Fears

For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13

 

Fear immobilizes people.

The fear of failure. The fear of success. The fear of what others think. The fear of the dark. The fear of being seen. The fear of rejection. The fear of  loving. The fear of not being able to love. The fear that people will find out who we “really” are. The fear no one will ever know who we really are. The fear of germs. The fear of going out. The fear of death (our own and others). The fear of illness.

The list of what people are afraid is endless.

There have been a couple of times lately when I have had to question why I (or we) are not moving forward with something and both times I have had to ask what it is that I am afraid of. Why do I not just do the next thing to accomplish the goal?

The answer I usually come up with to the question is one of two things. Either I am afraid of what other people will think or I do not believe I can succeed, so why bother. Both are wrong – especially when both have been things I thought God was calling me/us to do.

The Bible tells us many times to “fear not”.  God said it to Abram, Moses, all of Israel, and the tribe of Judah. Isaiah spoke God’s words, “Fear not,” to the people of Israel assuring them that God would take vengeance on their enemies (Isaiah 35:4), that He would strengthen them and help them (41:10), and that He would be the One to redeem them (43:1).

Daniel, with faith enough to face the lion’s den rather than betray God, was told not to fear because he had humbled himself before God and so his prayers had been heard.  Jesus told the disciples not to fear as He was sending them out to preach the good news. He assured them of God’s love for them and the value of their lives (Matthew 10:31).

Lots of people that we would consider strong and courageous had to be reminded to be that way! Many of God’s greatest warriors faced fear and overcame it through the power of the Holy Spirit to do what God had called them to do. As Christians, we have the same Holy Spirit.

Many times earthly circumstances increase our fear. We wonder how we can get past it – especially if there has been the trauma of some kind of abuse in our history where a person has left us more fearful because we don’t know why these things happen. Was it something I did? Could I have stopped it? Did I do something to encourage it to happen again?

The truth we can know about God is the only thing that overcomes fear. Getting to that truth rarely happens until we are willing to voice our fears and try to understand what it is that caused them. Taking these fears to the scriptures to understand what we believe about God that is not true is the first step toward freedom from fear.

Often, when we are afraid it is because we don’t believe that God is truly sovereign, that He will keep His Word to be our help, or that He is able to give us what we need to proceed and succeed. We go in thinking we will do it without Him, then we fear that we cannot.

But, God has been truly gracious in providing the means to overcome our fears and He has done so that we might serve Him and advance His purposes, His kingdom.  We need not fear death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature….  In one of today’s common sayings, “God has our backs.”

The truth is that if we belong to Christ there is nothing that He calls us to do that we will not be able to do. He is the One who strengthens us for that work. (Philippians 4:13). Matthew 19:26 says, ‘But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”’

So what has God called us to do that fear has prevented or caused us to put off? Do we believe He is able to take away the fears, to strengthen, and provide what we need?

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

  For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13