"For God has not given us a spirit of fear (...)" 2 Timothy 1:7

As I was zapping one evening from one channel to the other on the Canal Plus Bouquet, my attention got caught by a sequence of a Nigerian Film that was on Nollywood TV. A young sister who was concerned about the more and more aggressive attitude of her elder brother undertook to discuss with him in a friendly way to unveil the reasons of his brother’s behaviour. When she was just a few steps to the latter, the brother stood up with a frown face. Paralysed by fear the young sister lost the balance and on the ground she fell. Having looked at her a moment, the elder brother went away without uttering a word.

When it takes hold of someone, fear (for that is our topic) is likely to make him/her lose control, become less confident in him/herself and makes him/her more vulnerable to real or potential threats around him/her. Even if it is alleged that there are fears that have the merit of alerting an individual on his/her actual level of preparedness with regard a specific situation with the hope that (s)he will improve to emulate him/herself, we have to acknowledge that many a battles were lost, innumerable opportunities spoilt and whole lives destroyed by fear!

Fear is not just an emotion; it is unfortunately a weapon Satan uses with unmatched efficiency. Imagine the number of promises of healings, seeds of success, hallmarks of promotion and breakthrough fear has contributed to aborting, delaying or destroying! It thereby paves way for the “spirit of almost” in the lives of many.

God does know well how damaging fear can be in the lives of his children. Hence he kept warning them against this plague and reassuring them of his presence. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3); “Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).

Managing to tame fear deprives faith of the veil that darkens it to make it glitter magnificently. Let’s dare that additional and yet decisive step to possess our possessions in 2020