“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
Introduction
Do you ever have moments when anxiety tries to creep up and seize your heart? I’m talking about those times when you are deeply into a state of panic about the things that concern you — such as your family, your friendships, your business, or your finances. Very often, this state of panic is caused by the mere thought of a problem that doesn’t even exist and is unlikely ever to come to pass. Nevertheless, the mere thought of this non-existent problem troubles you deeply. Soon you find yourself sinking into such a strong state of worry and anxiety that it literally takes you emotionally hostage!
Ours world today is a complicated world, a world of up and down, of good and evil. It would be impossible to describe our world with a single word. But if I had to choose one word, I would choose the word ‘fear.’”. “Fear causes people to live far below the plan and Purpose of God for their life. If we are not careful, a thousand fears will attack us when we awake in the morning. There is a fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of ill health, fear of what others will think, fear of being neglected, fear of growing old and fear of death, just to mention a few.”
What is Fear/Anxiety?
Fear is an emotional reaction to a specific, real danger, while anxiety is an excessive and unfocused fear that may be triggered by a variety of stimuli. Anxiety caused by stress may persist long after the trigger is removed or arise with no trigger at all.
Never give in to fear. The bible contains the phrases “Don’t be afraid” and “Do not fear” more than 300 times. “The Bible repeats the command ‘fear not’ exactly 365 times, or once for each day of the year. It is as if to say there is no day in our lives when fear is not a present reality.”
Isaiah 41:8-13, “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ ‘Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”
The Passage above reveals several eeasons why we should not be afraid.
- We see God’s amazing practice. Don’t give in to fear, God says, “I have” (verse 8, 9).
This speaks of a Past event (History). Paul reminds us in (1 Corinthians 1:26-31),
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’”
A careful reading of the Book of Romans reveals a parenthetical section about the nation of Israel from chapters 9 to 11. In Romans 11:11-36, we learn about the relationship between God’s chosen people, Israel, and His chosen people, the church.
Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
Paul writes in Romans 8:28-30, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
- Then we come across God’s mighty presence. Don’t give in to fear, God says, “I am” (verse 10).
This speaks of a Present Reality.
God has already promised in his word, He says ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end.’” From Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”
In addition, we read in Hebrews 13:5-6, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; / I will not fear.
You may have heard, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” However, that statement must be corrected to read, “The only one we have to fear is God Himself.”
We live in a “fearless” generation, similar to those described by Paul in Romans 3:18, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Our nation is much like Israel as described in Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. ” Our Lord Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
If you do not have a personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ, you should be afraid, because you will face the wrath of God in judgment. If you are living out of fellowship with God as a believer, you should be afraid, because you will face the wrath of your Heavenly Father. If you say you are a Christian and you are living in sin without receiving the warning of God, you are not a child of God. We read in Hebrews 12:7-8, “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”
Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Finally, we discover God’s reassuring promise. Don’t give in to fear, God says, “I will” (verse. 10, 13).
This refers to a future event (Prophecy).
Question: If God Cares, Why Do I Still Have Problems? “God gives us a specific promise in the Bible for every problem/ situation we find ourselves. We have a God who not only helps us grow through our problems, but gives us the power to triumph over them.”
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
In Jude 1:24 we read, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”
In conclusion
We should always remember that the people of Israel were up against impossible odds when they found themselves between the chariots of Egypt and the Red Sea. Their God is our God! The God of Israel and the God of the gorse thorns looks down on us with love and says, ‘Nothing has happened to you which is not common to all.
Paul writes in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Don’t give in to fear and anxiety.
So, what’s bothering you today, friend? What is robbing you of your peace and joy? Is there anything in particular that Satan uses to instill fear in your mind? Can you think of a single time when worrying and fretting helped to improve a situation? Isn’t worrying only going to keep you emotionally torn and in a state of panic?
I implore you to put an end to your anxiety today. If you allow fear to operate in you even for a brief moment, it will attempt to become a habitual part of your thought life, transforming you into a “worrier” who never knows peace.
Right now, Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, constantly interceding for you. Jesus understands every emotion, frustration, and temptation you’ve ever faced (see Hebrews 2:18). So, why not make a conscious decision to hand over all of your worries to Jesus today? Rather than attempting to manage your anxieties and needs on your own, go to Him and place everything in His loving, capable hands. Walk away from all those choking, paralyzing fears for good.
Jesus is waiting for you to cast all your worries on Him, because He truly cares about you (see 1 Peter 5:7). Then, once you’ve cast your worries and concerns on Him, He’ll help you experience the joy and peace He’s always intended for you to have in life!
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I’ve let fear, worry, fretfulness, and anxiety rule my life. When these negative emotions take control of me, I lose my peace and joy. I’m sick of living in constant worry and fear about bad things that might happen. Jesus, today I choose to surrender all of my destructive thoughts to You. I don’t want to live like this any longer. I know this isn’t Your plan for my life, so I cast all my worries on You in faith. I give them over to You, Lord, and ask that You take them right now! In Jesus’ name, I pray!
Confession
I admit that I am free of worry, fear, and anxiety. These forces are not welcome in my life. I have given Jesus all of my worries and concerns, and He has taken them away from me. As a result, I am free of all burdens, weights, and problems. Jesus is my great High Priest, and He is currently interceding for me. With God on my side, I can enjoy life the way He intended. I proudly declare that I am fearless and worry-free, and that anxiety has no place in my life!
God bless you!