Fear as a Motivator

Written By Paul McDonald

The first Dune reveals the importance of training, preparation, and responding to fear. How will you prepare for the dreams you have? How will you respond to the training you must endure? When you’re going through the trial and pain, which voice will you listen to: the voice of fear or of love? Strap on your still suit, conserve your water, and lets discover God’s truth in this movie.

Quotes

  • The bad guys manipulate and control the universe to create their desired outcome.

  • “Dreams make good stories, but the important things happen when you’re awake.”

  • The only place we can have an impact is right here.

  • Dreams only come true through what we do in the moment, in real life.

  • If you really want to help, stop dreaming and start training.

  • If I have to get ready, what am I now?

  • We’re always ready to give a reason for the grouchiness we have.

  • If someone is going to ask about the hope, they have to see us have hope.

  • Life doesn’t depend on my interpretation, but God’s. When stuff happens, our first response should be to ask God what He wants to say about it. “What’s your interpretation of what just happened?”

  • If I don’t control those initial responses and impulses, I will hurt other people.

  • Whatever we allow in, we will multiply.

  • “I must not fear.  Fear is the mind killer.  Fear is the little death that brings obliterations.  And I’ll face my fear and permit it to pass over me and through me.  And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye and see its path.  And where the fear is gone, there will be nothing.  Only I will remain.”

  • The only way to survive the sandstorm was to let go of the controls and allow the wind to carry them safely (as opposed to fighting it and destroying the aircraft).

  • Fear is on the other side of love.  Not hate, but fear.

  • Faith and fear are both based on the unseen.

  • When you act out of fear, you will get what you’re afraid of.

  • I tell myself no because there’s something better on the other side.

 Themes

  • Fear as a motivator. The balance of pain and fear, and what we do with it. You defeat fear by bringing it under the power and authority of your mind.  Fear kills your mind.  The core of our reactions, especially anger, is fear.

  • The importance of dreams vs living our lives.  

  • The idea of preparing and training for what’s ahead:

    • Being present, in the moment.

    • Preparing for the dreams that we have.

    • Preparing for the brutal opposition we will face. The battle is won at the base, in training, practice and repetition.

  • It’s not mean to force him to train when he’s not in the mood.  Champions don’t just practice when they feel like it.

  • When things happen that make us doubt and question our value and worth, we need to listen to God’s interpretation and not our own.

  • If you’re chosen for something, you must endure pain. Even though it feels like my life is ending, that’s not reality.  Going through trials purifies and strengthens our faith, if we hold on to the truth that God loves you.  It burns away everything that’s not really us.

Resources

  • “When I was here, I was always wishing I was someplace else.  But now that I’m in these other places, I wish I was back here.  I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” – The Office (video link)

  • “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.” - 2 Timothy 2:3-6 (ESV)

  • “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” -1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

  • “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” -1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NLT)

  • “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” -John 16:13

  • “Every choice we make is based on love or fear.  Fear based reactions look like control, offense, rage, and scarcity. Love based reactions reflect patience, kindness, true strength, and abundance.  Love or fear.  Those are the only two choices.  Which do you reflect?” - Allen Arnold

  • “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” -2 Timothy 1:7

Questions

  • What can I do now to prepare for the future ahead?  Family traditions? Meals?

  • How can you discipline yourself now to prepare for the dreams God has given you?

  • What obstacles keep you from putting in the preparation for what will come?

  • What dreams do you have?  For your marriage?  For your children?  For work? For friendships? 

  • What must be done today to create the vision you have for the future?

  • What opposition do you face?  What are big ways your faith has been shaken?  How is it shaken in little things as well?

  • Would anyone ask you about the hope you have, or the grouchiness?  What would you tell them?

  • How can you develop the discipline of listening to God?

  • What is your interpretation of the holidays?  Of the upcoming year?  How does God interpret these events?

  • How do you fight for control in the middle of a storm?

  • When was the last time you were angry?  What fear was behind the anger?

  • What verse can be a mantra for you in times of stress and crisis?

Check out our YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@menatthemovies) for bonus content.

To dive into this content even more, visit our website: www.menatthemovies.com/podcast. You will find resources mentioned on the podcast, plus quotes and themes discussed.

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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (graysonfoster.com)

Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (ianhjohnston.com)

Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).

Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock

Links:

Paul McDonald
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