Before the desert and the streams, something happens at the beginning of Isaiah 43.  As I wrote in Part 1, this passage is a feast. First, God calls out who we were and who we are becoming. The Passion Translation paints a before-and-after picture. Jacob was created. Then Jacob was formed, or rather, transformed into someone greater, Israel. 

God then implores us not to fear. Why? Because He has redeemed us. He literally brought us out of the land of fearful captivity into a beautiful new reality. He paid every cost for our freedom. And why did He do that? The next verse captures it. Made by Him, He calls us back into His arms. We are His very own.  I have called you by name, and you are Mine.

So when God tells us again ( and again and again…) not to fear, He is creating a playing field where He is ever victorious. It is not a slap on the hand comment. It is a transforming reality that He is bigger and better than anything we could ever possibly face or fear. It brings to mind “if God is for us, who can be against us.” Romans 8:31

As I prepped for the Streams in the Desert event, God showed me three kinds of fears we face: childish, stronghold, and demonic. There are definitely more, but this is what He showed me.

Childish Fears:
When I was 5 years old, I ran around my grandmother’s house. There was a narrow path through a wooded section, and I ran face-first into a huge spider web.  I screamed and thrashed my face and hair, trying to remove the web, and potentially, the spider.  Still screaming, I ran into my mother’s startled arms. My fear of spiders started that day.

Later, I played hide and seek with my siblings. I crawled under a bed in the basement. It was a sure win since I was the only one small enough to fit there. But I froze when I saw it. A huge spider was also under the bed,  on the far side of the floor from where I was hiding. I held out as long as I could, but when it started stretching out its legs, I was out of there.

We all have childish fears. I could name them, but you already know. These are fears that we have because we need time to mature and to grasp a bigger reality. Over time, we learn we are stronger and smarter than we thought. We just needed to practice bigger truths to move past hurdles that stop children, but not adults.

It sounds obvious. I had to learn that I was bigger than any spider and I could kill them with my foot, a shoe, or a broom. Or I could relocate them outside (as my adult compassionate self learned). I had options, but I was the one to decide. My 5-year-old self couldn’t grasp this.

Do you have lingering childish fears that need to be grown out of? Ask God for the bigger reality.

Fast forward two decades. I found myself sitting in a swinging chair with my feet off the floor because I uncovered a huge spider while cleaning. I sat in that chair for two hours until my boyfriend got there to kill it.

My unhealed childish fear had advanced to a stronghold fear.

Stronghold Fears:
A stronghold is a dwelling that is built by the owner of the castle. It is an outpost intended to secure and protect the territory from invaders. The eyes on the horizon to scout impending danger. When these strongholds get overrun by the enemy, the opposing forces actually turn and use the proximity and shelter to harm the castle owner.

This is true in the spirit world, as well. We laugh and say it is like giving the devil air-conditioning, snacks, and Netflix while he attacks us from our own building.

Fear only has the power we give it.  And God has given us the tools to overcome every fear. When we can’t overcome, we have allowed fear to have more control than the Spirit. God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:17) The enemy tries to steal that goodness and leave us with torment instead.

How do we overcome strongholds? Confession and repentance.

Much of today’s emotional and spiritual wrangling is us trying to keep fear and freedom at the same time. We try to doll up our fear instead of confessing it as sin. Unplug the AC in the stronghold. Take away the snacks. Raze the building, if that is what it takes, to clear the enemy out. Meaning, spend time with the Lord to see where the childish fear started and how you have let it go unchecked. Agree that you partnered with a lie for too long, and renounce it.  Then you partner with the greater truth that God is more than enough. You are His own.  You are stronger and smarter than you know.

Spirit of Fear
Sometimes we have done alllll the things, and yet fear consumes us.  Real talk here. It says in the same verse in Timothy that God has NOT given us a spirit of fear… That means two things. 1) There is one. 2) God didn’t give it.

Listen, if we could cast out a spirit of fear, once and for all, we would. But our charge is to displace the spirit of fear with a bigger reality, Perfect Love. Perfect Love casts out, drives out fear.

“Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.” 1 John 4:18-19

Many Christians keep trying to shape their theology to make pain and fear come from God. But we have an enemy.  And this enemy hates us. His number one goal is to make us doubt God’s love and hate ourselves and each other.

Which is why Jesus summed up the law and the prophets with this astounding comment.  Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love  the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’  This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend  in the same way you love yourself.’  Matthew 22: 37-39 TPT

Let me fast-forward 10 years past the terrified woman in a chair. I am with my daughter at a nature camp. And to my shock, they pull out a tarantula. I am immediately thanking God for knowing His peace now, and for healing that childish fear, and for removing that stronghold. My mind is just a flurry of prayers.

But then they start passing that hairy, huge spider down the line, from one hand to another.  I know God was laughing.

My daughter looks up to me to see if she should be scared. (Selah – don’t pass your strongholds to your kids…)  I smiled at her and told her to be brave, and it’s okay, and God made this beautiful creature! And what did that child do?

She turned around and handed me that dang spider.

I tell you, Jesus was laughing his hiney off. “Well, Jana, how’s that fear thing now…”

Nothing like knowing you are with God and understanding this decision impacts the next generation to make you press in to freedom.  I cuddled that soft, incredible creature in my hands. Her name was Charlotte.

Free indeed.

As you walk out this life full of all the feels, there are bigger realities. We are God’s chosen, dearly loved children. Yes, we walk through deserts and heartaches, but never alone, and never without the power of Heaven inside of us and beside us. Let us press in to experience Perfect Love.

Next time: Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.