CHAPTER 2 FEAR NOT
David said in Ps.94:19 "when anxiety was great within me Your consolation brought joy to my soul." As I thought about these words of hope, their relationship to fear and worry began to unfold before me. When we console each other we usually speak softly, gently, and lovingly: offering encouragement to our family and friends. God has spoken to us in this manner through His Word. Don't forget, we are His family now, He calls us brothers (Heb.2:11) and His friends, for He has made known to us all that the Father directed (John 15:15).
How many times have parents wanted to take upon themselves all the pain and suffering that their children go through as they grow up. Our Father in heaven has the same desire for us. The difference of course, is that He is able to do something about it - if we let Him. He tells us in I Pe.5:7 to "...cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." We have nothing to worry about if we only believe what He has told us in His Word. "The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil.4:5-6). In one of His earliest sermons Jesus said, "... I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear" (Matt.6:25). No wonder David said that God's consolation brought joy to his soul. Jesus Himself invites all of us who, like David, feel burdened down with worry, to come to Him and unburden ourselves, for He will provide us peace (Matt.11:28).
With all of these promises we have no reason to worry. I John 4:18 reminds us that there is no fear in love. According to vs. 12 if we love each other God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us. With love therefore, there is no room for fear. The rest of vs. 18 says "... perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment." We know that we are not meant to suffer God's wrath (Ro.5:9 & I Thes.1:10). Prov.11:23 reminds us that the desire of the righteous ends only in good while the hope of the wicked ends only in wrath.
The prophet Naham explains why this is the case when he writes in Naham 1:2 that the Lord "takes vengeance on His foes and maintains His wrath against His enemies." Prov.11:8 reminds us that the righteous man is rescued from trouble and it comes upon the wicked instead. Remember, we are now the righteousness of Jesus. We are forgiven. Isa.53:5 says that the punishment that brought us peace was borne by Christ on the cross. The price has been paid. We need not fear God's punishment. Ps.91:7-8 clearly states "a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked". From Rev.21:8 we learn that the cowardly "... their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur." (For future reference, remember that the Greek word translated as 'cowardly' in that verse is deilos.)
To be fearful is not to trust in what God has told us in the preceding verses. Fear and lack of faith in Jesus' promises are definitely related. The worries of this life will choke off these promises if we allow them (Matt.13:22). In Matt.8:25 the disciples became afraid when the storm arose on the lake. Jesus' response to them was, "you of little faith, why are you afraid?" In Mk.4:35-41 (which relates the same series of events) Jesus said to His disciples "let us go over to the other side." For the disciples to have feared for their lives meant that they did not believe that Jesus would in fact go over to the other side with them even though shortly before He had told them that that was His specific intention. EVERY STATEMENT OF FEAR IS ACTUALLY AN EXPRESSION OF DOUBT THAT ONE OF GOD'S PROMISES WILL COME TO PAST IN YOUR LIFE.
If we adhere to His words and walk by faith we will not fear. "The Lord preserves the faithful" (Ps.31:23). "The Lord will not forsake His faithful ones, they will be protected forever" (Ps 37:28). "(T)he righteous will live by faith" (Hab.2:4) and He tells us in Ps.55:22 to "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall" (emphasis added). "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them, He delivers them from their troubles" (Ps.34:17), and we must never forget that now we are the very righteousness of Jesus (Phil.3:9 & Ro.4:22). Therefore, these promises of God's deliverance are made to us also.
These assurances to us are found throughout Scripture. In Deut.33:26-27 we have a God "...who rides on the heavens to help you ... the eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." "The Lord is my salvation, whom shall I fear, the Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid" (Ps.27:1). We need only listen to Him, thereby knowing that we will live in safety without fear of harm (Prov.1:33) or accidents (Prov.3:25). Indeed, whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe (Prov.29:25 & Isaiah 51:12). When we are tempted to be afraid we should be like David in Ps.42:11 and cry out, "Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." "If you make the Most High your dwelling even the Lord who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you" (Ps.91:9, emphasis added).
When we praise Him He gives us a garment of praise in exchange for the spirit of despair we have been carrying around (Isa.61 3). A spirit of despair, fear, or cowardice is not what God provides for us. In Job 3:25 we see that Job had fear, "... what I feared has come upon me." We see that what came upon him was not God, but satan (see Job 1:12). Haggai 2:5 says, "... My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear." II Tim.1:7 reminds us that God has given us a Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline: not one of timidity. The Greek word for timidity used there is deilia which is derived from delois which was used in Rev.21:8.
