Fear = Faith

When I was a varsity wrestler in high school I learned something very significant about fear and how it relates to faith as I observed myself and other wrestlers.  I learned that if a wrestler could get into an opponent’s head by intimidating them, whether it be through their countenance, physique, or winning record, the match had already been won.  Even if the opponent’s skills, strength, and endurance were up to par with the wrestler, if they stepped out onto that mat with any fear within them, they were defeated before the first round even began.

Some people claim that fear and faith are polar opposites.  I believe they are the exact same thing. ( meaning they both operate upon the same great governing principle, see Lectures on Faith 1:24)

 

When you have faith in something you trust and have confidence in that things capacity over yourself.  

When you fear something, you also trust and have confidence in that things capacity over yourself.

Faith gains access to power.  Joseph Smith said the following in the Lectures on Faith Lecture 1, pay attention as he closely equates power to faith.

13.. But faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the Hebrews 11:3: 

 14“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
 15 By this we understand that the principle of power, which existed in the bosom of God, by which the worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that all created things exist—so that all things in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, exist by reason of faith, as it existed in Him.

17 Who cannot see that if God framed the worlds by faith, that it is by faith that he exercises power over them, and that faith is the principle of power? And that if the principle of power, it must be so in man as well as in the Deity?

We understand from scripture that is “it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men” (Moroni 7:37)

And when we have faith in Jesus, He gives us literal power: “but unto as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life.” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:8)

Faith opens the doors and gives access to the literal power, or energy, that transcends past this physical reality into the higher realms and greater dimensions in which this observable universe is derived from.  Faith is what powered the Liahona (Alma 37:40), is the means by which angels can teleport (LoF 7:4), and the how any miracles are wrought (Moroni 7:37, JST Gen. 14:30-32)).  When you work by faith you are dealing with a real and actual power, not a mere belief.  If we could harness this power it would solve our energy crisis.

What is cool about faith being a principle of power is that whatever you choose to have faith in, you give that thing power over your life.  Having faith doesn’t just apply to Jesus Christ.  Anything can become the object of your faith, and therefore the influence in which you place yourself under.  When you have faith in a material object such as a car, or a house, or money, you give that object power over your life- you become bound to it and that is what you are forced to live for.   If you have faith in a man, you give that man power over your life...

How awkward will it be at judgment day if we find that instead of being sealed to Christ, we have been sealed up unto a man because that is whom we have had faith in through our idolatry and blind obedience our whole life? That is the state telestial beings find themselves in.  (see D&C 76:98-101)

If a wrestler has fear in their opponent, or in other words they trust in their opponents capacity as a wrestler over their own, therefore having faith in their opponent, the wrestler is literally giving his opponent power over themselves.

Demons, negative energy (insecurities, shame, etc..), and other evil spirits feed off of fear.  They feed off of your entropy (excess energy not directed or in connection between you and God).  When you fear Satan, or anything other than God such as rejection, failure, unacceptance, etc... you are giving the devil literal power over your life. You receive the wages of whom you list to fear and obey.

“For they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds are evil, and they receive their wages of whom they list to obey.”(Doctrine and Covenants 29:45)

That wage is the power that connects you to your master.  If you serve Jesus and your wages come from Him,  you gain power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God (D&C 45:8). If your wages are from the Devil, you give power to him to keep you in ignorance:

“Why hath Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth?”(Alma 10:25 see also 1st Nephi 13:29, Alma 12:10-12)

Just as Jesus gives us power to be sealed into his family to become a Son of God if we have faith in Him, likewise if we fear, or have faith in the devil, we give Satan power to seal us up into his family.

"For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked."(Alma 34:35)

What you fear is what you have faith in