To yield to fear has consequences. It is a path that leads to destruction. Fear is a major means by which Satan achieves his threefold objective of stealing, killing and destroying (Jn 10:10). This is the reason why it ranks very high in his choice of offensive weapons against mankind. Apart from pride, fear appears to be the most deadly weapon in the devil’s arsenal. The advanced and evil effect of fear in the lives of its victims is a sorry sight. Among the destructive repercussions of the dominion of fear over anyone are the following.
    Fear negates faith. Without faith no one can please God, irrespective of how hard he or she trys. Fear makes much effort to displace faith so as to displease God. Whenever we let fear dampen our faith in God, we begin to go in a direction that does not please Him. For instance, the Bible says, ““Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” (Matt 7:13). A significant reason why there are many people in the broad way is their fear of man. They are afraid of being despised and rejected by other people. King Saul knew exactly what God had instructed him to do to the Amalekites, but he allowed the opinion of his soldiers, which contradicted God’s instruction, to prevail because he was afraid of them (1Sam15:18-21). A similar scenario played out in the earthly ministry of Jesus. People who had believed in Him, did not acknowledge Him openly because they feared the Pharisees :”Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;”(Jn 12:42). Similarly, at Jesus’ trial, Peter was so afraid of repercussions from the religious establishment of his day, that he repeatedly denied knowing Jesus (Matt 26:69-74).
    Fear deactivates God’s power in the life and circumstances of anyone who yields to it. For instance, the Bible says of Peter, “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”” (Matt 14:30). Peter had been walking on the water by faith, based on a word (come) which he had received from Jesus (Matt 14:29). However, his progress towards Jesus on the water was shortlived, because he began to sink. Fear had overwhelmed and paralysed him to the point of sinking.
Peter did not begin to sink because he was merely human and should not be able to walk on water, neither did he begin to sink because the wind was boisterous nor yet because Jesus had changed his mind about his walking on the water. Peter began to sink because he had yielded to fear. The moment he did so, the power of God that had sustained him on the water was deactivated. Satan is aware that if you yield to fear, you have accepted his evaluation of the situation, and are, therefore, in agreement with him.
    Adversity follows fear. Just as a magnet attracts metals, so does fear attract adversity. Job said, “… the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25). To yield to fear is to demonstrate faith in Satan’s words and in the object of your fear. The account of the twelve spies in the Bible is a case in point. After a forty-day espionage of Canaan the spies brought back the following report: “… “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.” (Num 13:27-28). Remember, Israel was at the border of the promised land at that time. How fear attacks us fiercely, just at the point of our breakthrough! There was an undercurrent of dread which influenced their report. However, Caleb’s response exposed it : “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”” (Num 13:30-31). Instantly, their speech betrayed their fears as they added, “There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”” The unfortunate result of their verdict on themselves was that God upheld it : “Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.” (Num 14:30-34).
    To yield to fear hinders fruitfulness. In the parable of the talents, the servant who had hidden his master’s talent ascribed his unproductivity to his fear : “And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’” (Matt 25:25). Though he had as much opportunity as his fellow prosperous servants had, he was unfruitful because his fear would not let him put his talent to use. A similar trend pervades society today. Many people who have latent talents are languishing in destitution because their fear of taking any risk has prevented them from leaving their comfort zone. This attitude results in the loss of opportunities. Fear is such a vicious enemy that it circumscribes anyone who surrenders to it.
    In conclusion, yielding to fear attracts slavery : “and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb 2:15). Fear is inseparably linked to bondage. Although God had led Israel out of Egypt, their consistent submission to fear kept them in a state of mental slavery. That is why the Bible says, “… in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,” (Acts 7:39). They were so fearful of what they thought they had lost by having left Egypt, and the seemingly uncertain future for which they were headed, that they returned to Egypt and to slavery in their hearts. No wonder the Bible reminds us that, “… you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”” (Rom 8:15). Shalom.