Regina’s Note: I stood under the roller coaster for several trips to the park, staring straight up at the sheer drop and thinking “there is no way I would EVER get on that thing.” The shrieks of fear – and joy – from the people plummeting down the nearly 90 degree incline were enough to keep me terrified of ever climbing on the metal
twisting monster.
That fear was easy to identify. But the fear we experience in our walk with God is sometimes not so clear. My faith in God and His provision is strong, I have seen miracles over and over. So when a friend pointed out this week that I was paralyzed with fear in my current situation, I rejected her analysis. When a second person related the same observation days later, it began to sting. When God Himself pointed it out, it could not be denied. Fear is pervasive in our world, and can be crippling. There is a reason we are told hundreds of times in the bible not to fear – it is a real emotion. But it is not meant to be one which paralyzes, not when we trust God. I did eventually climb onto that roller coaster, despite my fear. And I found it was a great ride.
Lord, I pray You will use me to impart knowledge and revelation, not my words but Yours.
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1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
The above verse is so simple, yet reveals so much about our God. In this single statement, God tells Abram 1) not to fear 2) that God will protect him and 3) that God will reward him.
In the Bible, we see the word fear many times, but often it is in the context of “fear of the Lord” – reverence, and awe in the worship of God. Yet the fear we experience in our everyday lives is often far different and more temporal. It is into these circumstances that the Lord often tells us not to be afraid. I always found it so remarkable that in Romans 8:15, we are told “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” God Himself tells His children not to fear in the more common, everyday sense. “Do not be afraid, my child. Daddy is with you.”
Fear is caused by many circumstances in our lives, and not surprisingly, God is faithful to point them out to us, one by one. Contrary to God expecting us never to have fear, the overriding theme is that He knows we will, and so He is reminding us continually that He is with us, and we need not be afraid on any of these occasions.
Guilt and Shame :
Genesis 3:10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” We first see fear manifested on the Earth when Adam and Eve sinned. This story reveals right from the beginning the origin of fear – separation from God brought on by disobedience and sin. Adam was not afraid or shameful before the sin, but he was after. When we are not walking in fellowship with the Lord, fear is present. I think it important to point out that God, knowing the sin had taken place, was still seeking out Adam. Regardless of the guilt and shame we feel due to our sinfulness, God continues to pursue a relationship with us, and when that relationship is established, this type of fear is alleviated.
Lack of Provision
Matthew 6:25-26 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. 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? In this day and age, being afraid of lack of provision is a huge issue. According to studies, the fear of not having enough money is the most prevalent daily fear in a family; and is at the root of despair, violence, addictions, divorces and suicides. Jesus assures us that God knows our basic needs, and is looking out for us. Although often we do find ourselves is tight situations, He is clear that we should continually look to Him and not worry. Matthew 6:27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Storms of Life:
Matthew 8:25-26 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The promise of Jesus once we accept Him as Lord and Savior is that He will never leave us and is always with us. Therefore we can be assured that He is with us even through the most difficult storms of life, and He has the ability to calm even the greatest storm with just a word. Notice in the story that Jesus was in the boat before and after He calmed the storm. He wasn’t waiting in a safe place to swoop in at just the right time, He was there the whole time . Remember Jesus is in the boat with you, and remember His words “Why are you so afraid?”
Rejection and Abandonment:
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Fear manifests when we feel alone, threatened, or attacked by others. Jesus certainly understands such emotion, and assures us that no matter how alone we feel, He is right by our side. While often in our lives we find ourselves fearfully staring down loneliness and pain, He reminds us that He has never, will never, and can never leave us. This is especially true when we are doing His work and suffering rejection for it. 2 Timothy 4: But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. And further, 1 Peter 3:14 “even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.”
Death of a Dream:
Mark 5:35-36 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader.“Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Often we see what we think is the end of the road – the end of a relationship, a job, an opportunity, a dream . Although the tendency is to give up and mourn the loss, Jesus is clear that with Him, situations are often far different that they appear to us. Just as Jesus went on to resurrect the little girl, He can resurrect dead things in your life. He tells us clearly not to be afraid, but to simply believe in Him and in His care and concern for our lives. In this story, the girl had to die for the miracle of her renewed life to occur and for God to receive the glory. Remember that when you think that you are experiencing the end of something; often it had to die to bring a about God’s greater miracle and plan.
The final piece to the Genesis scripture is that God promises that He is Abram’s reward. This is the explanation to those who suffer hunger, despair, loneliness, loss, or even death. The reward that the Lord offers for relationship with Him is ultimately not a an earthly one, but an eternal one. The reward is everlasting life in heaven with our God, who will forever provide for us and keep us safe. The word “reward ” in this verse actually means “wages” – what we have earned by what we have done. If we walk with God, He is faithful to give us everlasting life. If we reject Him, we have a very different payday. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today, Realize: It is said that courage is not the absence of fear, but action despite fear. Jesus doesn’t expect us to walk without fear, but He does expect us to trust in His Words and step out in faith. The more you walk in this type of courage, not based in your abilities but in His love, the more precedent you will have that He will not let you fall. Like the little girl who died, fear can signal that something has gone wrong in your world – but is also a harbinger of God’s great glory and power if you trust in Him and hand over your fears.
Ultimately, the goal is to get to the place that you realize that the God of the universe, the One Who holds all things together in His hands -and the One who asks us to call Him “Daddy” – promises that if we trust Him, we have nothing to fear.When fear strikes, get into His Word and learn what He promises. And fear not.
1 John 14 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in My love.
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