Do Not Be Afraid

Do Not Be Afraid:  

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." (Psalm 91:1-2). 

September 11th, 2001. That was a day that we will never forget. For many people, that day changed everything. I know people very close to me, who, after the attack on the Trade Towers were afraid to fly again. Fear. Anxiety. Worry. They are in bondage to this thing called fear. But God doesn’t want fear to rule your life. Jesus said, “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.” (Mark 13:7). DO NOT BE TROUBLED, Jesus said. How can He say that? How can I say “I am not afraid?” I can honestly say from my heart that I am not afraid, worried or anxious. Why is it that I don’t struggle with fear? What do I know that you maybe don’t?  

“For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you." That is why we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6).  Go back and read that Scripture again, until the truth contained in it sinks deep into your heart.  God will never fail us. God will never leave us. God will never forsake us. THAT is why we can say, “God is my helper, so I will not be afraid.” The Bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). Consider God’s promise to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). This promise is for US, too. The reason that we can be strong, courageous, and free from fear, is because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go – we can have love, power and a SOUND MIND. 

Some of you maybe struggle with fear. Maybe it’s a fear of the future, fear of the unknown, or maybe it’s a specific fear like the fear of heights or fear of the dark. GOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE AFRAID. If you struggle with fear, God wants to set you free. I want to encourage you to print out today’s devotional, and read the Scriptures on this page over and over until they sink deep into your heart.  Read them, meditate on them, say them out loud, and memorize them. Read through the following Psalm, and claim the promises in it for your very own. 

“1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91:1-16).

Pastor Chris Jordan
www.beausejourchurch.ca