The fear of a reoccurring unpleasant experience: how to deal with it.

Then the Lord told him (Moses), “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered! Numbers 21:8 & 9 NLT

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the son of man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. John 3:14 & 15 NLT

Some of us are so worried and afraid about an unpleasant situation of the past reoccurring in our lives. An example is the fear of having an unhappy marriage or marital experience like our parents had- if it were so.  

This is another trap of the enemy.  Remember, fear can never produce anything good.  The bible says “… the just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38a / Habakkuk2:4b).   If fear is the opposite of faith and faith brings life then fear only brings death.  And fear of the past repeating itself in your life will only make it happen. Remember what Job said when calamity befell him.  He said:

What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come to be. Job 3:25 NLT

That you fear it means you already give it power and authority over you.

Focus instead on the love of God, his grace and mercy – focus on Jesus to be precise, just as our open texts above indicate.  Stop focusing on the fact that the issue you fear might re-occur.  Dear, understand the love of God for you, he is your father.

He says in Matthew 7:11 that:

If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who ask him. (NLT)

And James 1:17a that:

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights… NLT  

He is a good God.  He does good and gives good.  He’s your father and he definitely wants you to have best. He wants you to have a good marriage and not a re-establishment of the past situation.

It is possible that history repeats itself, but this could be averted.  It is up to you to not to allow this unwanted occurrence from your past reappear in your life - ever.

Here’s how to deal with it:

Focus on the word, his promise to you.  The word, his promise, is more powerful and concrete than your past, than what you are afraid of.

Fear is of the enemy.   He is using the fear to tie you down to the past, to connect you with the issue so he can reconnect it to your present.

1John 4:18 says “…perfect love expels all fear.”

 

Believe and accept how much God loves you and dispel all taunts of the enemy.

 

When you focus on the WORD, you will not just be healed but also you will not be bitten or struck again.  This is a sure guarantee. But when you focus on the snake/ the issue, you become afraid, desperate, confused, and powerless and then it comes to bite/afflict you again.

 

Behold and believe.  If you behold and believe the finished work of Christ in your life, you will not perish but have life. You will not perish but have a whole new different future.

For God so loved the world that he his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

You are saved. You have been saved from all that.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. John 3: 17 NLT

You have been saved, healed and delivered.

 

Focus on Jesus on the throne for as he is so you are in this world- 1John4:17

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.  1John 4: 17

He has been elevated above all power, ruler or authority or anything else in this world or in the world to come- i.e the future that you are afraid of - and you have been elevated with him!  

I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come. Ephesians1:19- 21.

Also he is victorious, glorious, powerful, honourable, blessed, wise, strong and rich (Revelations 5:12); so are you.