What do you fear?
Fear falling?
Fear dying?
Fear losing a family member?
Fear losing a job?
Fear losing money?
Fear losing health?
Fear that others don't like you?
Fear the Boogy Man?
What is it that you fear? God instructs us to fear Him. Is fearing God the same as fearing spiders?
Don't skim too quickly through the following quotations--let them sink in.
Jesus had this to say about fear:
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."
And John tells us this:
"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
Perfected in love
If you fear, you have not been perfected in love.
I'm pretty sure he is saying that when you fear--you are in unbelief. You lack belief in or lack faith in the promises of your Redeemer--Jesus.
Am I wrong?
"So, Marc, I'm pretty sure you just said I'm sinning if I fear something other than God".
Truly you have a dizzying intellect.
Can't slip anything past you! You caught me.
I think that Jesus told us to fear God only, even unto death, and John followed up with--fear God, and be perfected in His love. His perfect love removes our fear.
We also find this in the bible:
"...that through death he[Jesus] might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Fear be gone
But how can we stop fearing? Nobody wants to lose their job, how do we not fear losing our job?
Me? I often fear losing a child. What parent doesn't?
Horrible thoughts come into my mind--demons? weakness of my flesh? both?--and I pay attention to them for a short time.
Once I realize my fears are greater than my faith--I pray to God.
"God, help my unbelief. I fear losing my children. Help me to trust you with their lives. They are your children. God help me"!
This may sound too simple. Kinda cheesy. You're thinking that it won't help.
Well, I'm open for suggestions. You got something better?
It works for me--it is me expressing my lack of faith to God and asking Him to help. Is there anything else we can do?
"Jesus said..., 'Do not fear, only believe'".
The fear might come back ten times in the next hour.
I pray, "GOD HELP ME"!
It will subside. Trust Him. He's there--He hears--He knows--He is all powerful--He is all loving.
We are only talking about the thoughts, not the actual tragedy happening. That's different. That would be about "walking through the valley of the shadow of death".
Be strong and courageous, do not fear
God instructs us many times and in many ways throughout the entire bible to be courageous and not to fear.
He doesn't expect us to have courage in ourselves, He teaches us and exhorts us to have courage in His strength. This is why our only resource during times of fear is to respond with faith. To respond with prayer.
There is nothing we can do. Usually when we do something, it is driven by fear.
We fear losing a child so we become 'helicopter moms'.
We fear losing a job so we compromise our morals.
We fear being disliked by others so we flatter.
We fear losing our money so we hoard.
Hoarding isn't being courageous--hoarding is being fearful.
The family of God
Your only other resource during times of fear is the body of Christ. Your brothers and sisters in the church. You can take your fears to them.
But...
What are your brothers and sisters going to do? Pray on your behalf. So you see, we only have one option. Trust God, pray, confess. It's a mental game--It's a spiritual game.
"God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control".
Where is your unbelief? What do you fear?
Song of faith:
Peace
I think this is right. I think this goes along with God using our trials in overcoming our fears to sanctify us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first went to the sidewalk, I had no fear. I was courageous as a lion! I was bad, Marc, BAD! (In the good sense. :-)) I wasn't afraid of anyone or anything. Until I was.
Deathscorts and abortionists? No problem. Vessels of wrath being stored up. They are just playing their part. (Still pray for them though.) Police? Whoa. Aren't they supposed to be objective? Why is that cop hugging that deathscort and then violating my 1st Amendment rights? Depraved and deceived! OK, got it.
Wait, who are these fellows? They have Bibles in their hands. They are standing with the deathscorts, blocking our access to the women - actually aiding the deathscorts! They are preaching against us! We aren't being "nice," like "Jesus." They say they are "Reformed Christian apologists." Apparently, "Jesus" didn't just dine with the Pharisees, "Jesus" WAS a Pharisee and "he" collaborated with evildoers. Why, "he" would be helping to escort these babies made in His Image to their deaths! Because, ... "nice." What the Hell - literally?!?
Think that's an outlier? Talk to most people who claim Christ about abortion and tell them how much you fear God's Wrath on humanity, and sit back and listen to the reaction you get. "My God is luuuuv." "Jesus forgives - everything - and that's all that counts." "You are an extremist." :-)
So, yes, I do not fear the devil at all, but I sure do have a better appreciation for his effectiveness in this world - and especially in the churches. And, yes, I fear the Wrath of God - NOT because I fear being under it, but because I fear having to witness it.
You are an extremist! Just like Jesus. Keep it up!
Delete