Symptoms of a Spirit of Fear – Overcoming the Spirit of Fear

Trusting God

The spirit of fear is one of Satan’s most destructive weapons against God’s people. It is more than just a feeling—it is a demonic stronghold that can invade the soul and body, leading to physical, emotional, and spiritual bondage. Fear opens the door to torment (1 John 4:18), and when not addressed, it can lead to breakdowns in health, joy, relationships, and purpose. Below are symptoms and manifestations of the spirit of fear, followed by biblical steps to overcome it through Christ.

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Physical Manifestations of the Spirit of Fear

Fear begins spiritually but often manifests physically. When fear becomes chronic, it produces real stress on the body. The body and mind are connected—what affects one, affects the other. Symptoms may include:

• Tension or tight muscles (especially in the neck, shoulders, or jaw)

• Headaches or migraines

• Back pain or stiffness

• High blood pressure

• Numbness or tingling in arms or legs

• Indigestion, heartburn, or acid reflux

• Irritable bowel, colitis, or peptic ulcers

• Difficulty breathing, asthma, shortness of breath

• Chest tightness or angina

• Skin issues: rashes, eczema, itching

• Allergies or frequent infections due to a weakened immune system

• Chronic fatigue, exhaustion, low energy

• Dry mouth, lump in the throat sensation

• Cold hands or feet (circulatory disruption)

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep

• Overeating or lack of appetite

• Unhealthy weight gain or loss

• Diabetes-related stress reactions

These physical symptoms can be compounded by emotional trauma, generational curses, or unaddressed spiritual wounds. The longer fear rules, the deeper it roots itself.

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Emotional and Mental Symptoms of a Spirit of Fear

Fear is a paralyzer. It shuts down joy, decision-making, and hope. When fear is allowed to fester, it takes over the mind and emotions:

• Constant anxiety or nervousness

• Depression, lack of joy or enthusiasm for life

• Mental exhaustion or brain fog

• Inability to concentrate or focus

• Forgetfulness and indecisiveness

• Feeling emotionally drained or mentally strained

• Pessimism, sarcasm, or cynicism

• Frequent crying or being emotionally on edge

• Feelings of being overwhelmed, overcommitted, or unable to cope

• Low self-worth, self-condemnation, or feeling broken in spirit

• Negative self-talk or perfectionist demands

• Overreacting or underreacting to stress

• Moodiness or emotional instability

• Loss of sense of humor or inability to laugh

• Difficulty adjusting to changes in life

• Feeling “stuck,” hopeless, or unable to move forward

• Obsessive thoughts or racing mind

• Trouble letting go of past disappointments

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Behavioral Signs of Fear Operating in Daily Life

Fear doesn’t just stay internal—it shows up in our actions, choices, and relationships. When under the influence of fear, people may:

• Withdraw from social contact or avoid people

• Exhibit nervous habits (e.g., nail-biting, pacing, fidgeting)

• Feel panicky or driven by urgency

• Become workaholics or perfectionists

• Set unrealistic goals or deadlines

• Attempt to "do it all" to gain approval or feel worthy

• Engage in escapist behaviors (shopping sprees, binge eating, excessive TV, etc.)

• Take tranquilizers, alcohol, or other substances to relax

• Avoid conflict or confrontation

• Perform below potential at work or school

• Become overly competitive, even in unneeded areas

• Struggle to bounce back from setbacks

• Feel out of control or powerless

• Overfill their schedules to prove worth

These self-defeating patterns are often deeply rooted in a stronghold of fear and must be addressed at the spiritual level.

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Scriptural Truth: God Has Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear

2 Timothy 1:7 declares, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear is a lying spirit. It pretends to protect but actually enslaves. It robs believers of peace, joy, and clarity. Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18), including those in bondage to fear!

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Steps to Overcome the Spirit of Fear

1. Recognize the Root – Ask the Holy Spirit to show where fear entered: trauma, generational sin, abuse, witchcraft, or rejection.

2. Take Responsibility – Acknowledge fear as sin when you’ve come into agreement with it.

3. Repent and Renounce – Break covenant with fear. Say aloud:
“I repent for allowing fear into my life. I renounce and break agreement with the spirit of fear in Jesus’ name!”

4. Remove the Spirit – Command it to go:
“Spirit of fear, I bind you and cast you out in the name of Jesus Christ! You no longer have legal access to my life!”

