Recently my sister Mary and her husband Joe traveled to Florida. While leaving a grocery store one evening, Joe noticed a group of teens gathered around some bushes by the outside of the store. One member of the group had a large stick that he would poke into the bushes. It became apparent to Joe that they were torturing an animal that was trapped. Joe approached quietly and said, "Have you guys seen the big rat?" Immediately all eyes were on him. "What rat?" someone asked. "The big rat that comes out at night. Have you see it?" At his mere suggestion of a large monster rat, images of yellow teeth, rabies and getting eaten alive came to life within the group. He went on to embellish the story to the point where the girls that were present ran away screaming, the stick was put down, and all members scurried away quickly.

Joe, ever the practical joker, smiled as he watched them run. In a few moments, two of the boys came back with a friend. One boy said to the newcomer, "This is the guy who saw the big rat." Joe confirmed that he had been the one to tell them about the giant rat that lurked in the bushes. The three boys hastily departed and did not come back. The small, helpless animal in the bushes was spared, and Joe laughed all the way to his car.

I am sure that Joe's horrifying rat tale did not stop there. I imagine and visualize those young people each fleeing to their respective homes and neighborhoods to continue to spread the rodent story. What does this say about human nature? When something is presented to us in a manner that inspires fear and causes our hearts to beat faster, we grasp on to it, and many of us do not stop for a moment to make sure that the truth is being presented. When I think of fear and the emotions that follow it, it seems to me to be like a big black creature that comes swooping in to take away our peace. Sometimes, it can just be the mere suggestion of something from another person. A bad report or a negative testimony from another can begin our minds swirling with fear inspiring images. In 1 John 4, the Bible declares:

My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. (The Message)

Along with this scripture, I think of this sentence in Galatians 5:16:

Let the Holy Spirit guide your life. (The Message)

Terrorist attacks, swine flu, economic meltdown and environmental disasters are just a few fearful ideas that can invade our thought lives. They come and disrupt our tranquility and steal our peace and joy. How do we stand against this mental attack? I have found that prayer and asking the Holy Spirit to comfort me though the Word of God can remove the fear. I have been led to Psalm 91 which says in part:

You who sit down in the High God's presence,
spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "I am safe!"
That's right—He rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you are perfectly safe;
His arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
drop like flies left and right,
no harm will even graze you. (The Message)

There are days when I have had to read and re-read this scripture until it helps me overcome the fear that so desperately wants to attach itself to my mind and spirit. God does not want us blatantly following the idea or word of another. He expects us to run the matter by Him, and He supplies us with the Holy Spirit to help us come to a conclusion that does not involve being fearful.

For years I was terrified of high places. Riding on an elevator or looking out a window a few feet off the ground made my body react, and I would feel a tightening of all my muscles begin. I recall watching TV shows and movies with sweaty palms when scenes of high places flashed across the screen. I had no reason to have this reaction, and I didn't like it. One time, as I was going up a high set of stairs at an amusement park with my daughter, I felt the urge to turn around and run back down the stairs. Then, I felt an inward leading encouraging me to not run but to continue on. With my hand gripping the railing and my legs feeling like weights, I forced myself up the stairs. The thought went through my mind, "Put yourself in high places and the fear won't stay."

For years I went through the torture of forcing myself to go to high places in fear. I would watch others casually walk up the stairs, laugh, and enjoy themselves without a thought about how high they were. About two years ago I suddenly realized that my body was not reacting to a high place. For the first time in many years I could be up high and enjoy the surroundings without sick feelings coming over me. My fear of heights took persistence to overcome and there still are times when my mind wants to go back to the fear, and I brace myself waiting for my body to start its reaction. I stand against it, and continue to go to high places.

The enemy uses words and deception to start the chain reaction of fear. I believe a lot of us worry and become fearful of things that will never materialize in our lives. God has given us the antidote to fear and it is found in John 8:31-32:

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will set you free." (The Message)

Truth is the antidote for fear. And, the Holy Spirit guides and leads us into that truth if we ask Him to. Examine your life and see if you have any fear that is cluttering up your enjoyment of the life that God has given you. Just like Joe's rat story, you may find that once you know the truth, and deal with the fear, that there really was nothing to fear at all.

Copyright © by Christine Prueher Share