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Fear is an emotion conjured up by the devil. Fear keeps us away from faith. If you are fearful, you are not trusting GOD. GOD is the only One with a heaven and a hell to put us in. Therefore, it is good to fear GOD. It is wise to fear GOD. We should fear GOD out of reverence for Him. We should not fear man or anything that man can do to us. When we trust that GOD has all power in His hands, we know that GOD can stop every man from harming us. Let's examine several passages from the Bible that encourages us to do away with fear:
1.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
Joshua is preparing to lead God’s people into the promised land. There is a lot for him to be concerned about. Not only are there dangers in the land, but it hasn’t always been easy to keep Israel aligned and on task. The Lord promises Joshua that if He gives a command, He will also provide the means to achieve it. On top of that, He promises His presence , which is the most meaningful provision possible. We can take confidence in the fact that God has equipped us for the tasks He has set out. His presence will go before us.
2.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
You would be hard-pressed to find a more well-known passage in the Bible than the 23rd Psalm. It’s just so applicable to every situation in our lives including when we’re frightened. The whole Psalm is more or less a theological treaty and more of an expression of David’s close relationship with God. When David was at his highest points, God was there. When King Saul was hunting him, God was there too. When we become aware of God’s presence, we don’t have to be afraid even in the darkest valleys.
3.
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)
Since the Lord is our Light and Salvation, there is no reason to fear anything or anybody except for the Lord our GOD. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we carry an adequate amount of awe for the power and majesty of GOD, it crowds out many of the other fears that so easily beset us. When the Lord is our shelter, we don’t have to be overcome by fear. We don't need to be fearful of all the other little details of life. We should only fear the Lord.
GOD tells me all the time, "I got you!" Guess what! I believe GOD!
Here I am purposely engaged in living an inspired life!
Blessings,
Rachel Mason
