Fear Not

Genesis 15:1

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

Fear is everywhere. Even people who appear brave, if they’re honest, will admit to moments of immense fear.

During World War II, a military governor met with Gen. George Patton in Sicily. When he highly praised Patton for his courage and bravery, the general replied, "Sir, I am not a brave man—the truth is, I am a craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands." Patton’s honesty is refreshing, but God offers the best solution for our fears.

Abraham was just as human as you and I. Even though he had 318 trained soldiers in his personal army and had just won a major victory over four mighty kings (Gen. 14:13-17), he still experienced times of apprehension and dread. That’s why God said, "Do not be afraid." God then told Abraham why he need not be afraid: "I am your shield [to protect you from evil], your exceedingly great reward [to meet all your needs]."

Our fears fall into two broad categories. We fear that something will harm us or that we will suffer need in some way. God promises that He is sufficient for both of these concerns. The psalmist speaks of God’s protection from evil when he says, "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you" (Ps. 91:7). And in another psalm we are assured of God’s provision: "The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing" (34:10).

What troubles you today? Put aside your fears and trust God. The God of Abraham is sufficient both to protect you and to provide for all your needs.

Where God stands, fear falls.

One Legitimate Fear

Scripture Reference Psalm 112:1-10

One Legitimate Fear

Read Psalm 112:1-10

Psychiatrists call the fear of certain things phobias. There are people who fear heights (acrophobia) and people who fear closed-in places (claustrophobia). There are people afraid of water, dogs and even other people. But there is one fear that drives out all other fears, and we find it in Psalm 112. "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments" (v. 1).

All kinds of fears are taken care of if we fear the Lord. One is family fears. "His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed" (v. 2). Commit your children to Him and you won't have to worry about their lives.

Fear of the Lord also drives out financial fears. "Wealth and riches will be in his house" (v. 3). This doesn't mean we will all be millionaires. It means we'll always have what we need. If we fear the Lord, we can let go of our financial fears.

Some fear the dark. "Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness" (v. 4). Fear God and you'll always have light when you need it. You will have His guidance and direction.

Some fear the future and change. "Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance" (v. 6). God says, "Don't be afraid of the changes that are going on around you or in you. I am the God of the universe. Fear Me, and I'll take care of the changes."

Finally, some people have a fear of bad news. But verse 7 reads, "He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." No news is bad if you're walking in the will of God.

* * *

When you fear the Lord, every other fear is conquered. Walk today in the fear of the Lord, trusting Him with your future. He will give you peace.

Big Problems, Bigger Solutions: The Battle of Gibeon

Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand.
Joshua 10:8

Recommended Reading Joshua 10:1-14

As
Joshua led the armies of Israel through the Promised Land, an axis of
kings lined up against them. It was five-to-one, but God told Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand."
As the battle waged on, Joshua cried to God for more daylight to finish
the job, and the Lord answered in a miraculous way. The sun stood still
over Gibeon, and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon.

Yes, that's a
miracle. But it's almost as great a miracle when some of us "stand
still" long enough to consider and claim the promises of God. Our lives
are whirlwinds of worry and weariness, but how wonderful when we learn
to be still and know that He is God.

Critics of the
Bible ridicule the story of the day the sun stood still over Gibeon in
Joshua 10; but if God spoke the world into existence, He's big enough
to perform miracles as needed. His answers are bigger than our prayers,
and His promises are greater than our problems. If He can make the sun
stand still in its course, He can still our hearts, answer our prayers,
and give us the victories we need.

To God, the sun never does go down.
W. A. Criswell

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The Undertow of Fear

The Undertow of Fear

Lisa Whittle



Today's Truth

"But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Psalm 56:3 (NLT)


Friend to Friend

The beach is one of my favorite places on earth to be. I don't like the sand so much, especially now with three small children and all they can do with it, but I love the water. I love to hear its mighty roar as it crashes onto shore. I love to watch my children play in it, laughing and splashing while they try to "outrun" the waves.



Several years ago, my husband, Scott, and I took Graham, our only child at the time, to the beach for a few days. He was excited to get there and play, and I was anxious to rest my eight-months-pregnant feet on the soft sand while my husband and child got some daddy-son time. I had only watched them for a few minutes before drifting off to sleep in my brightly-colored beach chair. I didn't see the events of the next few minutes, but my husband remembers them quite vividly.



The beach we were visiting was right on an intercostals water way. The enormous cargo boats would pass by at a certain point everyday. And for a two-year-old child, the "great big boat" was possibly the neatest thing he had ever seen in his young life. Graham was ecstatic. "Wook, Daddy!" he said. "See the big boat? My husband smiled as he replied, "Yes, buddy. I see it." He was thrilled to share the moment with his awestruck son.



Scott soon noticed that the undertow was starting to pull them out a little farther than he felt comfortable going. The power of the big boat had made quite an impact on the ocean water. While Graham continued to play, my husband became afraid.



"Let's go back in, closer to Mommy, okay?" His anxiety was intensifying, as the subtle tug of water got stronger. As a young naïve child, Graham was oblivious. Soon Daddy's words became commanding. Come on, big guy. It's time to go in now. "Hold on to me, and I'll carry you back to the shore". Graham then wrapped his arms around my husband's neck. He was holding on to his daddy, and his daddy was holding on to him. Nothing or no one could have come between them.



Life is unpredictable, and dangers loom closer than we sometimes think. Undertows can sweep our feet from under us without warning. But our God is ready, willing, and able to scoop us up into His arms, His mighty arms, and carry us to a place of shelter, safety and ultimate security. He is our source, the only One we need, to rid us of all our deep anxieties and concerns. We must rely on Him, and Him alone, to save us.



I learned a verse when I was a young child: "But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you." It started out as just one of my weekly verses my mother made me memorize to get a star on my "good behavior chart." But over the years, Psalm 56:3 came to mean so much more.



As a child, I would recall this verse whenever I was scared of the dark or had a bad dream. I said it when I heard a noise or if I imagined a "bad guy" in my room. It helped me go back to sleep feeling less afraid. With years of life now under my belt and young children of my own, I am still quoting this verse. Gone are the days of the boogeyman under the bed, but I still get scared. I get scared about my health. I get scared for my children. I get scared about what tomorrow holds. And when I do, I recite those eleven precious and inspired words that seem as though they were written just for me. They help me not to be so afraid when the darkness comes.



When you are facing your fear, whatever it is, God is asking you to hold on to Him. He in turn will hold on to you. And nothing and no one will ever come between you.



(*Excerpt taken from "The Seven Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do")





Let's pray

Oh Lord, help me know You are near during those times I am afraid. I pray that I will trust You when life sweeps me up in its undertow and threatens to harm me. May I learn to place my life in Your capable and strong hands. In Jesus' Name, Amen.



Now it's your turn

1) Submit yourself to the scrutiny of the Lord and ask him to show you the areas of your life that are controlled by fear.

2) Write them down and pray over each one, claiming the victory in your life by the power of God over every area.


More from the Girls

Trust is a big issue for most women. Whether or not we have been taken advantage of, stepped on, betrayed or belittled, we have a difficult time making ourselves completely vulnerable with others. We need to take inventory of our soul and make sure we truly believe that God can be trusted with our life. In order to overcome our fears, we must be willing to relinquish control over the areas that concern us.



For more on this topic, see...

The 7 Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do by Kathie Reimer and Lisa Whittle (Shepherd Press, 2007)

Behind Those Eyes: What's Really Going on inside the Souls of Women by Lisa Whittle (Thomas Nelson, 2008)

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