Fear versus Faith
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b“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.” 1 John 4:18“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1“…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10Fear defined - a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.The Bible seems to have a lot to say about fear, and other than having a fear of the Lord, God’s Word doesn’t seem to shed a good light on fear. That’s probably because fear is not of God. Fear cripples us and keeps us from fulfilling the purposes that God has given us. Fear breeds doubt, worry, and anxiety, all of which hinder us in our pursuit of Christ. Fear prevents us from absolute devotion to Christ. Fear clouds our vision and causes our focus to be on self. Fear is the enemy’s specialty. When we’re bound by fear, we cannot reflect a life that is identified with Jesus Christ. Oswald Chambers says it well in his incredible book of daily devotions, My Utmost for His Highest: “All our fears are wicked, and we fear because we will not nourish ourselves in our faith.” Fear is welcomed into our lives when we actively or passively allow Christ to take a back seat and no longer be our first priority. When we starve our souls from the richest of food that can be found in God’s Word, we become a magnet for such schemes of the enemy: fear, doubt, anxiety, unbelief. There should be no room for fear in the life of a forgiven, redeemed, restored, loved, and valued child of God.Fear has shackled far too many believers for too long, thus hindering God’s work in and through us. This must end! Will you join me in standing upon the truths of God’s Word, refusing the lies that seek to deceive us, and embracing freedom from the stronghold of fear? God calls us to lives of faith, choosing to believe in Him despite our circumstances. I love how faith is defined here: “Faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it no matter how I feel because God promises a good result.” - James MacDonaldWhen fear creeps in, faith says because God is for me, who can be against me? Faith says I will not be afraid because my God is with me, and He has promised to never leave me or forsake me. Faith says “on Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” What are you standing on today? Fear or faith? Fear cripples you; faith frees you. Walk in faith.