Fear

There are so many fears and phobias among us.  I found a whole list online - it is quite amusing - it's worth the time to read. http://phobialist.com/  I tried to condense it, so that you could see some of the fears we have in our society.  Each one of these actually has a name and therefore more than one person who falls in that category.  Some are all too real. Some are so sad.  Some of them I can simply not fathom.


Agateophobia - Fear of insanity.
Allodoxahobia - Fear of opinions.
Atychiphobia - Fear of failure.
Barophobia- Fear of gravity.
Bromidrosiphobia or Bromidrophobia- Fear of body smells.
Chaetophobia- Fear of hair.
Chromophobia or Chromatophobia- Fear of colors.
Consecotaleophobia- Fear of chopsticks.
Decidophobia- Fear of making decisions.
Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body.
Dutchphobia- Fear of the Dutch.
Ecclesiophobia- Fear of church.
Eleutherophobia- Fear of freedom.
Epistemophobia- Fear of knowledge.
Eremophobia- Fear of being oneself or of lonliness.
Euphobia- Fear of hearing good news.
Geliophobia- Fear of laughter.
Geumaphobia or Geumophobia- Fear of taste.
Heliophobia- Fear of the sun.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words.
Homilophobia- Fear of sermons.
Ideophobia- Fear of ideas.
Kakorrhaphiophobia- Fear of failure or defeat.
Kathisophobia- Fear of sitting down.
Lachanophobia- Fear of vegetables.
Lutraphobia- Fear of otters.
Megalophobia- Fear of large things.
Metathesiophobia- Fear of changes.
Mycrophobia- Fear of small things.
Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother.
Obesophobia- Fear of gaining weight.(Pocrescophobia)
Ombrophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on.
Ouranophobia or Uranophobia- Fear of heaven.
Panophobia or Pantophobia- Fear of everything.
Papaphobia- Fear of the Pope.Papyrophobia- Fear of paper.
Politicophobia- Fear or abnormal dislike of politicians.
Russophobia- Fear of Russians.
Sociophobia- Fear of society or people in general.
Somniphobia- Fear of sleep.
Sophophobia- Fear of learning.
Soteriophobia - Fear of dependence on others.
Theophobia- Fear of gods or religion.
Triskaidekaphobia- Fear of the number 13.
Vestiphobia- Fear of clothing.
Zemmiphobia- Fear of the great mole rat.


Church on Sunday was about fears that we have - healthy fear that God gives to direct us vs. unhealthy fear that compromises what the Lord has called us to do.  The fears listed are overwhelming - how do these fears become part of our lives?? What fear do you have that is hindering you from living out your faith?  While mine is not the fear of politicians or sermons, or rain, or learning, I was certainly convicted of mine.  Fear can hold us captive, if we let it.  


The only "fear" the Bible calls us to have is the fear of God.   As in a respectful, awe-ing fear of who God is, of His goodness and His power.  This can only come from the acknowledgement of His supreme authority over everything and, applicably, all parts of our life.  Which will result in the complete surrender and submission to His will.


Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. - Psalm 2:11


Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4


The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1


Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fearhim lack nothing. - Psalm 34:9


Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. -Psalm 86:11


Pray with me, for the Lord to show you your fears, then lay them back at His feet - don't let your fear of [long words or the color purple, or even of the great mole rat]  keep you from being obedient to the one who created you.