Is it true that fear is a liar?

Answer

A well-known song by Zach Williams, “Fear Is a Liar,” personifies fear and attributes falsehood to it. Fear itself is impersonal, but song lyrics and poetry often use personification to convey a theme or make a point. In Williams’ song, fear is depicted as a “he” who tells us various lies and must be resisted.

The chorus of “Fear Is a Liar” illustrates some of fear’s actions:

Fear, he is a liar

He will steal your breath

Halt you in your tracks

Fear, he is a liar

He will deprive you of peace

Take away your joy

Then Williams advises us on how to deal with fear and why:

Cast your fear into the fire

Because fear, he is a liar

The assertion that “fear is a liar” is broad, prompting the question, is all fear deceitful? In other words, does all fear originate from an evil source that should be rejected? No. There is a healthy fear (not discussed in Williams’ song) and a harmful fear (which Williams is right to oppose).

It is appropriate to fear God and to be cautious of dangerous things (such as slippery roads, rabid animals, the consequences of alcohol abuse, etc.), exercising prudence and wisdom. A person unaware of the dangers of rattlesnakes may wander through the Arizona grass without fear of being bitten, but such recklessness is unwise; it is better to have reverence or a healthy fear of the potential harm from rattlesnake venom. The Bible cautions us about the repercussions of sin to instill a healthy fear of wrongdoing. Understanding the severity of God’s aversion to sin and His resolve to eradicate it should be sobering for everyone, including believers.

There are instances where fear is indeed truthful; at times, it is appropriate to be afraid and seek assistance or a way to avoid the source of fear. For instance, when a speeding truck is heading directly towards you at 100 mph, it is not wrong to feel fear; in fact,That fear is a gift prompting you to avoid the truck and save your life. Similarly, when a sinner is afraid of hell, knowing it is not a place he wants to be, that fear is just, right, and biblical. Sometimes allowing a little fear is better than trying to alleviate all fear: the statement “Hell is a real place of torment” may be fearful to some, but it is true; “There is no hell” may dispel fear, but it is a lie.

So, not all fear is a deception. Fear is not always a “liar.” Of course, there are fears that have a demonic origin. The fear that God is not truly good is one such fear. When fear says that God has forgotten His children or turned His back on them, then it is a “liar,” because those statements directly contradict the promises of God.

The truth is that perfect love casts out fear «There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. », (1 John 4:18), and the Bible repeatedly admonishes God’s people not to fear. Satan is the father of lies «Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. », (John 8:44) and the deceiver of the whole world «And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. », (Revelation 12:9). When we are told any lie, it is of Satan, who has no truth in him. The devil will try to dishearten us with lies, and unwarranted fear is one of his tools.

While there are many fears that

There are lies used by Satan, and there are also many fears used by godly men to try to turn people to God. God showed fearful and powerful signs to the Israelites so that they might turn to Him. Elijah called down fire from heaven so that Israel might turn from their false gods to the one true God. The apostle Paul sternly rebuked the Corinthians and threatened excommunication to those basking in unrepentant sin, hoping to prompt godly fear in them.

The difference between warranted fear and unwarranted fear is important: when God uses fear, it is based on truth; but when the devil uses fear, it is based on lies. When Jesus spoke of hell in fearful ways, it was to show the truth about God’s punishment of sin. Hell is not a place we want to be, and fear of it is warranted. When Satan urges us to fear man rather than fear God, he is advancing the lie that we owe more respect to fellow human beings than we owe to God. The fear of man is unwarranted; it is a “liar” and lays a snare «The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. », (Proverbs 29:25).

Other common lies the devil uses to instill fear in people include “Jesus’ death wasn’t enough to cover your sin,” “Even if you trust in Christ, you’re not good enough to be with God,” and “God doesn’t love you, and this tragedy proves it.” The fear induced by these statements could rightly be called a “liar” because the fear is biblically unwarranted. Faith in God’s Word will dispel such fear.

Our feelings should not decide whether something is of God or of the devil. For example, we cannot say, “This makes me feel scared, so it must be of the devil.” Rather, our discernment of right and wrong should be rooted firmly in the truth of God’s Word. We know that Jesus’ death was sufficient to cover our sins because God said so (Hebrews 10:10;

John 3:16). We understand that we should not be afraid to encounter God because Christ bestows His righteousness upon us “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”, (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are aware that God will never cease to love us because nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38-39).

Is fear a liar? At times, it is. The devil will exploit fear based on deception to attempt to divert our focus from the Author and Finisher of our salvation. Unjustified fear is deceitful. However, not all fear originates from the devil, and certain fears are justified according to the Bible.