In regard to overcoming fear, I have thought a lot about the story of the prophet Elisha and how he faced the army that surrounded him in Dothan (see II Kings 6:8-23). One morning Elisha's servant woke up and saw that they were surrounded by a hostile Syrian army, come to capture Elisha. The servant asked Elisha, What shall we do? Elisha responded, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."
Then Elisha prayed. He did not accept the mortal picture of hostility as being real. The only reality he prayerfully accepted was God's creation. And I believe that Elisha must have recognized that the army of men that appeared before him was governed by God, divine Love, not hostility.
Next Elisha addressed the fear of his servant, saying: "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see." And when the servant looked up, he saw. What did he see? The Bible tells us: "Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." In other words, even the servant suddenly understood that he was enveloped by the protecting care of God and not by aggressive mortals. The images of the material senses with their frightening picture of hostility clearly faded from his view. In its place, he must have seen, as did Elisha, only the men of God's creation, which were very good. Elisha's prayer had awakened his servant's spiritual sense to this true picture. As a result, the Syrian army arrayed before them was blinded.
