The Open Door to Purpose—Pt. 1
Written 10/19/2021
I’ve found that fear is one of the enemy’s most deceptive tricks. He uses this simple yet powerful tool to steer God’s people away from their purpose.
For my seasoned Christ-followers, we’ve heard time and time again that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). If God’s Word says it, then it must be true. He did not give us a spirit of fear. But does that mean we won’t ever experience fear? Absolutely not.
Because we live in a fallen world filled with sin, and because we are imperfect human beings often faced with trials that seem bigger than ourselves, fear is a natural human emotion. In fact, I sometimes wonder—without fear, would we even turn to God at all?
I believe the scriptures that speak on fear are less about its existence and more about how we choose to respond when it confronts us. As I’ve meditated on this more deeply, I’ve felt the Lord impress on my heart:
“Though you are faced with fear, remember that such a spirit is not of Me, nor have I given it to you. Therefore, do not allow it to hold power over you. You are a child of the Most High. You are royalty. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
Do I believe God expects us never to feel fear? I don’t. What I do believe is that when fear rises up, He wants us to bring it to Him. He wants to take what was meant to paralyze us and use it as a stepping stone—something beneath us, not above us. He wants to transform our fears into strengths.
A couple of years ago, I struggled deeply with fear. Truthfully, I still do at times. But during that season, my fear was overwhelming. After the passing of a close family member—followed by several more losses—I developed an intense fear of losing those I loved. It consumed my thoughts and gripped my heart. But in the midst of that, the Lord gave me a dream—not directly about my fear of loss, but about fear itself.
In the dream, three vicious dogs stood before me, ready to attack. I was filled with terror. But then, the Lord spoke. In an instant, those same dogs looked at me with obedience, turned away, and stood against a larger enemy that had come to destroy me—a dragon. In that moment, I heard the Lord say, “I will turn your greatest fears into your strongest allies.”
And that’s exactly what He did. The fears that once threatened to defeat me became weapons in the fight against a much greater threat.
Fear is a natural part of the human experience. God is not angry with us for feeling it. He does not condemn us for our weaknesses—He knows we are imperfect. What matters to Him is how we respond. Will we let fear consume us, shape how we live, and limit how we love? Or will we surrender our fear to God, so He can refine it—not as a burden, but as an instrument for His glory?
Let your fears push you toward your God-given purpose, not away.
Scripture to reflect on:
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
