A spirit of fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1v7

This day last week we awoke to the news that America had elected Barack Obama as her president. Too many American Christians, and those associated with them around the world, there could not have been worse news. After the news of the last few weeks about the world-wide financial collapse this lead to more fear and panic. The build up to the election has been all about fear. Obama is a Muslim born in Kenya and he is going to impose Sharia law on January 20th. He wants to rewrite the constitution. And so on and so on and so on. It made great preaching in American pulpits for weeks before the election.

The world economy is apparently in collapse. Barack Obama is about to become president. There is a lot to be afraid of, right? I even saw one comment on a Baptist discussion forum that read, ‘be afraid, be very afraid.’

How do we reconcile that to, ‘God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind?’ It seems like some believers, especially in America at the moment, have lost the plot. Where does that fear come from? How can so many of God’s children be so afraid of a new president? How can believers all over the world be so afraid of the world economy? Has fear replaced faith?

God doesn’t give us a fearful spirit. Instead He gives us a powerful spirit, and sound spirit, and a sound mind. It is up to us whether we go forth in fear, or go forth in power.