- Computer viruses first appeared in the 1970’s. They were limited by “closed” networks and systems.
- Computer viruses are primarily designed to steal information from the user and or disable the system all together.
- It wasn’t until the internet was developed and opened to the public around 1990 that large amounts of systems could be affected by a virus.
- Now there are new viruses and ransomware threats being developed all the time.
- Anti-virus Protection software (AVP) was then developed to combat this threat.
In the age of the internet, a virus will most likely be introduced by a carrier such as an email, document or image file.
Apart from natural carriers and circumstances that allow physical viruses, I believe there is a carrier designed to allow spiritual viruses that can open the door to many things.
Fear is a carrier of these things.
- Fear is an enemy and is of the Enemy.
Fear is very subtle but one of the most powerful things that the enemy can bring against you, because it perverts and undermines your belief system.
- Fear is a belief in something or someone’s ability to harm you.
- Faith is a belief in God to bring you goodness and blessing.
Fear panics or paralyzes. (Panic – to run away in terror)
The most subtle effect of fear is paralysis. Fear will stop you in your tracks.
To detect fear you must ask yourself the question – “Do you worry?”
- Worry is an indicator that fear is present.
How does fear come?
How does faith come?
Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
- Fear comes by hearing words.
Isaiah 36:1-4 NIV In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. (2) Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field, (3) Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to him. (4) The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: “‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours?
Isaiah 36:11 NIV Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
Isaiah 36:18 NIV “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria?
Isaiah 37:6-7 NIV Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. (7) Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.'”
God’s Virus Protection
- God has absolutely nothing to do with fear.
The Bible tells us not to be afraid 365 times.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Instead He has given us three spiritual tools to neutralize the force of fear: power, love and a sound mind. Realize that these three things don’t just happen, they are not automatic.
- Power – (dunamis) miraculous working Holy Ghost power.
Acts 1:8 NKJV But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
You shall receive power from the Holy Ghost to drive out fear in your life.
The power was given first before they became the witnesses.
- Love – agape love is a giving love, reaching out to address the needs of someone else.
Romans 5:5 NLT And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
You now have the capacity to be more concerned about someone else more than for yourself.
Fear is selfish. The less self interest you have in your life, the less opportunity there is for fear to enter in and torment you. When you are concerned about meeting someone else’s need, you don’t have any fear regarding your own needs.
Someone who is prone to worry is an indication that there is a high level of self-interest.
- Sound Mind – means a disciplined and controlled mind.
AVP runs in the background 24/7 in case of a threat.
AVP scans every file used and determines if there is an infection.
If fear is not going to have a place, you must have a disciplined and controlled mind.
Selective thoughts that are controlled by the Word of God.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
AVP has a quarantine for infected files.
- You quarantine fear-filled thoughts with your tongue.
How do I get rid of fear?
1 John 4:16-18 NLT We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (17) And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. (18) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
Spend time meditating on how much God loves you.
- The more faith we have in God’s love for us, the less capacity there is for fear.