Fear Not! -- part 4

Today we will conclude our four-part discussion of the topic FEAR NOT! I encourage you to read the previous three blog entries if you have not done so yet. This topic is certainly applicable to all of us as we press on to our destinies in Christ Jesus!

Let’s begin today looking at two more examples from God’s Word of types of fear that can come against us.

Fear of war:  

In Psalm 27: 3-4 we read, “Though an army encamps against me, my heart shall not fear, though war rises against me, in this will I be confident. One thing I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”  These words of assurance are certainly important in the days in which we live today where we see wars and rumors of wars all over the world.

Fear of wealth:

I have actually known people who have become fearful when someone they know gains wealth. Yet, Luke 12:13-15 tells us one’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses. Worldly riches do not guarantee happiness or eternal life.

Luke 12: 13-15  ¹³ Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Psalm 49:16-20 also tells us to not be afraid of another getting rich for when they die they take none of it with them. “Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; ¹⁷ For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. ¹⁸ Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), ¹⁹ He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. ²⁰ A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.”

Mothers of Nations, there is one thing for certain. We should never have reason to fear.  The Word assures us that the Lord is always watching over us. We have no reason to fear because He loves us and we are His creation. He fights for us and He is our helper. We are valuable to Him and we are His namesake.

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 41:10 where the Lord says, “Do not fear, nor be dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee.”  Deuteronomy 31:8 says almost the same thing. “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

So as we conclude our discussion of this topic, how can we keep from being afraid? What are some practical actions we can take? Here are a few scriptural principles to help us deal with fear.

1.  Refuse to feed your fear. Keep your mind stayed on the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
2. Seek the Lord with all your heart. Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”
3. Keep your tongue from speaking fear. Avoid negative declarations and proclamations that lack faith in God.
4. Fill yourself up with all the fullness of the Lord. God’s presence gives us inner resources to overcome all our fears.

Our heavenly Father is intimate and caring. He is kind, compassionate, and accepting of us. He is committed to our development and growth as Christians, continually encouraging us. When the devil tries to tell us that God is cruel, distant, insensitive, and cold, let’s counteract by remembering the Word that says the Lord is loving, full of mercy and grace.

David said in Psalm 27: 3-4, “Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. ⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”

David knew that the secret of dealing with fear was to abide in the presence of the Lord. The same truth is ours as well.

The Word of God is always available to encourage us when fear wants to take hold. Scriptures like Psalm 3: 25-26 tell us not to be afraid of sudden terror – the Lord will be our confidence. Matthew 6:25 reminds us to not worry about our life as God will provide for us. Deuteronomy 1: 21 tells us that we can go and possess the land God has spoken to us. We can take the territory and not fear.

Scripture after scripture encourages us to trust and rely on our Maker. We are His creation and He fights for us. In fact, He gave His very life for us so that we never have to give in to attacks of fear.

I leave you with two words today, Mothers of Nations. FEAR NOT!

Dr. Sharon Predovich