FEAR NOT!

FEAR NOT!

If we are not careful, we will live out all our days and never realize what it means to really live. You see, many lives can be summarized as mere existences hemmed in by fears, timidity, and anxieties. Because of dominating and paralyzing fears, many people never even begin to realize their potential in Christ and much less reach it. Life for them is riddled with excuses, procrastination, plans that never materialize, and good intentions. It is a “Christian experience” that is not very Christian at all. If you listen to them talk about themselves long enough they will classify themselves as victims, held captive by their circumstances. They are uncertain about everything and are not certain about anything. And who can you trust anymore? The world is changing so rapidly..? Will our marriage survey? How do I keep my kids away from drug dealers and gangs while working two jobs? Is it my fault Mommy and Daddy are getting a divorce? What if I can’t make new friends in college? What am I going to do to make ends meet? My car is being repossessed…. We are losing the house…. I don’t want to face death alone…. These are real questions that are being asked by real people. Fears have canceled their faith. My intent is not to be harsh, judgmental, nor a facilitator of another cruel form of captivity. I know some of these challenges intimately, and I also know the joy of freedom from the dominance of anxieties. Frankly my aim is to introduce you to the One who sets captives free and breaks our chains of bondage. Yes, many of us are slaves to our fears. But, we must first realize we actually need Him to rescue us…to deliver us from our fears.

A FOUNDATION FOR TRUST
Fear not…we wish it was that easy! To just make up our minds determining to not ever live in fear again is consciously electing to marry delusion. Yet, it is possible to live free of any unreasonable unjustified and unhealthy fears. Not by naked determination, but by trusting Jesus Christ and obeying His command to "fear not."  I am reminded of a remarkable occasion in Scripture when The Lord Jesus uttered those precious words, “Fear Not.” John records the incident for us,

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Rev. 1:17-18)

John was so overwhelmed by the full-orbed glorious appearance of Christ that he literally collapsed. His astounded soul could not but refuse any more of this splendid vision of the Lord Jesus. John’s eyes blacked out, his knees buckled like limp noodles, and his natural metabolic constructs abruptly shut down. There John lay motionless and unconscious at the feet of Jesus. The next sensation he realizes is our Savior’s gentle touch encouraging him to resume consciousness. Upon awaking, John hears these precious words from the lips of our Lord, “fear not.” Yes, fear not was Jesus’ message to His beloved disciple. Its ok John, everything will be well!

And what is the basis for such counsel, you ask? Yes, it is reasonable to expect that such weighty counsel as “fear not” should have a rock solid premise. That reasonable foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. Not as we knew Him in the Gospels primarily, but as we need to acknowledge Him presently. That is, for whom He is currently and the grandeur of the ministries He immediately executes. This is still according to the Scriptures’ portrayal of Him, of course. The glorious Christ is He! It matters who gave such counsel as “fear not.” This is not credible counsel if it comes from the lips of anyone else. In this case it is the very central Figure of our faith. It is The Lord who revives our faith with His truth. No one else except Christ; He uniquely affirms our faith with His assurances.

ETERNAL ONE
Upon recognizing that it is Jesus giving this counsel, it is imperative that we take a closer look at the reasons He gave. Not only is this counsel supported by His glorious Person, but also by three specific truths related to His present ministries. So, to begin with the Lord Jesus is the “first and the last.” He is The Eternal One who initiates and consummates (Rev. 1:8; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). There is no situation we will ever face along the course of our lives that He is surprised by or dwarfed by! He is roundly aware of and in full control of all events concerning us. His plans for us will not be finally frustrated…ever. He is “the last”! From the circumference of eternity He commands the march of time with full control of every event we may face! Therefore, Beloved, fear not!

RESURRECTED ONE
The Lord Jesus is also the Resurrected One. Read carefully His words, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen” (Rev. 1:18). He is the One who died for our sins and rose again to live forever more! We have no need to fear because He has conquered death, hell, and the grave forever on our behalf. As Bible-Believing Christians we can face every day and all eternity without any fears because of the completed work of Christ! Beloved, we do not have a legitimate reason for spiritual fears! Yes, Christ is alive again, and we are forever alive in Him. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55). Beloved, we have the complete “victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).

