Fear; The Opposition to Our Faith

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), 
but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. -2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) 

There are a few important points that this scripture brings up.

1. Fear is a spirit.
2. It is a spirit that God did not give to us.
3. And self-discipline, self-control and love are our protection from fear?

Though we are talking about controlling emotions, fear is much more than just an emotion (just as most emotions are).  Fear is a spirit.  And it is a spirit that does not come from God.

Fear is a spirit of torment sent out by our enemy the devil but, we should not be surprised. The Bible says that "we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world...and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12 NLT).   

God says that Satan only comes to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10) and that is what the spirit of fear is sent out to do.