Letting Go of Fear , livre ebook

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Verses marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version . Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Verses marked Y OUNG S are taken from the Young s literal translation of the Bible.
Cover by Darren Welch
Cover photos Kristine / Lightstock
LETTING GO OF FEAR
Copyright 2018 Neil T. Anderson and Rich Miller
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-7219-2 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-7220-8 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Anderson, Neil T., 1942- author.
Title: Letting go of fear / Neil T. Anderson and Richard Miller.
Description: Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2018.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018005865 (print) | LCCN 2018016428 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736972208 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736972192 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Fear-Religious aspects-Christianity. | Fear of God.
Classification: LCC BV4908.5 (ebook) | LCC BV4908.5 .A54 2018 (print) | DDC 248.4-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018005865
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Acknowledgments
N o book is ever written in a vacuum. We are indebted to our parents, former teachers, friends, and fellow workers. They have all contributed to who we are and the contents of this book. We want to thank many who have prayed specifically for this project.
We also want to thank Harvest House for trusting us with the message of this book, and for the fine work of editing, designing, and marketing. It has always been a delight to work with you.
Thank you to all our brothers and sisters in Christ who courageously told us their stories-some of which are in this book, and all of which touched our hearts.
We want to especially thank our wives, Joanne and Shirley, for their encouragement and contributions. Joanne was the unofficial editor of the first edition, as she has been with all of Neil s books. She is slowly slipping into the arms of Jesus as we write this second edition.
Finally, we want to thank our heavenly Father for calling us His children, Jesus Christ for giving us life and setting us free, and the Holy Spirit for leading us into all truth. We are indeed blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 1:3).
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
A Note from the Authors
Introduction

1. Restoring the Foundation

2. Fortress of Fear

3. Fear of Death

4. Fear of Man

5. Fear of Failure

6. Fear of Satan

7. Fear of God

8. Breaking Strongholds of Fear

9. Panic Disorder

10. Casting All Anxiety on Christ
Appendix A:
Guidelines for Leading This Study on Letting Go of Fear
Appendix B:
Establishing a Discipleship Counseling Ministry
Freedom in Christ Ministries Books and Resources
Notes
About the Publisher
Foreword
Julianne S. Zuehlke, MS, RN, CS and Terry E. Zuehlke, PhD, LP

The L ORD God called to the man, Where are you? He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid (Genesis 3:9-10 NIV ).
I n this familiar passage the Bible clearly identifies the first negative feeling that entered the human experience. God, in His omniscience, knew the many stressful feelings we would encounter once sin entered the realm of our experience. In the garden of Eden, fear was the original disturbing emotion resulting from Adam s sense of disobedience and rebellion. Anxiety, fear, and panic have prevailed ever since. Almost everyone, at one time or another, has felt helpless in the face of these troubling feelings. Today we are living in the Age of Anxiety.
None of us are beyond the reach of insecurity, self-doubt, and apprehension. In fact, anxiety is among the most prominent emotions treated by psychotropic medications. As Christian professional counselors, the nature and extent of these crippling emotions have been quite apparent in the lives of our clients. We know that fear and anxiety, although very common, can be extremely resistant to psychological and/or medical treatment. We frequently work with people caught in issues that seem overwhelming and chaotic to them. They become worried, frightened, and seized with panic. At the root of their issues is a strong sense of disconnection from God and from those in the body of Christ. This sense of isolation and alienation is painful, as is the sense of impatience over how to manage or control the feelings.
Letting Go of Fear provides clear answers for those seeking information on how to understand and cope with the feelings of anxiety, fear, and panic. You ll discover how a prevalent lack of understanding as to our identity in Christ and our inability to resolve personal and spiritual conflicts are manifest in these specific, negative emotions.
It is refreshing to see how Neil Anderson and Rich Miller have focused the general principles of Freedom in Christ on the prominent and powerful problem of negative emotions. This book addresses the origin of mental strongholds, the nature of anxiety, mankind s basic fears, and the problem of panic attacks in a balanced, helpful manner. It then provides strong biblical direction for disciple makers and their disciples to use in overcoming anxiety disorders. The conclusion provides a powerful presentation of how an understanding of the fear of the Lord is vital for our Christian growth.
Letting Go of Fear is valuable because it is biblically sound and practical. It allows us to move beyond the head knowledge of traditional counseling approaches and offers healing for the soul by providing perspective on our relationships with God through Jesus Christ. It illustrates how we are to revere Him and, in so doing, find in Him a sanctuary from all other fears. Adam didn t have to be afraid of God and try to hide from Him. He could have gone to God, confessed his sin, and experienced forgiveness and peace of mind. When he didn t, God came to Adam in the midst of his fear.
God is the source of our freedom from fear, and He wants to minister His truth to you and me. Read this book and you will appreciate His invitation to bring our anxieties, fears, and panicky feelings to Him. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Great Physician, and Prince of Peace.
A Note from the Authors
I n relating true stories and testimonies throughout the book, we have changed names to protect individual identity and privacy.
For ease of reading we have not distinguished ourselves from each other in authorship or experiences, preferring to use I and we as opposed to I (Rich) or I (Neil). The only exceptions are illustrations referring to family.
Introduction
I m 36 years old. For as long as I can remember, I have been plagued with fears and anxieties. I was raised in an abusive family and lived under the threat of even worse treatment if I ever told. In the bondage of fear, I decided never to tell anyone.
I came home one evening and found everyone gone. I was gripped with fear and crawled under my bed. Why weren t they home? Did they think I told someone? What would happen when they came back? I could never enjoy the simple little things that accompany childhood.
My anxieties and fears followed me wherever I went. I was too afraid to try out for anything where I could possibly fail, and I dreaded every exam. My stomach would tie up in knots from anxiety. I became a perfectionist who had to achieve-whatever the cost.
This pattern of fear continued into my teenage years and young-adult life. I tried to accept Jesus twice, but I feared not being good enough. I feared the rejection and ridicule of others, so I tried to keep everyone happy. Even sleep offered no reprieve. The nightmares I suffered as a result of the abuse in my childhood continued into my adult years.
I am a parent now, and I fear for my children. Am I an adequate mother? Will my children be hurt or abducted? I know this is robbing me of the life I want to live, but I don t know what to do. I feel like I m living two lives. On the outside I appear to be a successful teacher, wife, mother, and contributing member of society. But if people could see the condition of my soul, they would notice only pain, anxiety, and fear. Can somebody help me? Can I help myself, or is this what life is supposed to be?
Primordial Fear
No, that is not what life is supposed to be, and it wasn t from the beginning. In the beginning God created the heavens a