Brother Paul
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False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)?
Fear, Worrying, and paranoia. What does the bible say?
- Thread starter HappySoul
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Hello Paul.
Could you provide more information as I am not sure what it is you are asking.
Brother Paul
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Sure! I realize it is a bit late but I just picked up on this thread. The word for fear in the NT is predominately phobos, and phobia (which we get from that word) is a kind of false fear.
To fear God (a sort of reverential awe because we realize who and what He is) is a healthy fear because it leads to wisdom and knowledge and causes us to want to know Him and more about Him (the knowledge of Him)
Natural biological fear, such as of an attacking Lion, Tiger, or Bear (oh my), is a God given hardwired response system to protect us in actually dangerous situations
False fears can be anything from phobias to when we let the imaginations of the heart convince us that possibilities (pretend and imaginary) could exist and these give us great anxiety. Some people even take this last example a step further and actually believe their imaginations are true. But the word says to cast down every imagination which exalts itself against the truth and against Christ and I know this is hard so we have to practice saying NO to our imaginations and putting our mind on other things (like the word of God) bringing each thought into captivity "in Christ" (which is where we who are saved are...we are "in" Christ).
The point is about 90% of what we are anxious about or worry about (in our imaginations) never happens...Jesus speaks much about this thing called worry. Philippians 4 tells us "be anxious for nothing"...but by prayer, etc.,,,
In happy soul's OP there are some different issues...
All "prescribed" sleep medications are to be taken near to bed....you are instructed on the bottle "Do not operate machinery or drive an automobile"....
Thus why was he taking such drugs and driving? When ever we ignore wisdom and sound judgment and do what WE want our way, then the outcome is usually not good.
Secondly, he is very blessed that it was only a fender bender and that he did not kill someone....and thus should be joyfully relieved and full of praise for God (who probably let this happen to wake up this sleeper...no pun intended)
Now because he did what was right in his own eyes, he is worried (and rightly so being a child of God...a child of Belial would not care and would continue to do what they want being lord of their own life - Genesis 3:5)...what he should ignore is his own ideas and imaginations and lean on God trusting Him. If he is instructed by a doctor to take his medication he should get a note from his physician, take the instruction to his probation officer, and then NOT GO OUT OR DRIVE after he takes his once a day daily dose before bed....under an agreement of such terms the PO WILL allow for only this medication to be present....'
See this is where I am suspect...it is not the drug if prescribed that was the problem...it was the action/decision made while on the drug which had a dangerous effect...
If he is actually committed to not taking it, and does not really need it, then there is no reality/actual basis for his anxiety, thus the false evidence (of his imaginings) appears to him as if a real possibility. He needs to transform himself by the renewing of his mind. When he begins to ponder the made up "what if like Job" scenario, he needs to say "NO!" to his mind, cast the thought down, repent.confess it as a lack of trust to God, and make himself dwell on something else (listen to a sermon, read the word, sing praise songs, etc.,)
Phobias are all False Evidence Appearing Real....
No! If I step on a crack I will not break my back.....I don't care how many mirrors I break....foods others are eating will no possibly poison me....those people are not threatening just because they are of a lighter or darker skin tone, etc.,....He got busted doing something illegal (driving on a restricted medication)...too bad, so sad, now smarten up and obey God, stop making decisions based on his own self lordship and give the problem to Him...then he will be fine...
Possibility thinking always leads to excitement or anxiety over something which is not real...its made up....
Hope this helped...
Brother Paul
To fear God (a sort of reverential awe because we realize who and what He is) is a healthy fear because it leads to wisdom and knowledge and causes us to want to know Him and more about Him (the knowledge of Him)
Natural biological fear, such as of an attacking Lion, Tiger, or Bear (oh my), is a God given hardwired response system to protect us in actually dangerous situations
False fears can be anything from phobias to when we let the imaginations of the heart convince us that possibilities (pretend and imaginary) could exist and these give us great anxiety. Some people even take this last example a step further and actually believe their imaginations are true. But the word says to cast down every imagination which exalts itself against the truth and against Christ and I know this is hard so we have to practice saying NO to our imaginations and putting our mind on other things (like the word of God) bringing each thought into captivity "in Christ" (which is where we who are saved are...we are "in" Christ).
The point is about 90% of what we are anxious about or worry about (in our imaginations) never happens...Jesus speaks much about this thing called worry. Philippians 4 tells us "be anxious for nothing"...but by prayer, etc.,,,
In happy soul's OP there are some different issues...
All "prescribed" sleep medications are to be taken near to bed....you are instructed on the bottle "Do not operate machinery or drive an automobile"....
Thus why was he taking such drugs and driving? When ever we ignore wisdom and sound judgment and do what WE want our way, then the outcome is usually not good.
Secondly, he is very blessed that it was only a fender bender and that he did not kill someone....and thus should be joyfully relieved and full of praise for God (who probably let this happen to wake up this sleeper...no pun intended)
Now because he did what was right in his own eyes, he is worried (and rightly so being a child of God...a child of Belial would not care and would continue to do what they want being lord of their own life - Genesis 3:5)...what he should ignore is his own ideas and imaginations and lean on God trusting Him. If he is instructed by a doctor to take his medication he should get a note from his physician, take the instruction to his probation officer, and then NOT GO OUT OR DRIVE after he takes his once a day daily dose before bed....under an agreement of such terms the PO WILL allow for only this medication to be present....'
See this is where I am suspect...it is not the drug if prescribed that was the problem...it was the action/decision made while on the drug which had a dangerous effect...
If he is actually committed to not taking it, and does not really need it, then there is no reality/actual basis for his anxiety, thus the false evidence (of his imaginings) appears to him as if a real possibility. He needs to transform himself by the renewing of his mind. When he begins to ponder the made up "what if like Job" scenario, he needs to say "NO!" to his mind, cast the thought down, repent.confess it as a lack of trust to God, and make himself dwell on something else (listen to a sermon, read the word, sing praise songs, etc.,)
Phobias are all False Evidence Appearing Real....
No! If I step on a crack I will not break my back.....I don't care how many mirrors I break....foods others are eating will no possibly poison me....those people are not threatening just because they are of a lighter or darker skin tone, etc.,....He got busted doing something illegal (driving on a restricted medication)...too bad, so sad, now smarten up and obey God, stop making decisions based on his own self lordship and give the problem to Him...then he will be fine...
Possibility thinking always leads to excitement or anxiety over something which is not real...its made up....
Hope this helped...
Brother Paul
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Faith is substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Fear is false evidence of things appearing real but which in fact are not real.
Fear is faith in the Devil.
The word 'panic' is derived from 'pan', the pagan god who looks like a horned goat, the modern day symbol of the devil. To panic is to succumb to the roaring lion.
But through faith we can overcome the roaring lion.
Through faith we can overcome all things:
Heb 11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
James 4:7 says
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Too often we submit to the devil (by accepting what he gives us), resist God (by not praying to Him, calling on His name) and then the devil runs to us and chases us.
The devil is a liar, so every fearful thought is the exact opposite of what will happen!
Fear is false evidence of things appearing real but which in fact are not real.
Fear is faith in the Devil.
The word 'panic' is derived from 'pan', the pagan god who looks like a horned goat, the modern day symbol of the devil. To panic is to succumb to the roaring lion.
But through faith we can overcome the roaring lion.
Through faith we can overcome all things:
Heb 11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
James 4:7 says
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Too often we submit to the devil (by accepting what he gives us), resist God (by not praying to Him, calling on His name) and then the devil runs to us and chases us.
The devil is a liar, so every fearful thought is the exact opposite of what will happen!
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