FAITH CAPSULE: Fear is the initiation of Satan’s visitation.

Job1, 2:1-10

The Bible identified two types of fear. The first type is positive and is to be encouraged. The second type is a disadvantage, harmful and is to be overcome. The first type of fear is fear of the Lord. This type of fear does not necessarily mean to be afraid of something. Rather, it is a reverential awe of God; a reverence for His power and glory. The fear of the Lord is to acknowledge God by knowing His attributes. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and leads to good understanding. (Psalm 111:10) However, the second type of fear is not of God and is not advantageous to have such fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 recorded, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” When the spirit of fear overcomes man, fear will rise while faith will sink.
Job is described “…blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.” (Job 1:1-3) Job was indeed a man of God and was blessed with wealth. Job was straight with God, but he was not sure of his children’s walk with God. Job always sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all making and making a statement, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” (Job 1:4-5)
After Satan was allowed by God to attack Job, he lost his properties, he lost all his children and his health was attacked. Job, by his adversities, he deplores his birth by cursing the day of his birth. On top of it all, Job gave a testimony, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” (Job 3:25-26) Spirit of fear is evident in Job’s testimony when he lost his children and properties. Fear is not of God; fear is the initiation of Satan’s visitation. Fear and faith does not complement each other. Not knowing the extent of God’s protective covering over the affairs of man’s life will possibly expose man to fear and not faith. Clearly, God is not pleased without faith. Unfortunately, Satan knew the extent of God’s covering over Job when he mentioned that God has made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side. (Job 1:10). When God makes man to be impenetrable, spirit of fear will make man to become penetrable to the Satan. Have faith and know that God is mindful of man. (Psalm 8:4-5) Know who you are and disallow spirit of fear in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God not to be a victim of spirit of fear.