STEP 5: FREEDOM FROM FEAR
In this step we will be asking God to reveal any unhealthy fears. These are fears that we wrongly believe are both present and potent. Begin by praying the following prayer out loud:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to You as Your child. I put myself under Your protective care and acknowledge that You are the only legitimate fear object in my life. I confess that I have been fearful and anxious because of my lack of trust and unbelief. I have not always lived by faith in You and too often I have relied on my own strength and resources. I thank you that I am forgiven in Christ.
I choose to believe the truth that You have not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Therfore I renounce any spirit of fear. I ask to to reveal to my mind all the unhealthy fears that have been controlling me. Show ne how I have become fearful and the lies I have believed. Open the eyes of my heart to Your wonderful truths. I desire to live a responsible life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Show me how these fears have kept me from doing that. I ask this so that I confess, renounce and overcome every fear by faith in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The following list may help you recognize some of the unhealthy fears that have been hindering your walk of faith. Mark the ones that apply to you, as well as any others not on the list that the Spirit of God has revealed to you, by writing a capital X behind each, for you, applicable fear.
- Fear of Satan
- Fear of divorce
- Fear of death
- Fear of not being loved by God
- Fear of never being loved
- Fear of not being able to love others
- Fear of of marriage
- Fear of rejection by people
- Fear of never getting married
- Fear of never having children
- Fear of disapproval
- Fear of embarrassment
- Fear of failure
- Fear of financial problems
- Fear of going crazy
- Fear of being a hopeless case
- Fear of the death of a loved one
- Fear of the future
- Fear of confrontation
- Fear of being a victim of crime
- Fear of having committed the unpardonable sin
- Fear of of specific people, animals, or objects
- Fear of other specific fears the Lord brings to mind
Remember, behind every unhealthy fear is a lie, a belief that is not based on what is actually true. These false beliefs need to be rooted out and replaced by the truth of God’s Word. It will help you hugely if you are able to discern these lies, because renouncing them and choosing the truth is a critical step towards gaining and maintaining your freedom in Christ. You have to know and choose to believe the truth in order for it to set you free.
When you are ready, write down the lies you have believed for every feart that you have marked on the table below. And search and write the corresponding truths from the Word of God.
| Fear | Lie | Truth |
| Example: Failure | Failure makes me worthless | I am precious in His sight and He loves me (Isaiah 43:4) |
It’s now time to experience God’s cleansing through confession and repentance (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13). Confession is agreeing with God that what you did was sinful. Repentance is the chopice to turn away from sin and change your way of thinking. Express the following prayer for each of the controlling fears that you have analysed above:
Dear Lord,
I confess and repent of the fear of
I now choose to live by faith in You, Lord, believing Your promise that You will protect me and meet all my needs as I live by faith in You (Psalm 23:1, Psalm 27:1, Matthew 6:33-34).
In Jesus’ trusworthy name. Amen.
Fear of people
We are now going to allow the Holy Spirit to search us further in one specific area of fear: that of the fear of people. Proverbs 29:25 says Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Fearing man ultimately leads to pleasing people - and that indeed is bondage. People-pleasers find themselves more and more concerend about what others around them think, because they wrongly believe that their personal worth and happiness are dependent upon the acceptance or approval of others.
When we make it our goal to keep people happy, we end up becoming enslaved to them and we remove ourselves from the safety and security of serving Christ alone (Galatians 1:10). To allow the Holy Spirit to examine your heart in this area, begin with praying:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I know that I have not always walked by faith, but have allowed the fear of people to control me. I have been too concerned about gaining approval from others, and I have been led astray from the simple pure devotion to Christ. I want to walk in a healthy fear and awe of You Lord, and not of people. Thank you for Your forgiveness. I now ask You to bring to my mind the specific ways that I have allowed the fear of other people to control me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Now mark on the following list areas that the Holy Spirit is revealing to you, by adding a capital X at the end of your chosen item:
- I have been afraid to say what I really think or feel for fear of being reprimanded, rediculed, or rejected
- I have changed my manner of dressing, make-up, hair-styles to prevent being reprimanded
- I am afraid to say “No” when asked to do something for fear of experiencing disapproval or anger
- I am often tired and on the verge of burn-out because of my inability to say “No”
- I resent feeling “used” but I can’t seem to bring myself to set healthy boundaries in my life
- I find myself easily intimidated by strong personalities
- I constantly need the affirmation of other people in order to feel happy, significant or worthwhile
- If I don’t get affirmation, I can easlity become depressed, discouraged and give up
- I don’t handle criticism well; it is painful because it makes me feel like a failure
- I will do almost anything to gain the approval of important people in my life
- I make sure that others know about the “good” things I have done
- I have found myself lying in order to cover things up in my life that might result in disapproval from others
- I have been more concerned with following man-made traditions in our church than with obeying God’s Word
- Other ways I have allowed the fear of others to control me
Now work through every fear you have marked using the prayer below:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I realize now that my life has been influenced by the fear of people, seeking to please them rather than discerning and doing Your will.. I realize that is sin. I specifically confes this sin
Thank you for Your gracious forgiveness. I ask You to strengthen me so that I will fear bo-one but You. Empower me by Your Spirit to learn what pleases You and to do it, regardless of what others might think.
I thank You that You already love, accept and approve of me, so that I don’t have to go looking for those things in other people. It is nice when I get them, but let them be by-products of having pleased You first.
In Jesus’name I pray. Amen.
After working through every fear, the Lord has revealed to you, pray the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank You that You are indeed trustworthy. I choose to believe You, even when my feelings and circumstances tell me to fear. You have told me not to fear, for You are with me; not to look about anxiously, for You are my God. You will strengthen me, help me, and surely uphold me with Your righteous right hand.
In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
See Isaiah 41:10.