Fear. You’ll find it splashed across the pages of the Bible. It is no small subject. From Genesis to Revelation, from Abraham to John on the Isle of Patmos, we hear the command from heaven ringing out over and over again: Fear Not! Fear Not! Fear Not!
That command was given to Abraham. It was given to Moses. And it was even given to Israel. It was given to David, to Daniel, and to the city of Jerusalem. The exhortation and command to not fear was given to the disciples as they were on the Sea of Galilee, to Mary when the angel Gabriel told her she would expect a child, and to the crowds who gathered to hear Jesus.
In Isaiah 41 God said, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” In Him we can find strength, our help, and the one who upholds us forever.
If we believe in God and trust His words why then do we fear? I ask myself this question often. The Bible tells us not to doubt, yet we do. I’ve spend most of my life in fear. It’s what my mother controlled me with as a child.
Fear is Satan’s primary tool to keep us bound. It comes in all shapes and sizes. It can look like worry, despair, anxiety. But its greatest damage is done in our life with our ability to make decisions. Every decision we make based on fear will not be in accordance with God’s will.
God told us not to fear and not to be afraid. When God is with us, we cannot be defeated. When God is at our side, we can overcome all things. Fear requires no action and faith requires action. Fear paralyses us.
We have to choose whether we are going to live a life of fear or faith. Especially as our world gets darker with every passing day. We need to have a rock solid foundation that only God can give.
Exploratory activity and risk-taking are two things that sound like faith. When our fear system is active, our faith system is turned off. Fear literally shuts down our brain’s ability to live by faith.
Don’t allow fear to paralyze you. Let your faith mobilize you. It’s time to start standing on this scripture more than ever.
“Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” – 1 John 4:4
From Pity to Praise 