Posts Tagged ‘ Fear ’
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Psalm 56:3, ESV
Many things in this life can frighten and intimidate us, but we can turn to our sovereign, omnipotent, loving God who redeems us and comforts us.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31, ESV
God has redeemed our lives, therefore no one should be able to intimidate or threaten us with fear of persecution or death. We know they will get what they deserve or join us in eternity with Christ.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
Jude 1:20-21, ESV
We have no fear of this world or death as we seek the love of God through faith, growing more into the Christ-likeness we are called to as we await our full redemption in eternity.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29, ESV
We don’t have to fear what we sat if we’re in the habit of speaking well, and we have the Word to guide us.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5, ESV
We need not fear what this life does to us, for we know that as we pursue Him, God uses our circumstances to make us more like Jesus, living inside us by the Holy Spirit who gives us the hope of eternal life free from sin and pain.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10, ESV
We don’t have to live in fear, knowing that God has defeated Satan and the lower of this world through the cross.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7, ESV
We should not fear those in this world nor even death, for our God has given us power over death and the Spirit to help us love this world and show self-control, even in the midst of chaos.
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Proverbs 29:25, ESV
When we are afraid of what people might say or do to us, we fall in the trap of thinking they as if they are greater than God. No matter what this world does to us, we can know we are eternally safe in Christ.
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10, ESV
The world and the devil want to hold us back and lead us from righteousness, but, even if we stumble, God is there to help us overcome and thrive.
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Matthew 2:12-13, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
But God was not willing to leave us mired in our sin.
God came to us, born as an infant, weak, physically powerless, yet without sin.
But we know He did not stay weak and powerless.
Many people in this world are hostile to Christ, afraid of His power or not wanting to follow His commands, thinking they know better. This hostility is often directed at Christians
But we also know God watches out for His people.
Herod wanted to destroy Christ, and possibly he would have hurt the wise men and Mary and Joseph in the process. God sent an angel to warn them to flee.
We have been shown the truth of who Christ is through His Word, and this same Word warns us of those who put up the pretense of being followers but secretly seek to or inadvertently damage and destroy the truth of Christ.
And this can include questioning the need for Christ coming or claiming God is the bad guy.
We may face persecution and hatred, but we also know Jesus faced it first and it is all ultimately against Him. And He helps us in the midst of the persecution. (John 15:18-26)
May we seek the Lord who knows our pain and fear.
a simple man of God 