Fear

One of my favorite songs is “Fear Is a Liar” by Zack Williams.

I could listen to it all day everyday and never get sick of it, because I need to remember that everything the devil whispers in my ear isn’t true.

Not a single thing.

When I listen to the song, I remember that the words “Fear Not” are scattered throughout the Bible.

You’ve probably seen a meme or other blog say that very phrase (or one similar) is mentioned 365 times in the Bible: one for everyday of the year.

You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence.

I got to thinking, who is God speaking to or through when those words are spoken.

What was the context or circumstances that made God demand us to “Fear not.”

By now you probably know I love a good in depth study of words and contexts, so I went digging.

I compiled a short list of a few people God comforted:

1. Hagar- Abraham’s concubine who literally ran for her life into a desert to get away from Sarah.

2. Rachel- God spoke through a midwife to tell Rachel not to fear while in hard child labor, and then she died two verses later.

3. Moses- God told Moses to tell the children of Israel that were being held captive by Pharaoh not to fear but to be still because the Lord was fighting for them.

4. Joshua and Caleb- Again with the children of Israel, while they were in the wilderness with no food or drink. (They were going through it! Think God was trying to tell them something?...)

5. David- all of the book of Psalm is filled with verse after verse about the Lord being by his side and putting confidence in God rather than man.

Thats 5 out of several dozen.

Then I looked in the New Testament. Where Jesus, Himself, said those words.

And here is a few of what I found:

1. Matthew 10:26-31: Jesus tells His disciples that they will be persecuted. People will hate them. Pretty discouraging pep talk huh? Then He tells them, don’t worry. Nothing you or they do will go unnoticed. Your physical body may die, but what you do in My name will save your soul.

2. Matthew 14:27- when Jesus walked on water and the disciples thought it was a ghost!

3. John 14:27- The transfiguration of Jesus- He was leaving this earth after he had died and rose again and the disciples were afraid.

4. Revelation 1:17, 2:10- Jesus says in the book that lays out what will happen in the end times, Fear not, I am the First and Last; and don’t fear the things that are about to happen.

And thats not even scratching the surface. (I encourage you to do your own studying!)

Woah, that’s a lot to take in.

The biggest thing I take away from this is that yes, a lot of times God was speaking to specific situations. All of which are scary, life and death scenarios.

But even though God is that big, doesn’t mean He’s too busy to speak to a soul that is hurting and scared.

Another take away is that He didn’t say this life would be easy.

He literally told his disciples that people would hate them and probably kill them.

And I want everything tho be smooth sailing?? Who am I kidding?

As a disciple of Christ, I have to heed those words: Fear not; but I’m also human.

I can’t beat myself up when that fear creeps in. All I or you can do is remember that fear, it’s a liar.

It may take your breathe, take your rest, and stop you in your steps.

But I pray that when it stops you, you hit your knees and pray for comfort. Pray that He will fill you with courage to just take the next step or to be still while He fights for you.

Wether you fear not being a good person, not being good enough, not being loved, not getting everything checked off your to do list, not having the answers, not being genuine, failing, being too much, etc…

(I could go on forever listing everything that can make us fear or have anxiety.)

Take that fear and lift it up to The One who is fighting for you.

Give up the burden you are holding onto.

Let go of what is keeping you from being happy and serving God with all you have.

Cast it in the fire.

And fear not.