Fear is man's greatest enemy. Many of the things that hold us back, destroy us, maim us and block the blessings from us are rooted from a strong manifestation of fear. If we want to be free indeed, we need to be free from fear, and God promises that through Christ we can be free of the grip of fear.
In Luke 21:26, Jesus tells us how dangerous fear can be: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."
Our hearts have failed us and it's all because of the fears we face. Not all fears are bad, but those that block our view of God and distort our faith in Him are. What are you most afraid of today? What effect does it have on you?
Many believers think that the antidote to taking out fear is to just believe. Many argue, "If you're afraid, just keep believing and have more faith."
But is belief and faith really the strongest antidote to fear? While faith is important, the question we must ask ourselves is where does my faith lie? Sure, we know it lies in God, but what proof do we have that God is worthy of our trust?
When all else fails in the world and our peripheral view of God is completely blocked, we can still take confidence and put our faith in this - that the God who is alive is a God who loves us relentlessly. In that, we can put our faith and thus extinguish any form of fear. 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
Don't get me wrong, we all need to have faith and we all need to keep our hope in Christ, but of all the forces that drive this world, none will compare to the love of God for us. And we see that most evidently through Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith only because He makes love so available and tangible for all.
Romans 8:38-39 reminds us, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Are you afraid of something today that is taking away your joy, your peace and your satisfaction in God? Look to God's love and look to Christ who emanates with love, and your fears will fade away in the glory that is God's love.
