March 19, 2020 FEAR NOT
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Mark 5:36 “Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid, just believe.”
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
When you read these scriptures, and many other verses dealing with fear, it becomes very clear that God has made provision for us to live without fear. Yet, it seems that many, including believers, live with fear as a constant companion. Fear can come from many corners-fear of sickness, of death, broken relationships, financial loss, welfare of children, war, depression and etc. Today, the current fear for many is the coronavirus virus that is impacting practically the entire world. One can fear a specific thing, or fear can be non-specific, just a general fear of things going bad. Either type of fear is debilitating and robs us of the joy of life. It is true that things will happen and situations will develop that could cause us to fear. Hear me-this is not written in any way to condemn us if we find ourselves dealing with fear. The point is that how we respond to situations that have the potential to cause us to fear is truly an acid test for us. The idea of not living with fear is not in theory only and is not reserved for the super-spiritual. It is a red-letter day for us when we come to a place in our spiritual journey where we abandon our fears and put one hundred percent of everything into the hands of our Father who loves us. After all, there are many things we have no control over, and we are unable to know what the future holds. What we can know and experience in our spirit, soul and mind is that God knows our plight, our circumstances, the difficulties we encounter in this world, that within ourselves we are limited in what we can do, AND we can know and be assured that He is sovereign, that He works all things for our good if we are called according to His purpose, that He loves us unconditionally, and that He works even in the midst of brokenness, tragedy, and difficulties. We just cannot escape the fact that it all boils down to our trust factor. Can we, do we simple symbolically open our hands and yield everything to Him? Not until our trust in God is unwavering no matter the circumstances, can we live life with peace and joy-knowing that our Father is always working for good. One may think that for one to live this way, he or she would be naive, or would have their head buried in the sand. Not true. Our God is awesome. Fear is common in the world’s system-it’s a part of life; fear is the driving force for many. However, God has made provision for His people to live without fear. It’s all about knowing Him personally; as we get to know Him, it becomes only natural to trust Him. Indeed-“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Psalm 56:11 “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do unto me?
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Blessings, Buddy
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