5. Replace with Truth – Fill your mind with the Word.
Key Scriptures:

• Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you…”

• Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

• Romans 8:15 – “You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear…”

6. Anoint Yourself with Oil – As a prophetic act, anoint your forehead and declare peace and soundness of mind in Christ (James 5:14).

7. Rejoice and Restore – Thank the Lord for deliverance and walk in faith daily. Rebuild your spiritual strength through prayer, worship, and renewing your mind.

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You Can Be Free from Fear Today!

Jesus Christ has already won the battle over fear at the cross. You don’t have to stay stuck in torment, confusion, or panic. You can walk in peace, power, and purpose! If you're experiencing these symptoms and suspect a spiritual root, don’t delay—seek deliverance.

A spirit of fear, as you can see, can make a person sick with diseases. 

Traci Morin, speaker, minister, anxiety coach, teacher of deliverance, Who's Who of America
Touch of God International Ministries - a Christian Healing and Deliverance Ministry - Setting the Captives Free from demonic curses

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Know Your Enemy: What the Bible Says About Satan’s Strategy

In rebellion against God (Daniel 10:13, 20)

God is preparing Satan's kingdom for final destruction (Revelation 20:10,14)

Inferior to God's Kingdom: Jesus demonstrated this by casting out demons (Matthew 12: 24-30).

Mission objectives

Maintain Satan's rule of the earth (John 12:31, Revelation 12:3-17,16:14, 20:7-8)

Oppose God's kingdom and the redemption of people (Revelation 12:17)

Promote rebellion against God (sin) (Ephesians 2:2)

Steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)

Draw worship, devotion, and service from people to assist in mission accomplishment (Luke 4:7, Revelation 13: 1,3-4,8,11-12,14-15)

Command Structure of Satan

Ruler: Satan

Formerly, Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12) was the covering cherub angel for God's throne (Ezekiel 28:14-16). (See Ezekiel 10 and Ezekiel 1:5-26 for a description of the cherubim angels)

Served amid the fiery stones before the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14,16)

Created perfect in beauty, adorned with precious stones, and full of wisdom (Ezekiel 28:12-16)

Established by God with tremendous power (Isaiah 14:9-11, Ezekiel 28:14)

Sinned by pride (Isaiah 14:13-14, Ezekiel 28:17)

Is/was a destroyer of nations and cities (Isaiah 14:12,16,17,20)

God cast him out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12, Ezekiel 28:16-17, Luke 10:18)

Became Satan ("the adversary") and accuser of the brethren (Zechariah 3:1-2)

Current status of the Rulers of the Earth

Satan is the ruler of the earth (Luke 4:5-6, John 12:31). He is also referred to as the "prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2 NKJV)

Has authority, power, and a throne (Revelation 13:2), and may give his authority over the earth to whomever he wishes (Luke 4:5-7). He will ultimately give his throne, his power, and great authority to the beast (Revelation 13:2).

Primary tactics: steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He also uses death (Hebrews 2:14), deception (Revelation 12:9), lust (Proverbs 11:6, 2 Peter 1:4, Ephesians 2:1-3), and pride (1 John 2:15-17) to rule the earth.

He is stealthy, seeking opportune times to attack (Luke 4:13)

Asks for God’s permission to afflict certain people: Peter (Luke 22:31); Job (Job 1:11-12).

He is the father of lies, and there is no truth in him (John 8:44)

He is a murderer (John 8:44)

Powers of Death:

Has the power of death until both he and death are destroyed during the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom on earth (1 Corinthians 15:24-26, Revelation 20:10,14)

Able to supernaturally move people (Luke 4:9) and project temptation into the mind (Luke 4:5, John 13:2).
Strong deception powers to deceive individuals (2 Corinthians 4:4) and nations (Revelation 20:3, 8,10).
Can transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Can travel back and forth on earth and also to heaven (1 Peter 5:8, Job 1:6-7, 2:1-2)
His power and rule are limited (Revelation 12:9, 20:1-3)
Not omnipresent (Luke 4:13)

Forces of Principalities

Forces include principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)

Except people used by evil, Satan’s forces are spiritual, not flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12)

Evil Angels:

Satan deceived a third of the angels in heaven and them to serve himself (Revelation 12:3-9). Since there are "myriads and myriads" of God's angels, it follows that a third of them is also a large number (Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 5:11)

Fight with God's angels over matters involving human events. Daniel 10:13,20 depicts warfare between good and evil angels.

