The writer of Hebrews is paraphrasing Habakkuk 2:3-4 in this passage. He’s stressing that our spiritual walk is made up of constant, focused, decisions to trust and obey the Lord…even when we can’t see change. He warns us against retreating or drawing back from trials simply out of fear. If you’re in the middle of a storm today, don’t allow fear to rule your life…don’t hesitate when apprehension rises in your throat…rather make a conscious decision to listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit and walk by faith.
Tag: fear
Acts 18: 9-10 ” One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘ Do not be afraid; Keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ “
Satan would like us to think we’re out there working for the Lord alone…like the Lone Ranger, isolated and unaided by others. Satan would like us to be fearful in talking to others about the Lord…not wanting to offend…wanting rather, to be “politically correct”, even if it goes against the Word of God. Satan would like us to keep quiet, not rocking the boat of this modern liberal society. Satan doesn’t care if we read the Bible or pray…just as long as we don’t do it in public. But Satan also knows the power of the spoken Word, and what a transformation could take place… if Christians weren’t silent.
Joshua 1:6-7 ” Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous…”
In this scripture, God is commanding Joshua to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. To the human mind this was an almost impossible undertaking…moving a vast sea of humanity from point A to point B. But the Lord is girding up Joshua’s loins so to speak by commanding him to be brave and fearless…to look beyond what he saw to what God envisioned for them. The Lord may have a scary scenario coming up this year for you…when He calls, will you step out with the same determination and boldness as Joshua did, or allow the fear of impossibility to take over?
I John 4:18 ” There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
With maturity in the Lord comes new boldness and confidence. A strong Christian walk seasons and prepares us so that when fear threatens, we can face it without anxiety and insecurity. The time is now to face that fear head on…don’t allow it to control and dominate your life…for that fear causes you to forfeit your peace and wellbeing.
I Kings 17: 15-16 ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food everyday for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”
God had told Elijah to travel to Zarephath and a widow would supply him with food during a severe drought. When Elijah asked the woman for bread she replied she had only a handful of flour and a little oil left. Then Elijah prophesied that the jar of flour and the flask of oil wouldn’t run out until the Lord brought rain. At that moment the widow had two choices…allow fear to rule in her life, or step out in faith and believe God. Everyday fear will make us choose between Fearing the Enemy And Running or Facing the Enemy And Rising.
Ezekiel 7:17 “…and every knee will become as weak as water.”
Fear wraps us up and renders us immobile. We are stopped in our tracks…our knees knocking together and even giving way, unable to move. We’re like deer caught in the headlights…panic stricken and frozen in fear. But if we’re paralyzed in fear, we are of no use for the Kingdom…and the devil would like to keep us that way.
I John 4:4 ” You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
The biggest deterrent we have from doing the Will of God is fear. Fear stops many of us from following that still small Voice pressing us forward. But take courage! This verse shows us we don’t have to fear…for with Jesus living in us, like Him, we also have overcome the world and all the negative emotions attached to it. We have conquered and triumphed over fear because the One living in us is greater than the one in the world.
Hebrews 13:5-6 ” …because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘ The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’ “
If God, Himself, has told us that He will absolutely never abandon us…why, oh why, don’t we believe Him? Rather, we allow fear and apprehension to creep into our minds – clouding over His Words. It’s at that moment that we need to stop…take a deep spiritual breath…remembering what He’s promised…and then proceed boldly forward holding on to His Word.
Isaiah 12: 2 ” Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.”
When I tremble with fear…my confidence will be in You, and You only Lord. When my strength wanes within me…I will look to You to sustain me. When sorrow shrouds me like a fog, I will find my joy in Your song of love towards me. For Lord, you are my salvation, now and forevermore.
Luke 5: 10-11 ” Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.”
What stops us from following Jesus? Usually it’s fear…fear of the unknown, fear of the what if’s. But these brave disciples threw caution and common sense to the wind, and left everything behind to go with Jesus down those uncharted roads. If Jesus was to call you today to, “Follow Me!”…could you give up everything, and without looking back at what you had left, bravely link arms with Him and trudge forward down that unknown path together?
Safetypinlove 