Jesus vs. Fear

WOW! The Word of God is full of amazing promises. These powerful words speak life and strength into the hearts of God’s children even to the division of souls and spirit and of joints and marrow. WOW! Let’s try them again. “Do not fear or be discouraged.” “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”

I meet many so-called “believers,” but if you listen and observe them, you will not miss to see how their life is dominated by fear and worries, instead of being filled with God’s strength and faith. They do not realize that by fearing they are sinning. When God says “Do not fear” He means it. We trust Him for eternal life by placing our souls into His hands, but then we fail to trust Him with all the little things of everyday life. That is why we FEAR and WORRY. Fear and faith are great divine opposites.

“For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me” (Job 3:25). Please take a moment and meditate on the verse above. Did it sink in? What are some of your fears? Are you, today, in a situation where what you feared has come upon you and what you dreaded has happened to you? Has FEAR swallowed you up? I tell you in the name of Jesus: NO WAY! DO NOT FEAR! Do you think fear and faith can be seated on the same throne in your heart? “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?” (James 3:11).

Let’s take a look at faith: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). What is faith? “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). What is Hope? Romans 8:25 states “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Hope is to wait with perseverance for the unseen. “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24). Faith is the substance of things hoped for and hope is to wait with perseverance for the unseen. How do we grow in our faith? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Lets review: “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” Jesus through His sacrificial death on the cross destroyed “him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release[d] those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).1 John 4:18 states “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” Friend, fear has no place in in the lives of true Christians. Fear torments us and above all I believe that we sin when we fear.

Just as faith comes by hearing the word of God, fear comes by hearing the word of this world. This world says, “You are not good for anything,” “You’re fired,” “You’re poor,” “You’re ugly,” “You’re going to die,” … should I continue? Take a second to think about the sources that bring fear into your life.

If we find that we are living in fear, let us repent, ask for forgiveness, and strengthen our faith by learning and trusting God’s promises. God’s Word says “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 9:11). Jesus is God’s Word incarnate. So choose: Jesus or fear.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for this soul that You may bless, strengthen and remove any fear that might dwell in his/her heart. Fill him/her with Your peace that surpasses all understanding, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior and the Lord of your life, please read the Scripture verses below and with no fear make a bold decision to turn to God and place your faith in Jesus Christ. It is the single most important decision you will ever make.

God’s Word says:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

“Nor there is salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

When some people turn to Jesus, they will express their faith in a prayer like this. “Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you in this moment, to acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please forgive me. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son and that You raised Him from the dead. I invite You into my heart. Come, and lead me into all truth and righteousness. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

My friend, if you have turned to God in repentance and placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible says that you are now born again. Welcome into God’s family. To grow in Christ, read your Bible and pray every day. Look for a Bible-teaching church so you can fellowship with other believers, continue to learn, and begin to serve.

I thank you Father in the name of Jesus for this soul. May you bless him and protect him/her and shine your face upon him/her. Amen.

—Rev. Emanuel G Damacus