You Were Given A Spirit of Power, Love, And Sound Mind
Spiritual Rules of Engagement for a Fearless Life
No kidding, there I was—terrified I would fail Air Assault School, a specialized Army qualification course designed to train soldiers in helicopter operations, sling-load techniques, and rappelling. Upon graduation, each soldier is equipped to maximize the use of helicopter assets in both training and combat scenarios. I had a deep desire to pass this course. After watching nearly half of my class fail the obstacle course in the very beginning, my determination only grew stronger.
Next up was the sling-load phase, where we had to identify a specific number of deficiencies on a load, fast. The grader stood there with a clipboard while you frantically tried to spot errors: a tangled net, an unsecured strap, a worn hook. These details mattered. Miss them, and a helicopter might drop the load, damaging equipment, or worse, killing someone below.
The good news? You got two attempts.
The bad news? The graders took pleasure in reminding us that this phase would eliminate even more soldiers.
So I practiced relentlessly. But I wasn’t just told to study—I was taught a method. Put your hands on the load. Memorize what right feels like. Touch every knot, every strap, every connection. That way, when something’s wrong, you don’t guess—you know.
And that practice changed everything.
That picture stayed with me because it mirrors what Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7. Just like we learned to identify what was off by knowing what was right, we, too, can recognize fear and timidity for what they are: not from God.
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."
Paul knew Timothy was facing real persecution—not the kind that bruises egos, but the kind that could get you killed. He understood why Timothy might be hesitant to preach a gospel centered on a crucified Savior. But instead of coddling him, Paul calls out the truth:
That fear? It’s not from your Father.
Just like we had to train to recognize faulty equipment, we must also train to identify foreign spirits and stand firm in our calling.
So How Do We Reject the Spirit of Fear?
Here are 3 battlefield strategies, using the acronym SSH, for rejecting fear and walking in the power God has given you:
1. S – Shift Your Source of Power
In the military (or any profession), confidence often comes from training, tools, and teammates. But in Christ:
"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." — Ephesians 6:10
Christian courage isn’t about getting "tabbed up." It’s about transferring your source of strength from yourself to God. It’s like calling in air support when pinned down. And this air support is needed every day.
You don’t win by muscling through. You win by abiding.
How to Abide:
Spend daily time in the Word (Psalm 1)
Pray with authority (Luke 10:19)
Worship as warfare (2 Chronicles 20:22)
Declare Scripture aloud (Matthew 4:1–11)
2. H – Host the Presence of the Commander-in-Chief
Fear thrives in distance from God. But in His presence? It evaporates.
I’ll never forget my friend who faced down armed men with this declaration:
“In the name of Jesus, put the gun down.”
And they did.
“Perfect love casts out fear.” — 1 John 4:18
This isn’t about willpower. This is about proximity to the One who is love. Intimacy fuels courage, among many other things.
Disciplines That Protect You From Fear:
Daily Word and worship
Journaling what God says over you
Community with faith-filled warriors
Silence and stillness before God
Prayer
3. H – Highlight the Enemy’s Voice
You can’t identify what’s off if you haven’t trained with what’s right.
The more time you spend with the Courageous One—Jesus—the easier it becomes to spot the counterfeit spirit of fear.
Just like in Air Assault School, we don’t react to deficiencies; we recognize them immediately. The Holy Spirit equips us to know what’s foreign to our identity in Christ.
These are your rules of engagement: identify the enemy before engaging the fight.
Never Finished Challenge: Tell the enemy, “SHH!”
Quite the voice of fear with this spiritual strategy:
Shift your source of power.
Host the presence of God.
Highlight the enemy’s voice.
What Does This Have to Do With Father’s Day?
Everything.
There are fathers today who are afraid. Afraid to stay in the marriage. Afraid to raise children. Afraid to lead spiritually. Afraid to show weakness. Just afraid. A quick caveat, if it wasn’t already clear above: fear is not a bad emotion. The context of the fear is what needs to be addressed.
And here’s the truth: God hasn’t given you the fear that leads to darkness. He’s given you Himself.
Today, as I reflect on Father’s Day, I realize how blessed I am to wake up and spend time with the Perfect Father. The more I draw near to Him, the more He deposits into me. And the more He deposits, the more He drives out anything that doesn’t belong.
Despite my sin and my stumbles, He draws me in—again and again and again.
And, He wants to draw you in, too.
What a Father. What a Friend. What a King.
Thank you, Jesus.