According to Ro.8:15 we have received a Spirit of Sonship with the Father, not a spirit of fear. With this Spirit we call out to God our Father as Abba, which is Aramaic for "Daddy." In addition to being our God, Creator and Righteous Judge, He is our 'Daddy.' No wonder we do not have to fear. According to Phil.4:5-6 we can present our requests, knowing that we are talking to Daddy. We have not received a spirit that makes a "... slave again to fear..." (Ro.8:15). The Greek word for 'fear' used in Ro. 8:15 is phobos from which we derive phobia, which means "fear." Since we have received a Spirit of Sonship which allows us to call out to Daddy, we may now approach the Throne of God with assurance, knowing that when we do, He will give us what we need in our time of need (Heb.4:16). Why? All we need do is refer back to I Pe.5:7 - "because He cares for you."
Isa.11:2 tells us that the Spirit of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Power, Knowledge, and Fear of the Lord rested on Jesus. In that verse the "fear" of the Lord means 'awe or reverence', it does not mean to be afraid. In fact, Ps.112:1&7 tells us that those who have this respect and awe of the Lord will not fear bad news. Their hearts will be steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Clearly note that the spirit of fear is absent from the list which rested on Jesus.
Whenever God initiated direct contact with His people He did so with reassurance. Whenever they showed fear, He comforted them. To Gideon in Judges 6:23 He said "Peace, do not be afraid. You are not going to die..." In the book of Luke alone we have at least six instances of God telling us not to be afraid. In Lk.1:12 Gabriel told Zechariah, who was gripped with fear at the angels appearance, "do not be afraid Zechariah, your prayer has been answered." To Mary, Gabriel said "do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God" (Lk.1:30). To the shepherds in Lk.2:10 the angel of the Lord said, "do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy..." In regards to the daughter of Jairus, Jesus said, "don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (Lk.8:50).
After admonishing all of us in Lk.12:25 by saying "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life," Jesus comforted us in vs.32 by saying, "do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." In vs.7 He also tells us not to fear, for while God remembers the birds, we are worth much more. When the Father spoke to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration they were afraid (Lk.9:34). In fact, Matt.17:6 says that they were terrified. Had this been the reaction which Jesus wanted, I do not think that He would have said in vs 7, "get up ...don't be afraid." When Jesus appeared to John in Rev.1:76 John was comforted with these words, "do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last..."
The point is simple. Righteous Sons of God are to walk in victory, having faith that God is providing for them and delivering them. When all seemed lost, the angel of the Lord appeared to Paul in Acts 27:33 and promised deliverance saying, "do not be afraid." Concerning the larger more powerful nations which already inhabited the land of Canaan, God told the Israelites "... do not be afraid" (Deut.7:18-19). Those nations were the very people Israel feared (Nu.13:31), but God was going to do to them what He had done in Egypt; namely, provide deliverance for His people. The reason for this protection is found in Deut. 7:9 wherein we are told that "... He is the faithful God keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands."
God's promises made to Abraham and His descendants apply to us, for today, those who believe are considered Abraham's children (Ro.4:23 & Gal.3:7). Besides, for the sake of His own name He will not allow His Word to fail (Ez.36:22). Deut.20:1-4 admonishes us not to be afraid and also promises us protection. "When you go to war against your enemies ... do not be afraid of them because the Lord you God ... will be with you... Do not be faint hearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." We are not at war against earthly kingdoms, but against spiritual forces of evil (Eph.6:13). He ransoms us unharmed from the battle waged against us (Ps.55:18).
To Joshua and us he says, "as I was with Moses so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Josh.1:5-9). We know this is for us also because in Matt.28:20 we are promised "I will be with you always to the very end of the age." Just as importantly though, we are told in Phil.4:6 "do not be anxious about anything ..." Note, God didn't say "I will take care of most things." He said "in everything" go to Him.
In Rev.6:15 the fearful "hid" in rocks and caves. Rather than turn to God, they remain in fear and are destroyed. Lk.21:26 tells us that in the end-times men will faint from fear or apprehension. In Josh.2:9 we learn that the people of Jericho were in great fear of Israel, for they had heard what God had done for them in Egypt and they knew "... the Lord has given this land to..." them. Did the inhabitants of the city turn from their fear and seek the Lord? No! "Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in" (Josh.6:1). As a result, every living thing in Jericho was destroyed (Josh.6:21) All that is except Rahab and her family, for they were the only ones who overcame their fear and took part in the Lord's work (Josh.6:25 & 2:12-14).
"The Lord is my shepherd I shall lack nothing ... even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me" (Ps.23:1-4). "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid ... I will look in triumph on my enemies" (Ps.118:6-7 & Ps.112:7-8). For my Lord has told me "Peace I leave with you ... Do not be afraid" (John 14:27, see also Phil.4:7). His perfect will for us is not to live in fear. Referring to the last days He says in Micah 4:4, "No one will make them afraid for the Lord Almighty has spoken."