Aloha Dearest Family,
I've heard it said, “Fear is the
sand in the machinery of life”. Fear has ruined more lives than anything in the
world. God's Word states that fear brings torment (I John 4:18). Another
verse that comes to mind in in Proverbs.
Proverbs
29:25 KJV — The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in
the LORD shall be safe.
Fear brings a snare. A snare is a trap, a device used to capture.
Fear keeps you in bondage so that you cannot the things you want to do. But
when we put our trust in God, we will be safe. In this verse, the word “safe”
means to “place you above the situation where nothing can touch you”. Fear is
NOT from God. He does want us to live in bondage but desires that we be
completely free; living in confidence and believing all of His promises to us.
One very important key is to realize that God with us,
always.
Isaiah 41:10
KJV — Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousness.
If we know that God is with us and will help and strengthen
us in what we do, then why should we be afraid. He wants us to succeed in all
that we do but if we fear that we will not succeed, our efforts will be hindered. When
we look to the Lord and seek His face, we can be assured that we WILL be free
from fear in our lives.
Psalm 34:4-5
RSV — I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my
fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.
“Ashamed” in this verse, means to “to not meet your expectations”.
When we seek the Lord, we can be confidant that we will see what we are
expecting. But when we let fear in, nothing is assured.
Most times fear is caused by thinking about what other
people will say or do in response to your actions. The Apostle Paul had to deal
with people's negative reactions numerous times throughout his ministry. He
continually experienced persecution, alignment, beatings and once was stoned
for preaching the good news of the gospel (something that God had called him to
do). He could have let fear stop him in his mission, but the Lord was with him
to help him. Once when he was in the city of Corinth, he received a vision.
Acts 18:10-11
KJV — For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I
have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching
the word of God among them.
Because Paul knew that the Lord was with him and helping him
in his work, he was all the more bold and fearless to go and teach God's Word.
And just as God told Jeremiah, we can also claim this
promise for ourselves.
Jeremiah 1:8 NIV — Do not be afraid of
them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.
1 John 4:18 RSV
— There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…and he
who fears is not perfected in love.
The love written about in this verse is “agape”, this
is Godly love. We are to love others the way God loves people. This is a love
that is unmeritted. It's not given because you deserve it, but it is because God
has chosen to love you. We choose to love people the way Jesus Christ loved. THIS
is the kind of love that casts out all fear. Jesus had NO FEAR in his life
because he loved people with Godly love, even to the point of giving his life for them. We
should also give our lives in service to others. When we live this way fear can
never sneak in and wreak havoc in our lives.
Psalm 23:4 KJV —
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me….
Psalm 91:5-7 NIV — You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the
darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your
side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Fear is a weapon of the enemy designed to keep God's people trapped. He uses it to paralyze believers into inaction. Whether the fear arises from real circumstances or an unreal belief of what
COULD happen, God tells us that we can walk through any valley or any terror
with peace. If we continually look to God and know that He is always with us to help us, we can break the chains of fear and walk in confidence all the days of our lives.
Love Always, Ray
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