1490) I am an expert in fear. It has been something that fills me regularly. Sometimes this fear has been helpful; it can discourage me from doing something that is not prudent. At other times, this fear has been debilitating. What can we do to combat fear? First, we need to consider the word combat.

When in combat, the conflict is ever-present; it does not go away, therefore you have to fight. In this life, we cannot conquer fear and other such things until Jesus comes again. So, does that mean we have to fight constantly? Not in the way you may be thinking.

2 Timothy 1:7 tells us how to combat fear. First, the verse tells us God does not wish for us to be filled with the spirit of fear. My next thought is, if you don’t want me to be filled with fear, make it go away. I understand my thinking here and God will do this one day.

The verse then says that instead of fear, God gives us power. This word power in the Greek means power that is God-given, not our own. The verse tells us next that God has given us love, agapé in the Greek, which means divine love, a love only God can give. Finally, this verse tells us that God gives us self-control. This comes in handy when our minds take us away from God. It takes serious self-control to combat negative thinking and the good news is, God gives us this ability, if we ask him.

Is fear permeating your life? Tap into 2 Timothy 1:7 and let God run things.