As we briefly mentioned previously, there are many fears associated with responding to the spirits, the use of charms, etc. Many have expressed fears that if they do not use charms on their children, they will become sick and possibly die. If the spirits are ignored, they can physically harm people or make them sick. These and other fears keep many in bondage to the spirits and other practices of darkness. But the Word of God says that the believer does not need to fear these things. Let us look there and see what is written.
I once heard a story of a boy who went to visit a farm with his father. When they got there, a small dog came out and barked furiously at them. Out of fear the boy jumped up on top of their car while the dog ran around it barking up at him. His father laughed at him but he stayed up on the car being terrified of the dog. Now, what kept him on the car? Was it the dog? No, the dog couldn't hurt him for it was too small. It was his fear that kept him on top of the car. Eventually he got over his fear, came down, and gave that dog a look that sent the dog running away never to be seen again during that visit.
In just that way, Satan uses fear to try to control believers. The greatest of these fears is the fear of death which Satan has used to hold many people in bondage. The Lord Jesus became a man and died so that He, "might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:14,1514Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15)). Now that He has delivered us, we are not to fear, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:77For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)). We don't fear Satan and we don't fear man either, for the Lord has promised, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb. 13:5, 65Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Hebrews 13:5‑6)).
No, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but He does call us to a life of faith and trust in Him. Job, as we saw previously, endured the severest trials from God, yet had an unshakeable trust in Him saying, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:1515Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. (Job 13:15)). But it is God's way to save and preserve us, and so the prophet said, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid" (Isa. 12:22Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)). God is our Father and He loves and cares for us.
The Lord Jesus told us about that care in Matt. 6:25-3425Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25‑34) where he shows how God takes care of the birds of the air and lilies of the field. Then He says that if God cares so much for them, won't He much more care for us? Then He says something most remarkable and important for the believer in verse 33: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." What, should I not seek my fields and possessions first? No, absolutely not! This is a spiritual principle of the Christian life that we must seek His things first in our lives and He will take care of all of our other needs according to His own will and heart of love. The mistake too many Christians make is that they put themselves and their possessions first just like the world does. As a result, they never realize the blessing and care of a loving Father in their lives.
But does this mean that we should not plant our crops and work hard to provide for our families and loved ones? No, it doesn't. We are told in Scripture to work hard and, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Col. 3:2323And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (Colossians 3:23)). In fact, "if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:88But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8)).
But does the Bible say that those who trust the Lord will be protected. Yes it does! Prov. 29:2525The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25) says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his confidence in Jehovah is protected." David expressed the same confidence in the Lord in Psa. 23:44Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) where he said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." The Lord goes with us through this life and if we will put our confidence and trust in Him all fear is gone. There is a double promise in Prov. 1:3333But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. (Proverbs 1:33) where it says, "whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil." That is the path of faith to trust God and be at rest.
So, by walking a life of faith with Him and putting His things first in our lives, we can trust the Lord to not only provide for our needs but also to protect us. He wants us to live our lives simply with Him just as a child comes to his earthly father and asks for things. In Matt. 21:2222And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22) the Lord Jesus said, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." That is a wonderful promise, but what does it mean? Does it say, "You will get whatever you want?" No, it doesn't. The verse says, "believing, ye shall receive." We must ask believing in other words, it must be in faith. If we ask in faith, our request will be in accordance with God's will, and 1 John 5:14, 1514And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14‑15) says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." This is the life of faith it is a living, real walk with God, depending upon Him for all of our needs and in all of our circumstances. It is completely opposite to the life of an unbeliever and contrary to the wisdom of the world.
Having said that, let us look at a great obstacle to the life of faith for the believer. There are many of them including self will, pride, and other sins. But when it comes to asking and receiving from God, we often are uncertain about what to ask for and we end up wavering in our faith. When this happens, the first thing we should ask for is wisdom, for it says in James 1:55If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5), "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." That is an absolute promise from God, and we must wait until He has given the wisdom for a matter before we continue further with it. But then there is a most important instruction in the following verses:
Again, it is the life of faith that is important. When we ask of God, it is absolutely essential that we do not have a plan for what we will do if He fails us that isn't faith at all! God wants us to come to Him in complete trust without any other plan. If we trust God for healing but then think secretly in our hearts that, if He doesn't heal us, we will go to the Witch Doctor, there is no faith in that! James says, "let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." If we look around and see that conditions are difficult and our crops are likely to fail, then we start to doubt and our faith wavers. And so, we are double minded we look to the Lord and with fear at our circumstances. That kind of Christian never progresses in his spiritual life, for "a double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
At one time Peter was like that. There was a night when he was in a boat with the other disciples and the wind was against them. They looked out on the sea and saw what they thought was a spirit, but it was the Lord Jesus walking toward them on the water. In wonderful faith, Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." When the Lord Jesus told him to come, Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water towards Him. He was walking by faith on the water; a place that all human wisdom and reason says you can't walk. But then something happened to Peter that often happens to Christians he took his eye off the Lord and looked at the wind and waves. Then he started to sink just like human wisdom said he should. What had changed? He had become double minded he partly trusted the Lord, but also trusted his own wisdom and senses. As a result, the Lord had to reach out and rescue him saying, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
Can we trust Him who loves us? Yes, completely, although it often goes completely against all human reason. We can trust Him because He loves us. We had previously seen that God is light, but this is His other attribute Love! In 1 John 4:1616And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16) we read, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love." If you read on to verses 18 and 19 you will find these wonderful words: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us." He loves us with a perfect love and, resting in that love, we have not fear it is cast out. Satan uses fear to torment people even believers. But God wants us to rest in His love and trust him regardless of our circumstances.
But then, what if we become sick, or our neighbor steals from us, or if a herd of animals tramples through my field destroying everything? How can I explain that in the light of God's love? Without any doubt, these kinds of circumstances are very difficult and a great trial to the Christian. But can we take them from Him and ask Him why He allowed that thing to happen? That is exactly what we should do in the life of faith. Do you remember Job? There was a reason why his trouble happened and it didn't have to do with Satan or anyone else around him. The Lord had allowed it for Job's own good and blessing. But, you say, how can I know that God is allowing this trouble for my good? We know it because Scripture says it. Look at Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28): "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Could it be all things? Yes, ALL THINGS, regardless of what they may be, are allowed for our good. The life of faith trusts Him for that and, like Job, we should go to Him and seek to find out what He is saying to us.
Summary: Satan uses fear to control people even believers. We have been delivered from that through His work on the cross and practically by faith. Knowing God's perfect love removes all fear since nothing can happen to a believer but what He allows for our good.