There are three
kinds of fear that you can have.

 The
first is surface fears. Surface fears are
things like you’re afraid you’re not going to be able to pay your bills, you’re
afraid you’re going to run out of gas before you get to the gas station. That’s a surface fear. You’re afraid you’re going to have a car
accident and not have clean underwear. Those are surface fears and they’re not really that important.

 The next
level down is more significant and far more unsettling. These are spiritual
fears. They are the things that are right below the surface. They’re a lot more deep like the fear of
failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of abandonment, the fear of loosing
control, the fear of being found out, the fear of not being adequate for the
task.

 But those
aren’t even your deepest fears. There’s
a deep level fears that is called The Soul Fear. It singular. It’s the tap root that all your other fears come out of. It’s the source. It’s the well. No matter how much you try to get rid of all
these other fears, until you deal with the tap root it’s not going to
work.

 What is the
tap root of deepest need? Your deepest
need in life is to feel absolutely, totally, unconditionally loved. Completely
loved. Not for something you could be,
not for something you should be, but loved just as you are. That is your deepest inner need. That’s why perfect love casts out fear.

 Until this issue is resolved, you’re going
to be tormented by other fears

Outwardly
people are saying to the world, "I can make it!" Inwardly, they’re thinking, "Who are you
kidding?" They’ve got their BMW,
their MBA, their DVD, but they are SAD! They look good on the outside but inside they are caving in.

 Do you know
what the first commandment is? "You shall have no other gods before
Me." That’s the first one. Number one on God’s big ten! No
other gods. The Bible calls it idolatry.

  Anytime anything else besides God becomes
more important in your life it can be taken away from you so you’re going to
develop fears. If getting people’s
approval is the most important thing in your life, then you’ll develop a fear
of loosing the approval of other people. If making money is the number one goal in your life, then you’ll develop
a fear of loosing it all. If getting
married is the most important thing in your life, then you’ll have a fear of
never getting married or loosing your marriage. If success is the most important thing in your life, you’ll develop a
fear of failure. If your reputation is
the most important thing in your life, you’ll develop a fear of loosing it and
you’ll have to work on your image all the time. Idolatry equals fear. Think about what makes you afraid. Is there any chance that issue could be
competing with God in your life? That’s
why you’re afraid.

 The Bible says, "Don’t worry! Don’t be afraid of anyone. Have reverence for Christ in your heart and
honor him as Lord." 1 Peter 3:4-15