Francis Frangipane said, "Desperation is God's hammer: It demolishes the stronghold of fear and shatters the chains of our excuses. When desperation exceeds our fears, progress begins."[1]
Throughout the Bible, God tells His people not to be afraid and reminds them that He is with them in times of trouble. All too often, people are fearful anyway. They are usually fearful of the unknown. Fear is a distraction from faith, but, desperate people will walk right past their fears and into the unknown if they believe there is an answer on the other side. Desperate people will seek the face of God in the midst of chaos and fear in hopes of getting a glimpse of what He is doing. This is what the nation needs today, desperation.
To fear is to feel a painful apprehension of some impending evil; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotions of alarm or concern. Websters 1828 dictionary describes fear as "a painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. The force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil, fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us."
Fear can be a motivator to act in such a way as to protect oneself. Fear is not always bad if it is used as a protective agent. But, when fear disables our faith, it goes against the very grain of who God calls us to be. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. - Heb 11:6 NKJV
God rewards faith, not fear. Over and over, we see the same words of encouragement with God when people face challenges. And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. – Dt 31:8
6 "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ... 18 "Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage." - Jos 1:6-7, 18 NKJV
Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." - Jos 10:25 NKJV
[A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD [is] the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? - Psa 27:1 NKJV
Do not be afraid of their faces, For I [am] with you to deliver you," says the LORD. - Jer 1:8 NKJV
There are too numerous occurrences of God encouraging us not to be afraid, to be of courage and strength. Why is it then that we are often more fearful than courageous? Perhaps we read the Bible as a storyline for those who went before us but one that does not matter much for our situation. Maybe we don't believe that God can apply those same words to our situation as He did to those in the past. Or, perhaps it is because we don't take our eyes off the problem and get them onto Jesus. No matter the reason for our fear, we must know that fear is not of God.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. - 1Jo 4:18 NKJV
The perfection of God's love in us will cast out the demonic presence of fear. Fear is the opposite of faith, which is why we are never told to go in fear, that would go against God's command to not fear. We are not to fake it until we make it, but we are to walk in faith despite what we see. The Bible says the just shall live by faith, not fear. The best way to overcome fear and anxiety is to pray in the Holy Spirit, which builds up your most holy faith. Secondly, quote God's promises of being there for you and never leaving nor forsaking you.
In a day and age where nothing seems truthful, and everything is shaking, God's people must lead out by faith. We must be actively engaged in seeking God's will for everything that pertains to life. The world desires to lead us according to its knowledge of right and wrong, but God wants to lead us out by faith. He longs to see us step out on the water as Peter did and not look at our circumstances. I want to encourage you today to seek the face of God and know that His hand is not too short that it cannot reach into any of your situations.
Let's pray,
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that is true and faithful even when nothing else around me is. Thank You for sending Jesus to take the burdens of this world and leave me with peace. I choose to seek Your face in the challenges of life, knowing that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me to represent You well by living a life fueled by faith and not fear. In Jesus name, Amen
[1] Frangipane, F. (1998). The Power of Covenant Prayer (p. 5). Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House.