Part 5 – Recognize the Enemy’s Tactics in Your Life

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Dealing with Fear.

Do you recognize the enemy’s tactics in your life?

What are the fears that the enemy attacks you with, and how do they affect you? God is calling every believer to be free from the bondage of fear. The “Law” that religion mostly still promotes, even in so-called Bible believing churches, comes with a fear of failing to measure up, but Paul wrote ye are not under the Law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14).

Thus, Paul says;

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

What are your greatest fears? Whether asked on a survey or by a friend, my easy answer is fear of an inability to care for my wife, myself, and our family. Even from my earliest memories the inner drive to control my destiny welled up strong. It’s an everyday struggle for which the Holy Spirit is at work in me. He hates that I would try to be in control, for He alone is the Lord of my life.

And then there are always the Satanic inspired deeper, darker fears – the ones that pop up when we allow them to. The “what if’s” … of catastrophes, accidents, hurricanes, earthquakes, your plane crashing, shootingsall tied to death. In watching the news and thinking about what’s been happening in the U.S. and the world recently, our mind may go to the thought of the likely time that our country and the whole earth descends into utter chaos. We might think… what of the physical lives of our family members, and what comes of eternity for them if they are not yet saved. For a second, there’s a moment of dread and despair… but He who knows and loves “all men” and works in their lives… as much as in my life.

With regard to our failing Him, thankfully, for those of us who fail Him most every day in one way or the other… His mercies are renewed daily! I cling to the following words that apply even in this age.

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed (exhausted), because his compassions fail not. 23 They (His mercies) are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5 (KJV)

So, there’s Jesus and His “perfect love (that) casts out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18). Knowing and dwelling in His love and His care… frees us from all the negative and fear.

Every single one of my sins, every failure, and every evil, was placed upon Him at the cross. My burdens were so heavy, determined to bring doom at death when I faced God… they were lifted off, washed away, made void because of Christ’s cross.  

I can now live in confidence in Him and His faithfulness. “If we believe not (if we fail in faith), yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13 (KJV)

Death is no longer a fear because Christ conquered death and turned it into… the gateway to blessed everlasting life.

Now, fear only visits when I forget about Jesus’ undying love and His all-encompassing provisions. For the Christian, Fear Is Not the Absence of Faith, it’s a Lapse in Exercising Faith. We have “the faith of Christ” always in us as an element of His life in us. That said, in knowing Christ’s resurrection power of the empty tomb, fear no longer has such a grip on us.

To realize this point further, let’s visit the passage of Jesus walking on water. Imagine yourself in a small rowboat with the disciples, during a pitch-black morning on the sea of Galilee. The wind is howling, the waters roaring back and forth, leaving the vessel stranded in white-caps. Every person is fighting to keep the boat afloat to reach shore, when as Scripture tells us a mysterious form appears on the horizon. In an already tumultuous evening, greater fear than you thought possible strikes your chest. You think… Who could this be, walking on the stormy sea? Is this a ghost, and this now… while we are without Jesus with us? But, it was Jesus!

“immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be ‘afraid.'” (Matthew 14:27)

In the midst of the darkness, in the midst of total panic and dismay, the disciples see their Savior do the impossible – He walked on water, unperturbed by the chaos around Him.

In kind rebuke of them, He said “take heart,” He encouraged them to move past their doubt, their fear. His invincible “love casts out fear.” Jesus then welcomes Peter out onto the water, able to catch him if he faltered in faith. Jesus then calms the waters.

Interestingly, after having witnessed hundreds of miracles by His hand, even seeing Him feed the five thousand just hours earlier, it is only at this point, the Scripture says, that the disciples “worship Him as the Son of God” (v33). Their fear had turned into faith.

Our Lord is an ever-present refuge for us as believers. Is your life being beaten by life’s winds? Are you caught in fear – whether it be of people, evil, life, or death itself? There’s a Savior who can reach you in the greatest tempest and calm your heart. He knows exactly where you are, and nothing can block His way. His grace is sufficient to pull you out of the turbulent waters – keeping your soul safe through His all-sufficient love and work of the cross. The beauty of this story lies in the disciples’ response – seeing Jesus for who He is, as Savior, then loving, and worshiping Him.

God knows you and I will fail at times, yet He abideth (remains) faithful” (cf. 2 Tim. 2:13). He knows every earthquake, calamity, sickness, and situation of life. He knows the depth of the darkness in this depraved world. And He can overcome them all... if we would just have faith, trusting Him in the midst of all things. Since we know the Lord, when fear grips your heart, we can say “Lord, I’m trusting you!” Jesus, by His Spirit, will reach out His hand to us by making Himself known to us as peace.  “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” (Psalm 56:3 (NASB) And, as Job said; “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job 13:15 (KJV)

So, by the power of His Love, the Scriptures, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and our justified confidence in the fact of our eternal security in heaven… we will be established in “the faith”; our feet will be on firm ground.

Now having such confidence, we are equipped to impart hope into the desperate people and culture around us.