Will fight God's Archangel Michael and other angels and will be cast out of heaven with Satan (Revelation 12:9).

Will ultimately be tormented in everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41)

Imprisoned forces: Some rebelling angels were imprisoned just before Noah's flood and await final judgment. They rebelled by taking human wives and producing offspring (Genesis 6:1-6). They helped draw the human race into continual evil. God sent the flood to wipe out this corrupted race and imprisoned the guilty angels in Hell (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6). Jesus Christ proclaimed his victory over all evil to these imprisoned spirits during His resurrection, sealing their destruction (1 Peter 3:18-20).
Demons/Evil Spirits

Characteristics of Satan

Dwell on the earth and seek bodies to inhabit. (Revelation 18:2, Matthew 12:43-44, Mark 5:12)
Know they will suffer at the hands of Jesus at an appointed time (Matthew 8:29)

Recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Mark 1:24-26, Mark 5:10-13). They also recognize those operating under the authentic authority of Jesus Christ (Acts 19:15).

Communal. When re-inhabiting a former host person, a demon will take 7 spirits more wicked than himself and reoccupy the person (Matthew 12:43-45). Examples of multiple demons inhabiting a person are found at Mark 16:9 (Mary had 7 demons) and Mark 5:9 (Gadarenes man had a legion of demons). Also, in James 3:16 NKJV, James confirmed their communal traits, "where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."

Have intellect and will (Matthew 12:43-45)

Vary in the level of wickedness (Matthew 12:43-45)

Description: Job’s friend, Eliphaz, described an encounter with an evil spirit in Job 4:12-21. The spirit was characterized by fear and disquieting thoughts. Eliphaz saw the spirit’s form but could not discern its appearance.

Capabilities of Power

Limited power; they require rest (Matthew 12:43-44)

Can travel (Matthew 12:43-45)

Can affect the "state" of their host person (Matthew 12:43-45), ranging from total demonic possession (Mark 5:2-8) to periodic demonic influence (Mark 9:17-18).

They can influence their host's emotions, thoughts, and actions toward destruction. Examples include the Gerasene demoniac cutting himself in Mark 5:5 and the boy being thrown into the fire in Mark 9:22.

Vary in power level. Some are only routed through prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21, Mark 9:29).

People and Evil Powers

People can be used by evil powers to accomplish satanic purposes. Examples include Judas betraying Christ (John 13:27), Elymas thwarting

Paul’s ministry (Acts 13:8-10) and David numbering Israel's army (1 Chronicles 21:1).

Can be used as false apostles and deceitful workers (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Satan's forces can speak through Christians (Matthew 16:22-23). Satan spoke through Peter, tempting Jesus to avoid suffering and death.

Satan may enter people to influence them directly (Judas - Luke 22:3, Ananias – Acts 5:3)

Sin nature: Our own sinful nature can be our worst enemy. Evil powers may try to manipulate us by appealing to our sinful nature and use sinful desires to war against us (1 Peter 2:11-12, James 1:14-15).

Communication:

Native kingdom language is deception. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).

Satan's Forces can communicate individually and as a group. This is illustrated in the examples of the legion of demons in the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:2-8) and the demon returning with 7 other demons to his host in Matthew 12:43-45.

Evil words Can be used to promote destruction, fear, doubt, blasphemy, and curses (James 3:6,10-12). One example of how evil forces can use evil words is in Ecclesiastes 10:20. Solomon talked about how a "bird of the air" could reveal a person's evil thoughts and words spoken privately to others. The Amplified Bible refers to a "winged creature," which could suggest a fallen angel or demon that intercepts thoughts and words.

Idle words can provide a foothold for affliction and judgment of the speaker (Matthew 12:36-37)
Blocking: Evil angels attempted to block God's angel from bringing the answer to Daniel's prayer in Daniel 10:13,20.

Counterfeit spiritual gifts: evil forces may use counterfeit spiritual manifestations to accomplish their purposes. Divination, necromancy, witchcraft, fortune telling, palm reading, and sorcery are all examples of manifestations of evil power (see occult sin page for more info and refs).

Future: Jesus Christ will crush Satan's kingdom completely, and the last enemy to be destroyed will be death (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). The

Archangel Michael will defeat Satan and hurl him down from heaven (Revelation 12:9). Next, he will be bound by an angel and thrown into the pit for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). Finally, Satan and his forces will be cast into the lake of fire permanently (Revelation 20:10,14-15). Jesus

Christ will then triumphantly hand over the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).