AUTHORITATIVE ONE
Lastly, our Lord says, He has “the keys of hell and of death” (v. 18). Keys refer to his authority—He is the supreme Authority—The Authoritative One. That is by His cross and resurrection He has stripped Satan of his power and He exercises complete control over death and hell. The devil cannot bully us or even touch us in any way our Lord does not permit, and that we do not personally sanction! Christ holds commanding authority over hell and death. Believers are in Him and we need not fear the realm of death ever again! Did you hear Christ say, “Fear not” just then?

FEAR NOT!

Beloved it is when we recognize who the Lord Jesus is that fear begins to evaporate. I believe the more we meditate on such truths and work them down into our understanding the greater spiritual benefits we will realize. In addition our knowledge of Him must be translated into praise and worship of Christ. We must use these truths as fuel for the fire of our worship. Fear survives and thrives in darkness and spiritual ignorance. The more we know our Lord the more fear loses its grip on our daily lives. It is through holy knowledge and the belief of that truth that we are set free from the power of darkness and fear. It is through exercising our faith in Christ that we overcome the fears that haunt and plague us. Beloved, we have been cowering in the shadows and darkness for far too long. It is time to step into the light of truth in Christ. The Apostle Paul said to the rather timid young Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Such fears do not come from God and they militate against the power, love, and the sound mind He affords. Perfect love cast out all fears according to 1 John 4:18-19, which says “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” Nothing provides real security like the assurance of the love of God in our lives, and such love will not tolerate the presence of horrifying tormenting anxieties and terrors. I invite you to step into the sunshine of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. Stand on the Word of God and focus particularly on the glorious Christ (2 Cor. 5:15, 16)!

KNOW THE GLORIOUS CHRIST!
While meditating on the Lord Jesus in the Gospel accounts is very helpful, we desperately need to KNOW Him in His present glory! He is the exalted resurrected Lord of Glory enthroned at the Father’s right hand! He is our Advocate with the Father and our Great High Priest. He is the wonderful Savior still seeking sinners. It is with august authority He addresses the seven golden candlesticks and holds seven stars in His right hand! He is the Lamb and the Lion. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords anticipating both of His returns for His saints and seven years afterwards with His saints. It is this glorious Christ that will rule throughout the Millennial Age and on into eternity! He is the Judge of the living and the dead; every tongue will confess that He is Lord! Cast away the ignorance and lack of spiritual insight that promotes and breeds a life hazarded by fears. Fill your soul with the truths of The Glorious Christ and allow these to set you free to walk in the light of truth. If we do this, we will go further in spiritual growth, launch ministries that fulfill God’s plan for us, engage people and confidently share our faith with them, and face down the enemy’s assaults in the power of Jesus Christ. Our lives will be bolder, empowered, deepened, relevant, transformed, and fully honoring to Christ!

Beloved, these are not mere theories to contemplate, but biblical strategies for combating paralyzing fears in our lives. Recount the process: 1) Recognize the fact that we struggle with fears, 2) Acknowledge the Glorious Christ as our Deliverer, 3) Fill our hearts and minds with the truths of Him, 4) Discard the lies, ignorance, and misconceptions that contribute to our anxieties, and 5) Use our faith to trust Christ for victory and boldly live for the glory of God. I am among the first to admit that there are times I am intimidated by some of the challenges I face. I realize the battles with these types of concerns are real and often painful. Though I hate to admit it, I sometimes turn to the Lord only after I have attempted to fix my situation myself. However, so much is lost and remains unexplored when we fail to believe God! The price is too great and there is too much at stake. The Lord Jesus promised you and me in John 8:32, saying “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” By the grace of Almighty God I take that specific promise to heart. Freedom in Christ is what I crave and fellowship with the Glorious Christ in the truth, victory, and faith! We will always fear what we do not understand, and the knowledge of The Eternal One, The Resurrected One, and the Authoritative One will free us from the horror and bondage of our fears. Beloved, choose real living in Christ. We must decide to believe God more than we believe our worries and anxieties. So, I say then unto you, Fear not, Fear Not, and FEAR NOT!