Focus: Origin Of Fear

Text: Gen.3:10

"And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was AFRAID, because I was naked; and I hid myself." 

This is the first occurrence of fear in the Bible and it is associated with sin. This tells us that negative fear originated from sin. From the above Scripture we learn that the next thing after Adam sinned is that he became afraid - afraid of the mighty voice and holy presence of God. Sin and fear are connected. Fear has its roots in sin. Interestingly, the direct opposite of faith is sin, not fear. 

Paul says, "For WHATSOEVER is NOT of FAITH is SIN" (Rom.14:23). Faith and sin are two roots. The root of faith is positive; the root of sin is negative. Whatever you do or say that is not characterized by faith is a sin. Each time you act outside of faith, you have committed a sin. The nature of sin in man is the springboard of fear. Sin nature has made room for all kinds of fear. Fear of evil. Fear of the devil. Fear of darkness. Fear of death. Fear of the unknown. Fear of heights. Fear of a bad past resurfacing. Fear of the future. Fear of failure. Fear of poverty. Fear of losing. Fear of all kinds. Fear on every side, and sin is behind it.

The only fear worth having is the fear of God, and it includes the fear of parents, elders and those in authority. Another word for it is respect, reverence, honor or loyalty. This sort of fear is not negative or destructive. All other fear is potentially dangerous, emotionally damaging, mentally and physically harmful.

Fear is such a terrible thing that the last book of the Bible declares that "the FEARFUL…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone…" (Rev.21:8). So fear ultimately leads to the lake of fire.

While faith is liberating, fear is incapacitating. While faith is tranquillizing, fear is tormenting. While faith makes you restful, fear makes you restless and restive. Sin and fear kill, but faith enlivens and revitalizes. Guilt consciousness breeds fear and saps one of holy boldness.

Adam was conscience-stricken the moment he heard the voice of God and felt His presence. By sinning he became sin-conscious, and upon hearing the voice of God he went to hide himself. Our fears lie to us that we can hide from God. 

Sin and fear make us want to hide. It makes us live a life of covering up. But it is impossible for anyone to hide from God.

A lot of people even stay away from church and Christian fellowship because of their sin and the fear of being found out. Moses says, "And be sure your sin will find you out" (Num.32:23).

Jesus once asked His disciples, "WHY are ye so FEARFUL? how is it that ye have NO FAITH?" (Mk.4:40). He asked them why because their fear was unnecessary. The moment you welcome fear, in that same moment you jettison faith. Faith produces the true fear of God. Sin produces in us the fear of evil, fear of the devil, and fear of death. We read all through the Scriptures of God telling us, "Fear not" or "Be not afraid." The just shall live by his faith, not by fear.

Someone once said, "I have a dream, a heart, and a God." In this world it really takes God to fulfill one's dream, especially when that dream is God-given and God-glorifying. You need a heart indwelt by God, not fear. Wherever you find faith, there you find God.

Do all you can to keep fear out of your life!

Fear is infectious - very contagious. In times of war, Moses tells the people not to entertain any fears. He says, "And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart" (Dt.20:8). Fearful people tend to transmit the emotion of fear to others. They contaminate and inject into others the virus of fear. Negative people fill the atmosphere with their negativity. People simply give what they possess. Be wary of negative people!

In Genesis 3 fear entered paradise; in Revelation 21 the fearful are banished to the lake of fire. In Genesis 3 Adam had fear in him. In Revelation 21 people have become fearful. From 'fear' to 'fearful.' From one man having fear to people being full of fears. Keep fear out of your life! A lot of sicknesses come from fear. Embrace the life of faith!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter