Fear is meant to scare us. It's a dear friend of anxiety and doubt.

When I talk about fear, I am not talking about a healthy fear of God or the humble knowledge of our human fragility. I am talking about the fear that scares us into shame and guilt. That kind of anxious rush that cripples us from necessary action.

Here's the thing: God didn't create and restore us to be crippled by fear. And while those fears can seems scary to us, those things are really just like jokes to God in the spiritual realm. Because He sees them for the lies that they are.

So really, when we get scared by a fear Satan shows us, it's like we're hearing a joke but taking it way too seriously.

That's the reality of fear.

Moving forward, take a look at those fears in your life that scare you. And instead of being freaked out, try smiling and laughing out loud at whatever that fearful thought may be. I'm not talking about a nervous laugh. I'm saying start to actually laugh at it. Because that's what God is doing when He sees that fear. I've tried this. And what I've found is that eventually, Satan gets laughed out of the room. His suggestion of fear becomes a joke, and he's left with no choice but to walk away.

That's the thing: Satan wants fear to scare us but God wants us to know that fear is just the opposite of what's true in our lives with Him.

So laugh more. Fear cannot stand it. It will pass and you'll be left with a smile on your face.

Don't be scared of fear. Fear should be scared of you and God.