The Spirit of Intimidation

Pastor Jason
• 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of
fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
• spirit – pneuma – same word used for the Holy
Spirit or the spirit of man or demon. Intimidation is
a spirit.
• Spiritual resistance requires spiritual assistance. The
spirit of intimidation must be addressed in the
realm of the spirit. Our will or intellect cannot
overcome a spirit.
• Why would people who are intelligent and
physically strong struggle with intimidation –
often from someone or something weaker in
body or mind?
• They are not fighting natural weakness but
spiritual weakness.
• The enemy uses fear to oppress us so that we
are paralyzed and ineffective in serving God.
• When fear enters our heart, here are just a
few of the things we stand to lose: peace,
confidence, courage, endurance, heroism,
resolution and security.
• The spiritual force behind intimidation is fear.
• 2 Timothy 1.7 – fear – deilia (fearfulness)
Denotes cowardice and timidity. Never used in
a good sense.
• Fear is a stronghold of the enemy in our minds.
• Fear keeps us from confrontation. Fear keeps us from living where God wants us
to live and going where God wants us to go!
• Numbers 14:1-5  1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and
the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against
Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died
in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the
LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children
should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So
they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the

congregation of the children of Israel.

• Remember the Word of the Lord concerning the promised land and the report of
Joshua and Caleb.
• Fear makes us doubt God and not stand on His
promises.
• The spirit of fear is inversely proportional to
love. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but
perfect love casts out fear, because fear
involves torment. But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love.
• 1 Samuel 16:2 2 And Samuel said, “How can I
go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you,
and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’
• If Samuel does not go to the house of Jesse,
David is not anointed king.
• Fear paralyzes, stifles and binds us; fear leads
us to lean on ourselves for the answers.
• Satan wants us to be filled with fear and to doubt
God’s promises and provision.
• Worry can be a terrible strain on the body. The enemy
uses fear so that we are ineffective in serving God.
• We must not give in to fear that would keep us from
loving God and others
• When we have trouble trusting in a relationship, fear is
right around the corner. Fear, as a stronghold, allows
our mind to create scenarios that are not even real.
Those imaginations reside in the stronghold of fear.
• We must trust fully in our relationship with
God. As His children, we can rest in the
knowledge of His perfect love toward us.
• We must not allow the enemy to cause us to
doubt His guidance, protection and provision.