Fear Not

There is no emotion known to man as debilitating as fear. Fear causes panic, dread, fright and apprehension and produces a stressful reaction to the body. It has a paralyzing effect as it renders one unable to think logically or act intelligently. It has a mind of its very own and can lead to a downward spiral very quickly. The opposite of fear is peace. Where fear causes trepidation and angst, peace offers a still calmness and tranquility.

True peace is a gift from God. It is total well-being and inner rest of spirit, no matter what your circumstances may be. Jesus’ peace is real and present and the only antidote to a troubled heart. Have you ever taken notice how many times in the Bible Jesus commands us not to be troubled or afraid? God knew that left to ourselves we would wallow in self-pity and be consumed by fear. Yet He also provided us with everything we need to overcome this fear—Faith. Our faith in Jesus’ ability to rescue us from the storms of life is what overcomes our fears.

Fear has been a part of mankind from the very beginning. Fear crept into humans after the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to sin. In Chapter 3 of Genesis when God was calling to Adam and Eve, Adam answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” In Deuteronomy 1 when the spies were sent out to look over the land that the Lord was giving the Israelites, God commanded them not to be afraid or discouraged. In Joshua 1:9 again God commanded the Israelites to be strong and courageous and not to be terrified or discouraged for He Himself would be with them wherever they went. In Matthew 8 when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus and the furious storm came upon them, they were filled with fear. After they awakened Jesus He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Later when they saw Jesus walking on the water they were again terrified and thought they saw a ghost. Jesus immediately told them to take courage and not to be afraid (Matthew 14:29). At another time when Jesus was speaking to a crowd, some men came from the house of Jairus, a synagogue ruler, and told him that his daughter was dead. Ignoring what they said, Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe!” (Mark 5:35-36)

I believe all these Biblical stories were preserved as examples to not allow fear to overtake and consume us. Psalm 56:3 confirms that in this world we will have fears. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. It does not say, if I am afraid, it says when I am afraid. In other words, we will have moments when we are afraid. Tom Holladay, a pastor of Saddleback Church says, "We may want a life of no fears, but that only happens in heaven. In this life we're all going to face fears of one kind or another." At this time in my life that is very reassuring to me as I have been facing my own fears about my impending surgery. I have come to learn that when we become fearful, we must immediately focus our eyes on Jesus and let Him fight our battles for us. Prayer is God’s prescription for our troubled and fearful hearts. When we pray it takes the focus off of us and onto God. The more we pray, the more we experience God’s peace. The ironic thing is that Jesus Himself said that in this world we will have troubles, but He also said that we are to take heart, for He has overcome the world. When we are worried and anxious, we must pray. When we find ourselves becoming angry or bitter, we must pray. When we are fearful, we must go to God in prayer. In fact, we should go to God in prayer over everything and often. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7.

When we cast our cares upon Jesus, something supernatural occurs. We become filled with a peace that truly surpasses all understanding. How wonderful to know that we are loved and tenderly taken care of by the God who created the Universe, and to know that we are His prized possessions, the apple of His eye. Anything that concerns us, concerns Him. Furthermore, He is the One who holds the entire Universe in His hands and can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine. He asks us to allow our faith in Him to overcome any fears that we have. I believe that coming to His throne room of grace in authentic worship and prayer is what moves God to act on our behalf. He delights in giving His children blessings and peace. "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him." Matthew 7:11

When you pray, don’t forget to add thanksgiving to your conversation with God. When you add thankfulness, especially during difficult times, you are praying a “by faith” prayer. By faith, you believe that God is who He says He is, that His Word is true, and that He will cause all things to work for good for those who love him. Thankfulness moves beyond what you may “feel” to acknowledge God’s behind-the-scenes work in the world and in your life regardless of what you may visibly see. Sometimes His work is apparent and visible; sometimes it is not. Thankfulness acknowledges that no matter what the outcome, you believe that He is able and that He is good—all of the time.

Next time fear begins to rear its ugly head, cast your burdens on the Lord and immediately lay them at the foot of the cross. Remember that overcoming fears may involve a process, and is not necessarily automatic, especially if you feel the fear coming back. The enemy of your soul, Satan, wants you to remain fearful and will try everything he can to keep you anxious, worried, and frightened. Remain steadfast and don't give up, but keep bringing your concerns and fears to the Lord through honest prayer and petition. Fill your mind with the perfect Word of God and then allow Yahweh Shalom, the Lord of Peace, to bestow on you His divine favor and fill you with His perfect peace. He will do it, for He who promised is faithful.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3

Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. John 14:27

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

Are you a Worry-Wart?

Do you ever find yourself day-dreaming about your future, or maybe the state of the economy, or the spiritual decline of our nation and before you know it you become anxious and unsettled? Or maybe you find yourself obsessively thinking about your kids, what they are doing or watching, or the choices they are making, and you begin to worry about their health and well-being? I know that I am guilty of fretting over things that I have absolutely no control over. Furthermore, worrying quickly opens the door to yet another very destructive emotion—FEAR. So why do I worry? We all know what an inefficient use of time worrying is. In fact, over 90% of what we worry about never even comes to pass. Yet, many of us to choose to engage in it on a regular basis. It is important to note that there is a difference between worrying about something and being concerned about it. Whereas worrying immobilizes, genuine concern moves one to action.

Because worrying is so detrimental to one’s health and faith-life, Jesus strongly warns us not to worry. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

The bible gives us 7 reasons not to worry:

1. The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life.
2. Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today.
3. Worrying is more harmful than helpful.
4. God does not ignore those who depend on Him.
5. Worry shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God.
6. There are real challenges God wants us to pursue, and worrying keeps us from them.
7. Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.

When we chose to worry, we forfeit our peace. More importantly, worry reveals a lack of faith in God’s control. Psalm 37:5-7 says, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” When God tells us to “commit our way” to Him, he wants us to entrust everything to Him—our lives, our families, our jobs, our possessions, and our future. He wants us to loosen our grip and give Him control. Committing ourselves to God means trusting in Him. Trusting that He can take far better care of us and everything that concerns us and patiently waiting for him to work out what is best. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? The real test of faith is whether or not you can do that.

Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. Hebrews 11:1 I just love that verse. It is such divine truth. If we knew the outcome, if we could see it all, it simply would not be faith. We would be trusting in ourselves, not in God. True faith drops a letter in the mailbox and lets it go, trusting that a response is forthcoming. Worry and distrust holds onto a corner of it, and wonders why the answer never comes. Holding onto the corner doesn’t produce a response, does it? It will not accomplish a thing until we let it go out of our hands and trust the postman and the mail system to get the letter to its desired recipient. This is how it is with true faith. It hands over its case to God, and leaves it with Him, trusting that He will work it out.

Worrying is a very destructive emotion that reveals a lack of faith that God loves us and is in control over our lives. It is also a very “inward focus”. Next time you find yourself beginning to worry, take a “time out.” Find a place where you can commune with God, give Him all your worries, and ask for His peace to rain down on you. This will give you an “upward focus”, and not allow you to dwell inwardly on your problems or worries. If you focus your attention on God and His goodness, He promises you will find peace.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27