Fear or fair warning?

How do we know the difference between a warning from God or a scare tactic from the devil?

The answer is clear once explained. 

However, it is essential that we know the difference because if we do not, we will make ourselves subject to fear needlessly or rebuke God when He warns us.

First of all, 1 John 4:18 states that:

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”

The Greek word for “torment” here is number 2851 and resembles the English word Colossus. It is unusual in its meaning because it is literally to punish, correct, or charge a penalty. Basically when we feel fear we think it’s because we or someone else has done something to cause the situation. For instance, when I was on my young horse Moses, I was warned by God that it was time to get off of him and do some ground work. I did not listen then jumped off a few minutes later and broke my ankle. When I received the warning, I actually rebuked it because I was ignorant of the differences between fear and a warning. The difference being in that same scenario that I received a warning that it was time to get off of my horse because I hadn’t yet finished training him, that he was green and that I was in the wrong for riding him at this early stage, this reasoning would have marked that what I was experiencing was a demon of fear to stop God’s blessing. 

    Sometimes we have sensations of unrest or lack of peace. This is usually a prompt or an unction from God to get involved in a situation through prayer. However, if these sensations are accompanied by the things that the person involved has done wrong or failed at, then it is fear caused by the wicked one. 

Here is how we tell:

1.      Immediately evaluate our emotions and gauge the level of fear we have with the notion. If there is any fear present at all, it is not from God because "He has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. The actual feeling of fear is the only indicator available to discern between a warning or a scare tactic. 

2.      If we feel fear, we must rebuke it, speak the countering Word about the situation, and speak out of our mouths what really will happen because we are the redeemed of the Lord. 

3. If we have no feeling of fear, then we know it is a warning sent to protect us. 

4. When we perceive the warning, we must thank God for keeping His word and telling us of things to come. 

5. We then must absolutely follow the warning and do what God tells us to do.