environment of our hearts. It gives us the ability to respond to situations as opposed to reacting to situations. The fruit of the Spirit are manifest in and through us when we are walking in the Spirit. This is how we bring glory to the name of Jesus!

The Apostle James tells us how we can exercise self-control which comes from having a sound mind. The spiritual man is a doer and not just a reader of God’s Word. He is a man that is obedient and compliant with God’s Word in every way! We are thus overcomers in Christ Jesus including the ability to overcome fear!

James 1:19-22 (AMP)

19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; 20 for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us]. 21 So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].

As I said before, fear manifests itself in control. When we attempt to control others, it is damaging to them and those around them. However, when we operate in a spirit of self-control, we are only concerned with managing our own hearts. When we do this then the fruit of the Spirit is able to be manifest in us and through us and we become perfect in His love and thus fear is driven out.

Galatians 5:22-23a (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

Because we are born-again in Christ Jesus, we have the right to call ourselves the children of God and thus become co-heirs with Christ of all that God has for us.

Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Are you living under a spirit of fear or living as a child of God?

Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven
I ask you to forgive me for living under a spirit of fear and I ask that you deliver me from all fear. I repent before you now Father and turn away from all fear that is destructive to myself and to others. I pray Father in Jesus’ name that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to embrace the spirit you have given me as your son/daughter in Christ Jesus, the spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind. Help me, Lord, to live my life in the spirit always, that I may glorify the name of Jesus in all I do, in all I say and in all of my actions. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last updated: 2 September 2022.