Tag Archives: afraid of snakes

Can You Be Scared to Death?

Posted on July 18, 2023 by expressyourself4him

According to the American Heart Association, there is a condition where an individual can be scared to death. Whenever someone is suddenly frightened, a blast of adrenaline shoots through their bodies. This causes your heart to rapidly pump blood in an effort to get more blood to your muscles. In extreme cases, any strong reaction can trigger fatal amounts of chemicals like adrenaline which has resulted in death in the past.

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau; and now he is [on the way] to meet you, and four hundred men are with him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups, Genesis 32:6-7.

Since there wasn’t a doctor present in the passage above, Moses suggests that a blast of adrenaline began to race through Jacob’s body. When Jacob received word that his brother Esau, who previously threatened to kill him in Genesis 27:42, was approaching his family with 400 men, a spirit of fear consumed Jacob. As someone who is afraid of snakes, Jacob’s mind was likely racing, filled with images of Esau seeking revenge on his younger brother.

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love [g]turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear [h]brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection], 1 John 4:18.

If you ever find yourself crippled by a spirit of fear, one of Jesus’ disciples provides a remedy in the passage above. The apostle Paul also chimes in on this topic in 2 Timothy 1:7. Fear doesn’t come from the Lord above, James 1:17. Rather fear comes from the father of lies, John 8:44. Whenever the presence of fear seeks to evade your life, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5. Putting this into practice will help you from becoming scared to death.

by Jay Mankus

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Dark Places

Posted on June 19, 2014 by expressyourself4him

If you think long enough, childhood memories from a scary place will trigger fear.  Whether you grew up in the country, city or suburbs, every neighborhood had at least one area, house or place where a presence of darkness was felt.  For me and my friends, it was a forest where strange things regularly occurred.

My first encounter there involved snakes, like the movie Snakes on Planes.  Located a couple of hundred yards from my house, a dense forest possessed a short cut to my favorite arcade.  When the path wasn’t trimmed back, you had to walk in Namaans Creek to avoid sticker bushes.  On this particular day, a snake swam between my legs, another fell out of a tree right above my head and a third I nearly stepped on, slithering right in front of me.  Whether I entered a haunted forest or not, this was the first of several experiences which brought chills and goosebumps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldXdymGCShg

According to Asaph, dark places do exist, Psalm 74:20.  These signs are obvious with violence being the major factor.  You don’t have to live in the projects to witness such a place.  Somewhere along the way, the devil, demons and dark powers have established a foothold in these arenas of life, Ephesians 4:27.  If and when you stumble across such a place, remember to arm yourself with the right weapons, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  Until then, take the apostle Paul’s advice in Ephesians 6:10-12, putting on the armor of God as a canvas of protection from dark places.

by Jay Mankus

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