Not only can fear paralyze us, but it can produce what we fear. Job 3:25, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”
We also find that fear is contagious and can be passed on to others around us. There are many things to be fearful about such as our health, our children, finances, future, etc. And, Jesus brings this out on the sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25 – 33) where he talks about worry. It seems that fear and worry go together like a hand and glove.
Proverbs 3:25 “Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.”
The Hebrew for the word fear is: OT:6343 pachad (pakh’-ad); from OT:6342; a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared; by implication, the feeling). The KJV Bible translates the Hebrew: dreadful, fear, thing greatly feared, terror.
Rabbi Lapin brings out that many important words in God’s language can be read forward as well as backward, and when this word is read backward it means to be ‘propelled’ or to be ‘pushed forward.’ An example of this is with evil Haman in the book of Esther 6:12. “And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.” Hasted: OT:1765 dachaph (daw-khaf’); a primitive root; to urge, i.e. hasten: KJV – (be) haste (-ned), pressed on.
It would seem that when we are gripped by fear that we should start moving. When God first called me to go and preach I thought He was making a serious mistake. The one thing that I hated was public speaking. After being saved I went to a Christian college. I had many opportunities to preach, but I turned them all down saying that I was not ready. I had a real fear, but the time came when the Lord pushed me forward and I went to the pulpit, and when I opened my mouth the Lord took over and my fear was gone. I had to move forward for my fear to leave.
Another example of this is with the Children of Israel when they left Egypt and came to the Red Sea. A vast amount of water was in front of them and Pharaoh’s army approaching them were in back of them. They were hemmed in for sure. We read: “and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.” (Exodus 14:10) What did God say to Moses? “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” (Exodus 14:15) They were told to go forward and that was before Moses lifted his rod to split the waters. Verse 22 brings out: “And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” The had to step into the sea before passing through safely on dry ground.
What is the lesson to be learned? We overcome fear by marching forward.