What’s a book or movie that genuinely scared you?
From Freddy Krueger and Nightmares to Finding Freedom from the Torment of Fear
By Cornelius Bella | The Message Bearer
What is a book or movie that genuinely scared you?
For me, the answer takes me back to my childhood, long before I became born again.
Regrettably, I used to watch quite a number of horror movies while growing up. At the time, I did not fully understand the lasting impression that some of the things we watched could leave on our minds, emotions, and imaginations.
One film stands out vividly in my memory: A Nightmare on Elm Street, featuring the terrifying character Freddy Krueger.
If you grew up watching horror movies during that era, you may remember him. The frightening face, the bladed glove, and perhaps most disturbingly, the idea that you were not even safe in your dreams.
For me, the fear did not end when the movie finished.
I remember running through the corridor of our house, terrified that something might be lurking in the darkness.
The movie had ended, but my imagination continued playing scenes long after the television was switched off.
What had been presented as entertainment became a source of genuine fear.
And the fear did not remain confined to my waking hours.
It followed me into my dreams.
When Fear Becomes a Tormentor
Looking back today, one Scripture describes something of what I experienced.
1 John 4:18 (KJV)
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Those three words stand out to me: “Fear hath torment.”
The immediate context of this verse concerns the confidence that God’s love gives believers in the face of judgment. Nevertheless, the statement about the tormenting nature of fear also captures something recognisable in human experience.
Fear can torment you even when the thing you fear is not physically present.
It can turn an ordinary corridor into a frightening journey.
It can make darkness seem threatening.
It can fill your imagination with possibilities that have no basis in what is actually happening around you.
And sometimes, even when you close your eyes to sleep, the fear continues.
That was part of my experience.
I suffered frightening dreams and episodes of sleep paralysis.
If you have ever experienced sleep paralysis, you may understand how disturbing it can be. You become conscious while temporarily unable to move or speak, sometimes accompanied by an overwhelming sensation of fear.
Sleep paralysis has recognised physiological explanations related to the transitions between sleep and wakefulness. I do not suggest that everyone who experiences it has a spiritual problem or requires deliverance.
But I can speak about my own journey.
For me, those experiences formed part of a deeply troubling season in which fear seemed to have gained too much influence over my life.
I knew what it meant to be afraid while awake.
I also knew what it meant to be frightened during the night.
I had watched fear on a screen, but I was now experiencing its torment in my own life.
What We Allow Into Our Minds Matters
One of the lessons I have learned is that we should never underestimate the influence of what we continually expose our minds to.
Not every frightening movie will affect everyone in the same way. But what we watch, read, listen to, and repeatedly meditate upon can influence our thoughts, emotions, and expectations.
The Bible gives us a powerful principle concerning the direction of our thoughts.
Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
This Scripture challenges us to become intentional about what occupies our minds.
As a young person, I did not understand this as I do today.
I consumed frightening images for entertainment without considering how they might affect me afterwards.
The excitement of watching something terrifying lasted a relatively short time.
But the memories and fear sometimes remained much longer.
I am not suggesting that every Christian who has watched a horror movie will suffer nightmares or sleep paralysis. Neither am I suggesting that every nightmare has a spiritual cause.
My point is much more personal.
I learned that not everything that entertains you is necessarily beneficial to you.
Paul expressed a related principle:
1 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV)
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
I do not want to be controlled by anything that continually produces fear, anxiety, or spiritual distraction in my life.
And that is a lesson worth learning early.
My Turning Point: Experiencing God’s Deliverance
My story did not end with those frightening experiences.
I eventually became born again and began to understand the authority of Jesus Christ, the truth of God’s Word, and the freedom available through Him.
There was also a significant turning point in my life through what I personally experienced as biblical deliverance.
I believe God delivered me from the torment of fear that had troubled me for so long.
Those frightening experiences that had once seemed so powerful no longer held the same grip over my life.
I am deeply grateful to God for that freedom.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
This Scripture became especially meaningful to me.
The Christian life is not intended to be governed by paralysing fear.
God calls us to live in faith, love, spiritual soundness, and confidence in Him.
That does not mean Christians never experience fear, disturbing dreams, or sleep-related difficulties. Faith does not make us immune to every physical or psychological experience.
But we need not surrender our lives to fear.
We can turn to God in prayer, renew our minds through His Word, and seek appropriate help when necessary.
For me, my deliverance was a deeply personal testimony of God’s mercy and power.
I had known the torment of fear.
And I came to know the freedom that I believe only Christ could bring into my life.
From Fear in the Night to Confidence in God
One of the beautiful promises of Scripture is found in Psalm 4.
Psalm 4:8 (KJV)
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Imagine the significance of that verse to someone who once associated going to sleep with frightening experiences.
The ability to lie down peacefully, without being consumed by dread, is something we should never take for granted.
Another Scripture declares:
Proverbs 3:24 (KJV)
“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”
These verses reveal the confidence and security that believers are encouraged to cultivate through trust in God.
For me, they also became reminders that my past experiences did not have to determine my future.
Freddy Krueger was a fictional character.
But the fear I experienced was real.
And the freedom I later experienced was real to me too.
What I Would Tell My Younger Self
If I could speak to that young boy running fearfully through the corridor after watching A Nightmare on Elm Street, I would tell him a few things.
I would tell him that he does not need to feed his imagination continually with things that terrify him.
I would tell him that the images on the screen do not have the authority to determine his future.
I would encourage him to learn God’s Word, guard his thought life, and understand the difference between fictional horror and actual danger.
Most importantly, I would introduce him to Jesus Christ and the peace that comes from knowing Him.
Jesus said:
John 14:27 (KJV)
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
What a wonderful promise.
The peace Jesus gives is not dependent on the absence of every frightening circumstance.
It is rooted in our relationship with Him.
The Greatest Lesson From My Experience
When I look back on those years, I do not remember A Nightmare on Elm Street simply as a frightening movie.
I remember it as part of a chapter of my life that taught me something about fear, the vulnerability of the human mind, and the importance of what we allow to influence us.
But I also remember something much greater.
Fear did not have the final word over my life.
Jesus Christ changed my story.
What began with frightening entertainment and continued through disturbing experiences became part of a testimony of God’s deliverance.
Today, I would much rather fill my heart and imagination with the promises of God than with images designed to terrify me.
And if you are reading this while struggling with nightmares, sleep paralysis, or persistent fear, please know that you are not alone.
Seek God’s help through prayer and His Word. Speak with trusted people who can support you. If sleep paralysis or sleep disturbances recur, speak with a healthcare professional, because these experiences can also have treatable sleep-related causes.
There is no contradiction between trusting God and seeking appropriate medical care.
My testimony is not a formula that everyone must follow or an explanation for every person’s experience.
It is simply my story of what I went through and how I believe God brought me into freedom.
And I remain grateful.
A Final Thought
The question was: What is a book or movie that genuinely scared you?
My answer is A Nightmare on Elm Street.
But the deeper story is not really about Freddy Krueger.
It is about a young boy who knew what it meant to be tormented by fear, who later encountered Jesus Christ, and who came to experience freedom.
The film may have left frightening memories, but those memories no longer define my life.
The movie ended many years ago. By God’s grace, so did the torment that followed it.
And that is the part of the story I am most grateful for.
Cornelius Bella
The Message Bearer
What about you?
Was there a movie, book, or childhood experience that left you genuinely frightened?
And looking back, what did that experience teach you about fear, faith, or the power of what we allow into our minds?
