Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish. You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.
Isaiah 41:10-12 (emphasis added)

Were you ever scared as a child? Did you ever go to someone you knew who was bigger than you for comfort? Was it satisfying to hold their hand? Did the fear melt away because you knew they would protect you? Was it not a person but maybe a beloved toy? Or maybe a safe place? Somewhere that the very walls of it gave you comfort as they hid you from the bad? The small, young, and weak naturally look to the big, older, and strong to protect them. Or they hide, hoping that the chosen place will provide shelter and safety. To be human is to be vulnerable because the world has trained us to expect being hit. But it isn’t really the world. It is the darkness behind the world. A petulant bully who has lost everything and seeks to bring everyone down with him. We know that this vulnerability is a myth. The idea that we should be the walking wounded. We have been saved from that mindset and can walk in liberty if we choose to.

Vulnerability is a thing born of fear. And all people have the opportunity to throw off fear. Fear of loss. Fear of the past. Fear of the future. Fear of the looks of hunger in the eyes of your children. Fear that you aren’t worth anything. Fear that you aren’t going to make it. Fear of the medical profession. Fear of the people around you. Fear of sickness. Fear of policies, politics, and potential problems. No wonder the world reveres vulnerability. The enemy of life has come up with thousands of pins, pricks, and prods to make us fear. But the Kingdom of God has in it NO vulnerability. God doesn’t want it, like it, or need it. It has NO purpose for the believer. The Lord wants to heal you of your vulnerability. What the Lord values is not vulnerability, but brokenness (humbleness).

Not you being broken because of physical or emotional pain — although He is there with you for that kind of brokenness (Psalm 34:18). But the state of being contrite (sorrow and remorse), of being lowly in spirit (humble, free from self-assertive pride), of being broken (subdued completely, emptied of I, Me, Mine). “For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15). “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Why is this state of brokenness so important? “I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

We are nothing without the Lord Jesus. If we don’t break our pride, our ego, our US-ness, we will not be humble before the Lord. If we are not humble before the Lord, we are not truly relying on God for our everything. We need to always be on our knees, broken before Him and reaching out: ‘Without you, Jesus, I am nothing. Life without you is death. When I am with you Jesus, I have everything. I need nothing more. You are everything. You are my God and my King.’ This is the state of a believer. Reliance on the Lord. When we have this, we have it all. Because when we are like this, all good things that come our way get given to God. All honour, glory, possessions, everything. We can thank Him for all. We can acknowledge to perfect strangers ‘That’s because of God. Praise Him, I am blessed’ and not be embarrassed. “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Jesus set us free by his sacrifice on the cross. He died to defeat Satan and Death (Revelation 1:17-18). We get to stand in life and liberty as sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God blameless in His sight (1 John 5:18). We are now in Jesus and Jesus is in us. He is perfect and His love is perfect. When we walk in it, that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). So why is it that we still deal with fear? Because like Peter walking on the water, we take our eyes off Jesus and start to consider the storm about us (Mark 6:45-52). We see how blowy it is. How rainy. How thunderous. And we lose heart. We forget that Jesus is with us. We start to fear the storm instead of trusting in Him. We lose that sense of brokenness. Of reliance on Him.

But right here God is telling us a different story. He reminds us that we do not need to fear ANYTHING because He is with us (Hebrews 13:5). He tells us that we do not need to be afraid because He is our God (Psalm 91:14-16). He also makes four promises. To strengthen us (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13). To harden us to difficulties so those against us are confounded (Jeremiah 1:8; Psalm 33:18-19). To help us (Psalm 33:20-22; 124:8). To hold us up (Psalm 91:11-12) and retain us in His victorious right hand (Isaiah 48:12-13; Revelation 1:17). With all these promises resounding together, is there ever a reason to fear? Right here in Isaiah 41:10 the Lord GOD says no. There is nothing to fear.

God is a covenant keeping God (Nehemiah 1:5). He does not leave us hanging. “Having then a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let’s hold tightly to our confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). “I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). If there is a promise in scripture, it is yours. If there is a trial you are facing, He knew the solution and pathway out centuries ago. If there is something you are fearing, worrying, getting anxious about, grieving, crying, and hurting in, Jesus has the balm to take it all away. Better than any numbing, avoiding, or escapism behaviour. He has peace. True and real peace: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

God is our Father, our Saviour, and our Comforter & Instructor. There is nothing to fear. Run to Him. Put your hand in His. Praise His name for the Lord GOD is merciful and His mercy endures forever. The Lord GOD’s steadfast love endures forever. Praise Him and feel His Peace inhabit you. Trust His Word and feel the cares of this world slough off of you. Inhabit His calm within whatever storms are around you. Get on your knees and verbally confess your need to seek Him, rely on Him, and know Him. To get near to Him, so that He can get near to you (James 4:8). He is with you and He inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3). He is your God. He will strengthen you and harden you to difficulties. He will help you. He will hold you up. He will keep you at His bosom with His victorious right hand of rightness and justice. There is never anything to fear with God on your side.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Isaiah 48:17-22

Any parent or teacher knows that often we must teach our children for their own good. Not with fear and terror, but with reason and love and support and kindness—even though the child rarely sees it that way. God is the same. He is our Father and He loves us. He corrects us and guides us. Like a shepherd. Like a parent. As one who loves us. It appears again and again and again throughout the Word. Believe it. If necessary, receive it. And walk on His path that He lights for us (Psalm 119:105; Nehemiah 9:12).

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.