Harnessing
the Power of Fear
By Dr. Ken Nichols
Subtitled,
“Turning Intimidation into Inspiration,” this book is a
step-by-step survival guide. In this world that can leave us almost numb from
the daily assaults of the headlines and the constant fear they bring day after
day, this is an encyclopedia of physical and spiritual skills that anyone
living really needs. More importantly, it shows us how to live a fulfilling
life when life all around us seems to be falling apart. But don’t be
mistaken for a moment. This is in no way a book of doom and gloom. It is, quite
to the contrary, a brightly shining beacon glowing though the headlines,
showing us the beautiful path to peace and hope.
In
the opening line to the foreword he wrote for the book, Dr. David Jeremiah
states, “To live is to face fear.” In this work, published by
Nichol’s own Alive Ministries, the author has created a perfect roadmap
for those who, for whatever reason, find themselves hobbled by fear of one
thing or another.
First,
he puts a face to fear. Many times (although not all) fear is a direct result
of the Devil’s own hand, building barricades in our path to the one sure
cure for the fear — Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Structurally, the book is divided into three sections: Part
One: The Significance of Fear. Part Two: The Symptoms of Fear. Part Three:
Surmounting Fear.
In
almost every poll taken before and after the presidential election,
“fear” played a prominent role. We are steeped in fear. Daily we
are bombarded with scenes of unspeakable violence and threats against our very
way of life. Is there any wonder as to why so many people live in fear about
what the future holds for them and their children?
In
this book, Nichols does far more than just give lip service to the existence of
fear and some of its causes. Nichols, like an architect laying out plans to
build a house, shows his reader his step by step plan to understand the fear,
identify it and them conquer it. It’s a no nonsense, logical approach to
dealing with very real problems.
This
is a hard book to describe in a word because it is so many things. It is
instructional to the point it could be a textbook, yet it is very readable.
Nichols writes in a friendly, easy to read style that is far from stuffy and
even tosses in personal stories and bits of humor. My favorite one is his
sharing a late night on the road with his wife when they ran out of gas and
hope for anything. They’re stranded many hours alone on a desolate
highway in the middle of nowhere until a truck, another car and a highway
patrol car would all just “happen by.” Just then, they spotted a
gas station and a Holiday Inn, as well as the sign telling them they were
entering Hope, Arkansas.
Paul McShane of Carlsbad is an author, businessman and journalist.