Stop Being Scared! 7 Ways to Overcome Fear for Great Change in 2020
This article is by Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Put these 7 ways to overcome fear for great change into practice, and move into the greatest peace, joy and victory you’ve ever known.
Fear of heights, fear of spiders, fear of snakes…
…fear of dying, fear of speaking, fear of rejection, fear of clowns, fear of…yes…peanut butter. The list of phobias is endless.
While many believe fears are normal or “healthy,” consider the definition of phobia:
“An exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical, fear of a particular object, class of objects or situation.”
In other words, fears have no logical reasoning behind them, nor do they serve a purpose. And that’s just the world’s view. According to God, fear is:
- A tormentor (1 John 4:18)
- A spirit that doesn’t belong to you (2 Timothy 1:7)
- The opposite of faith, without which we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).
More than that, fear is under the curse of the law.
If you’ve been living with a fear—or multiple fears—this is your year to make a great change and overcome fear. That’s part of the message behind the word of the Lord through Kenneth Copeland for 2020, which is the year of new visions, manifest power and great change.
You have already been delivered from fear. Whenever you feel afraid—afraid to fly, afraid to swim, afraid to drive—remember Jesus bore that fear for you the same day He bore your sin, sicknesses and diseases.
It’s time to stop being scared! Put these seven ways to overcome fear for great change into practice, and move into the greatest peace, joy and victory you’ve ever known.
- Watch What You’re Watching
Franklin Roosevelt had it right when he said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Fear doesn’t prevent bad things from happening—it is often the cause.
Rick Renner shared about a time when he was in college, and he spent an entire weekend with his friends watching a marathon of over a dozen horror movies. Not only did it open the door for Rick to become very fearful in his life, but something even more severe began to occur.
For 15 years, Rick experienced not one, not two, but THREE instances where his life was being seriously threatened by another person—including people with violent histories. In fact, these situations were horror-movie material.
When Rick finally asked God what was going on, the Lord revealed that it all stemmed from the horror-movie marathon 15 years prior. The Lord told Rick he had opened the door to death and destruction in his life by watching those movies. Rick was able to repent and deal with the situation spiritually.
Whether you know it or not, images stay with you. Your brain is like a movie screen—the devil can and will use it against you. Watch what you’re watching. Your mind should not be feeding on fear, horror, murder mysteries, negative news or anything else fear-based.
- Acknowledge the Author of Fear
To win the battle and overcome fear, you must acknowledge that it isn’t natural or healthy, but a strategy of the enemy against you. Satan is the author of fear. The sooner you recognize this, the sooner you can kick it to the curb.
Fear is never for you—its always against you. It has NEVER helped anyone but instead causes us harm (Psalm 37:8). That’s what the enemy is trying to do to you—hold you back, open doors to his tactics, and rob you of your blessing.
Whenever you start to feel any type of fear, remember the author. It will help you know what to do.
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- Refuse to Fear
When you know the source of fear, you know how to resist it.
Can you really make a choice not to feel something? Absolutely, 100 percent, without question. Emotions never belong in the driver’s seat of your life—you do! You can choose to love, choose to forgive and choose to live a life free of fear.
When you refuse to fear (resist the spirit of fear), it brings freedom and peace, and, oh…keeps the door shut on any attempts the devil has planned on your life. Whenever a fearful thought tries to creep in, be quick in your response. Say, “No. I refuse to fear.”
- Talk Back to Your Fears
When the devil feeds fearful thoughts to your mind, what is your response? For most Christians, the answer is, “Nothing.” Or, at best, they try to stop thinking the wrong thoughts. But, as Kenneth Copeland has often said, “You don’t fight thoughts with thoughts. You fight thoughts with words.”
When Satan tried to tempt Jesus, He didn’t try to outthink the devil. He took authority over him with His words. You need to do the same. When a fearful thought comes, respond immediately, out loud, with the Word of God.
(Find A Confession of Faith to Overcome Fear HERE.)
- Face Your Fears
One way to show the devil you have no intention of accepting his assignment of fear in your life is to face your fear. Kenneth Copeland did this very thing when he experienced fear in an elevator. He shares how he overcame the fear right at the moment.
“I got in an elevator at a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, one time, that was out in the open and made of glass. At first, I wasn’t afraid, but when I got up to the glass and looked down four or five stories, my toes started curling. I had this intense sensation to get back away from that glass. Instead, I said, ‘No, you don’t. You’re not putting that on me.’
“I pressed my nose against that glass and forced myself to ride it up and down four or five times until the fear left. I’m not tolerating fear from somebody that’s already been whipped.”
Don’t accept fear in your life. Rebuke it and face it if the situation allows. Do the same thing Kenneth did, and let the devil know he won’t be putting any fear on you!
- Cast Your Cares—For Real
What are your fears? Fear of a financial deficit? Fear of losing a relationship? Fear of losing a job? Fear of dying of a specific health condition? Whatever your fears, they don’t belong to you. Psalm 55:22 tells us if we give our cares to the Lord instead of keeping them ourselves, He will take care of them for us.
But if we insist on holding tightly to every care, concern, worry or fear, it blocks Him from moving on our behalf. You can go free of fear when you cast your cares on Him—for real. That means you don’t say you’re turning them over, then turn right around and start worrying again. Give your fears to the Lord—and leave them there.
- Don’t Let the Fearful Bend Your Ear
Without knowing it, most people live in fear and negativity. And they talk it. A lot. This is where you’ll need to make some decisions. You don’t necessarily have to cut people out of your life, but you’ll want to limit your time spent with those who are a constant stream of fear and doubt.
You may think their fear and negativity won’t affect you, but what you stream into your eyes and ears becomes fuel for your mind, just as what you put in your body becomes fuel for it—whether healthy or damaging. So don’t let the fearful bend your ear—spend time with people who are positive and faith-filled. It will bring great change to your life and keep you free of the damages of fear.
So, are you ready to stop being scared? As you put these 7 Ways to Overcome Fear for Great Change in 2020 into practice, you’ll find yourself developing a new, faith-filled habit of walking in perfect peace. You don’t need to fear anything in this life! Jesus is for you, with you, protecting you, guiding you and blessing you every day. Have faith in God—it’s the only way to live a long and happy life!