Fear Not

Isaiah  43:1-2

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Fear is something everyone deals with in their lives. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of rejection. People often mask their fears with aggression, controlling behavior, aloofness, avoiding relationships and commitments, or an unwillingness to try new things. Fear can rob us of the freedom, joy, and adventure of life that we had when we were younger. Great men in the Bible like Abraham and Moses dealt with fear. The words fear, fears, and afraid appear over six hundred times in the Bible. David, the great warrior and king, wrote, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalms 34:4) Jesus repeatedly had to tell the disciples not to be afraid. The great Apostle Paul wrote, “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” (2 Corinthians 7:5)

In these last days the world is trying to intimidate the church through threats and fear tactics to rob us of our freedom and authority purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ. The enemy would love to box us within our church walls creating a powerless and ineffective church that is neither salt nor light in this darkening world. Many Christians are afraid to share their faith in the public arena because of political correctness, fear of ridicule and rejection, or the possibility of losing their jobs. Fear has caused financial security to trump moral values in the public arena.

Fear can paralyze us or motivate us. God is looking for people like, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Esther, Peter, John, Paul and the men and women of the early church who, despite conflicts on the outside and fears within, stood up in their generation to live out and declare the truths of God’s word. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

If we really believe God loves us, like children, we live in the security and freedom of that love no matter what is going on around us or what challenges we may face. The security of God’s love also enables us to live a transparent life in this world no matter what the response is of those around us. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12: 32)

Andy Clark