Fear…

It can be caused by almost anything. It can be triggered through people, hardship, loss, the past, and the unknown of the future. Fear is that feeling of anxiety or dread concerning the outcome of something; that your needs or desires will not be met.

Fear is a good friend of mine. I can conjure up all kinds of anxiety-inducing scenarios, many of which could easily send me into a panic, and most of which don’t even come true.  Crazy, isn’t it?

God has given us many passages of Scripture that encourage us to not be afraid. There is even a Christian myth that says that there are 365 verses on fear in the Bible, one for every day of the week. This is not true. In the ESV, for example, the words “fear not” or “be not afraid” only occur 137 times. But we don’t need 365 “fear nots.” If God had said it only one time that would have been enough.

Let’s look at our verse for today and see some of the reasons why we do not be to be fearful.

1. He is YOUR God.

  “… be not dismayed, for I am your God;” – Isaiah 41:10

God created all things by His Word and sustains all things through His power. He makes animals speak (Num. 22) and summons bees (Is.7). He parts seas and makes the sun stand still. He is so pure and holy that no one can look at Him and live (Ex. 33:20). He awakens dead hearts and gives life (Ez. 36). To quote the old Baptist Catechism, “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.” This awesome God is not just God, He is YOUR God.

Through faith in Jesus Christ you can claim Him and He claims you. He cares for those for whom Jesus suffered. He protects those for whom Jesus died. As members of His family we are completely safe and taken care.

What reasons do we have to be afraid? Always remember Romans 8:31:

What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

2. God is with you.

“… fear not, for I am with you;”  

Have you ever asked yourself why you get afraid?

Sometimes it is because we look at the situation that we are in and feel exposed or alone, without control or help. We feel lost and we don’t know what to do or where to turn. A part of God’s greatness is that He is omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere at the same time. He is not limited by time or space.

In John 14:23 Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

He makes his home in every believer, protecting, teaching, and guiding. He is not just hanging around. He is not just there but distracted like many of us are when we are around our family but also on our phones. Despite all that is going on He is focused 100% on His child – that’s you and me! He is completely aware of our thoughts, our feelings, our desires, our weaknesses, and our strengths. He knows it all – every held back tear and every little sigh. He is there to uplift and guide, to teach and correct.   

The more we let these truths sink into our hearts, the more fear will be replaced with divine peace.

3. God will help you.

“I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Pretty much everything that we are called to do and be we cannot accomplish on our own, and this is good. It should create humility and dependence. Our God is so kind and gracious to give us all the help we could ever need to live out our calling and fight off the attacks of the enemy.

From Adam to the Apostle Paul, fear has been man’s constant enemy. It is a battle that many have to fight daily. Fear is a real foe, but our God is bigger. And the more you know about God, the more fear will keep its distance.

 

Looking To Jesus,

 

 

 

We’re in WEEK 2 of our Broken & Redeemed study! If you’re just now joining us, you can grab a copy of our Broken & Redeemed journal on Amazon here or download it at this location.

We also have a corresponding kid’s Broken & Redeemed journal geared for children in elementary grades. You can grab a copy on Amazon at this location. 

Grab your favorite beverage, crack open your Bible, and together let’s rejoice with the broken and redeemed of God!

 

Jen Thorn

Jen Thorn

Jen Thorn grew up in Germany and then spent her teenage years in Africa, where her parents were missionaries. She moved to the United States for college and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she met her husband. They have been married for twenty-two years and have four children. Jen lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where her husband is the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship. Jen is passionate about theology and the connection to daily living.

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