----The first type is beneficial and is to be encouraged. The second type is a detriment and is to be overcome.

The first type of fear is fear of the Lord. This type of fear does not necessarily mean to be afraid of something. Rather, it is a reverential awe of God; a reverence for His power and glory. However, it is also a proper respect for His wrath and anger. In other words, the fear of the Lord is a total acknowledgement of all that God is, which comes through knowing Him and His attributes.

Fear of the Lord brings with it many blessings and benefits. It is the beginning of wisdom and leads to good understanding (Psalm 111:10).

Only fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7). Furthermore, fear of the Lord leads to life, rest, peace, and contentment (Proverbs 19:23).

It is the fountain and life (Proverbs 14:27) and provides a security and a place of safety for us (Proverbs 14:26).

Thus, one can see how fearing God should be encouraged. However, the second type of fear mentioned in the Bible is not beneficial at all. This is the “spirit of fear” mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” .

A spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God.

However, sometimes we are afraid, sometimes this “spirit of fear” overcomes us, and to overcome it we need to trust in and love God completely. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).

No one is perfect, and God knows this. That is why He has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. Beginning in the book of Genesis and continuing throughout the book of Revelation, God reminds us to “Fear not.”

For example, Isaiah 41:10 encourages us, “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Often we fear the future and what will become of us. But Jesus reminds us that God cares for the birds of the air, so how much more will He provide for His children? “So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

Just these few verses cover many different types of fear. God tells us not to be afraid of being alone, of being too weak, of not being heard, and of lacking physical necessities. These admonishments continue throughout the Bible, covering the many different aspects of the “spirit of fear.”

In Psalm 56:11 the psalmist writes, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” This is an awesome testimony to the power of trusting in God. Regardless of what happens, the psalmist will trust in God because he knows and understands the power of God.

The key to overcoming fear, then, is total and complete trust in God. Trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear. It is a turning to God even in the darkest times and trusting Him to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good. As Job said when he was experiencing some of the most difficult trials recorded in the Bible, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15 NKJV).

Once we have learned to put our trust in God, we will no longer be afraid of the things that come against us. We will be like the psalmist who said with confidence “…let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11).

According to the Mayo Clinic website, a panic attack is “a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” Many people have experienced one or two such episodes and know how frightening the spells can be. T

here is a difference between the defined medical condition and an ongoing sense of fear that characterizes many people’s lives. A panic attack comes on for no apparent reason, lasts from five to thirty minutes and then subsides—again, for no obvious reason.

It is a physical “fight-or-flight” reaction that involves accelerated heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, and pounding pulse, just as if a real danger threatened.

Although many factors, including biology and heredity, can contribute to panic attacks, the underlying issue is fear. Panic is fear gone wild. We live in an era of extreme stress and information overload.

Thousands of bits of fear-inducing information enter our brains every day, and, although we may not consciously process it, that information is retained and can form an underlying attitude of hopelessness we may not even be aware of.

The Bible does not speak of panic attacks by name, but it does present several situations that could provoke one. Many times the Bible reports that people were “filled with fear.” That describes panic. In panic mode, a person is completely overcome by the fear response. Psalm 55:4–8 describes what a panic attack feels like: “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ‘Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert.’”

One key to overcoming panic attacks is to normalize them. Rather than fear another attack, we can recognize that they are not life-threatening and that God is bigger than the fear. When we begin learning how to let God handle our daily fears, we remove some of the stimuli that can provoke an attack.

Allowing fear or worry to build up without facing it and intentionally casting it upon God (1 Peter 5:7) can lead to an eventual panic attack. Denying that we are afraid, pretending we are not worried, or obsessing over our fears can all contribute to our bodies’ reacting in panic. “Fear not” is one of the most common commands in the Bible.

God understands that we are prone to fear, and He wants us to have faith instead (Isaiah 35:4; 41:10; Luke 12:4; 1 Peter 3:14).

Jesus put fear in perspective when He said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

Do you know Jesus Christ as Lord? 
Do you fear death?
Are you seeking wisdom and understanding?

Come to the cross of Jesus Christ, Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life. No One comes to the Father but by me. John 14:6

Jesus was calling attention to the fact that most of what we fear is temporary and of no eternal consequence. We should rather focus our concerns on whether or not we are in right relationship with God. He has then promised to meet all our other needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:33).

One way we focus on the important is by applying Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” When we refuse to allow our limited understanding to determine our level of peace and joy, we are on our way to escaping the grip of panic attacks.