Psalm 56:1-4

1Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
-Psalm 56:1-4

We endure a lot as believers. Some would lead to believe that due to the challenges we face that there is a lot to fear. Fear, however, is a matter of perspective. I remember as a child being afraid of just about everything. As it was put for me, I was scared of my own shadow. So much of my time was spent worrying about things and dwelling in fear. What was the result? It was none other than continuing to worry and fear. It paid no benefit. Upon looking back I ask myself as to why I was so afraid? I desired to protect my life. This is reasonable, yet it was wrongly obsessive.

There is a fear that is good. Yet most fear is problematic. There is a self-centered focus often surrounding fear that is unwarranted and unwelcome in the life of the believer. In nearly all of the contexts concerning fear in the bible the question is posed as to what man can do or what flesh can do? This kind of reasoning only works if your goal is not to preserve your flesh but your spirit. When our focus is on flesh it becomes incredibly easy to become obsessive about it. When our focus is on spirit we find security in the Lord. If you are walking through a season of fear ask yourself where your focus is. Pray the last 2 verses in this passage and walk therein. We are not dominated by anything. That includes fear.