Sunlight streaming through the windows reveal its hiding place. It’s a spider’s web, spun between the slender stems of an orchid plant.
The web has a single purpose – to snare and destroy innocent prey and the lifeless bodies caught in the web, confirm its purpose.
Step Out for Christ
Isn’t fear like that spider’s web?
Fear can be spun into a Christian’s life and go unnoticed. Satan, the web’s maker, uses fear to keep us silent so we don’t speak God’s truth. The innocent prey caught in the web are souls who didn’t hear God’s truth because of our silence. And that’s Satan’s purpose—keep souls from Christ.
God didn’t give us a spirit of fear. We’re called to speak truth and not be silent.
How can we do this?
What Does the Word Say?
The Holy Spirit is the light that exposes the web of fear in us.
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”(2 Timothy 1:7 ESV).
Paul wrote these words to Timothy at a time of political, cultural and religious rebellion against the gospel. Christians were persecuted and false doctrine spread to deceive believers.
Timothy’s youth, leadership, and association with Paul, drew fire from believers and non-believers. Paul, no stranger to persecution and wrong teachings, knew fear was used by the enemy to silence believers. There was fear of expulsion from the synagogue, fear of rejection by family and friends, and fear of imprisonment or execution.
Paul was aware that fear could neutralize Timothy’s effectiveness for God. This intense persecution called for a message to encourage him to proclaim the gospel boldly and hold to sound doctrine.
Don’t we need this message today? Isn’t fear being used to silence Christians in a world rebelling against the gospel? Aren’t we in danger of becoming ineffective for God?
Like Timothy, we need to proclaim the gospel boldly and hold to sound doctrine. We’ve been given a spirit – not of fear – but of power, love and self-control.
God Gave Us a Spirit of Power – Not Fear
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus said to the disciples,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV).
The power received from the Holy Spirit includes boldness, courage, confidence, insight, ability, and authority.
At Pentecost, Spirit’s power transformed ordinary disciples into extraordinary servants of God! Filled with power—they proclaimed the gospel with boldness to the crowds and God converted thousands to Christ (Acts 2).
With power we aren’t silent.
God Gave Us a Spirit of Love – Not Fear
Stephen, the first to be martyred cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60 ESV). This was possible only because of the love given to Stephen by the Spirit.
This love empowers us to love an enemy. This love is unconditional. This love puts the well-being of another above our own.
With love we aren’t silent.
God Gave Us a Spirit of Self-Control – Not Fear
Self-control gives us the discipline to study God’s Word.
When we read the Bible, we know what is good and evil in the sight of God and when scripture is being manipulated by false teachers.
Manipulation of scripture isn’t a new tactic as Satan quoted scripture and distorted its meaning to tempt Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:6-7). Jesus responded with scripture in correct context exposing Satan’s rebellion against God’s will.
With self-control we aren’t silent.
What Does Application Look Like?
Head knowledge of scripture is one thing—applying the Word to life’s circumstances is another.
This is what it looks like when we step out with the spirit God gave us
She was new to the church. A friend urged her to join a Women’s Bible Study to learn more about the Word and get to know other women at the church.
That Sunday morning, she entered a room filled with fifteen chatting women. They welcomed her to the group, introduced themselves and she discovered most of these women had attended this church for years.
The class time went quickly and the group leader held up a copy of a book recommended for the group's next study.
The newcomer swallowed hard.
She recently purchased a book by this well-known author and was surprised to see God’s truth twisted and turned. The twisting of God’s truth reminded her of a summer treat she enjoyed as a kid—vanilla, strawberry and chocolate frozen custard swirled together. This author took God’s truth, the pure vanilla, and added other flavors to make it tastier to a broader audience of women. This author did not hold to biblical doctrine.
Unease burdened her and thoughts swept into her mind. Should I skip this study and wait for the next? Will my friend be mad at me because I’m not joining this group? I’m a newcomer and not a theologian—who am I to judge?
But the Holy Spirit exposed the web of fear. She was not silent and with power and love and self-control spoke God’s truth.
We’re God’s children. We’re friends, mothers, siblings, neighbors, employees and public servants who aren’t silent. We speak God’s truth with boldness, courage, authority and insight because we have power.
We speak God’s truth in love because we’ve seen what love is in Christ Jesus. We speak God’s truth because self-control keeps us in the Word.
God controls the outcome—we don’t. Our job is to speak the truth.
Look Up and Pray
Pray to see the Holy Spirit’s light expose the web of fear so we’re not silent.
Father, thank You for the spirit of power, love and self-control. Thank You for revealing that fear does not come from You, but is the enemy’s weapon to silence us.
Many times, we’re silenced by fear and haven’t spoken Your truth to souls that needed to hear it. We ask for forgiveness and help.
Help us see the Holy Spirit’s light exposing the web of fear.
Help us remember power comes from You and not us.
Help us love like Jesus.
Help us be self-controlled to study the Word and speak truth without compromise.
Help us keep humble. The results are because of You—not our efforts.
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
A Message for My Sisters
I was blind to the web of fear spun in me. I’m not afraid of spiders or prone to imaginings that something is lurking in the dark, but fear kept me silent.
A woman I’ve enjoyed conversations with shared an opinion favoring what I knew was against God’s teachings. I “skirted” her comment because I feared offending her.
The Holy Spirit convicted me that I didn’t speak God’s truth—fear silenced me. This experience led me to write so others are aware of this trap.
Step out for Christ with power, love and self-control—not fear. Remember our job is to speak the truth. God controls the outcome.
Your Sister in Christ,
Nancy
