Freedom From Fear. Part I.
If you’re looking around these days there is plenty to be afraid of. We have experienced unprecedented circumstances with COVID19 which has caused fear of the actual virus and ripple effects to the economy and countless personal ramifications around the country and globe. The past few weeks have brought news images of racism, riots, heightened political saber-rattling and the list goes on.
Looking beyond the present panic though, fear is something that has plagued many people as far back as they can remember which affects every part of their lives and those closest to them. Why are some driven by fear while others can face it and rise above it? Why are there times when even the bravest among us are stymied by inner struggles?
Throughout the Bible we hear the voice of God calling out to his people to not give in to fear somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 times. One powerful occasion is the Lord speaking to the leader, Joshua, with the call to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Yes, when we look at the divine connection we can see the fear in a different light. On the other hand, if we are merely the accidental byproducts of evolution with no eternal and divine purpose, then people may be right to fear. After all, the honest conclusion is that it is all about the survival of the fittest in this life alone.
However you cut it though, there is an element of fear in the hearts of mankind that we must deal with. Questions arise such as: Where does fear come from? How does fear affect us and how can we move past it? Those are the questions that I will address over the next three posts.
In considering the plague of fear, I am reminded of the differences in how the first two kings of Israel faced evil and danger in 1 Samuel chapter 17 which occurred around 1000 BC. At the time, Saul was king and he and his entire army faced off with the Philistines and their champion, Goliath. The text tells us that Saul and the army of Israel were “dismayed and terrified” as they looked at the evil and danger. David, who would later become king himself, focused his eyes and heart above the fray onto God and declared that it was not “by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” With that, David charged the danger head-on and won the victory for Israel even though he was no match physically for the Philistine warrior.
Instead of looking around at all the potential fears of this realm, David looked up to the creator of the world and overcame it. I want you and me to live that way as well. God wants us to live that way. Paul exhorted the young evangelists, Timothy to not fear because “God gave us not a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.” Because of Christ, we can move from a life of fear to a life of faith.
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