"Fearful Times"
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7
For the last several months this verse has come up every time I turn around. We did a study on it at our church. My pastor has been preaching from it. I have heard it mentioned at prayer group. It has come up in conversation with others. Several of the preachers on television have mentioned it as well. It has come up through various emails I have received. When you keep hearing something repeated over and over again, you can be sure that the Lord is trying to say something to you.
We have been talking about what a "good" God our Heavenly Father is, so in His goodness toward us He keeps sending this verse to encourage and comfort us. We are living in fearful times. The economy looks bad. People are afraid of losing their jobs. They are afraid of losing their homes and everything they have worked hard to get. They are afraid because of the threat of war. Violence seems to be plaguing the nation- even once quiet, safe communities are experiencing violence. If you take a look around you the condition of the world is getting more fearful each day. They are afraid of sickness and disease.
People have experienced fearful times throughout history. But those whose trust and faith were in God had nothing to fear. The Israelites had nothing to fear when the plagues were falling around them in Egypt. Noah had nothing to fear when the flood waters came. Lot and his family had nothing to fear when destruction fell upon the city. Daniel had nothing to fear when facing the lion's den. The three Hebrew boys had nothing to fear when faced with the fiery furnace. The Israelites had nothing to fear though sure destruction was all around them when they were hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army. And you and I have nothing to fear "through the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof". (Psalm 46:2,3) We having nothing to fear because the Lord is our refuge, our present help in times of trouble, because we have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us, because He is our provider, because His grace is sufficient for whatever comes our way, and as we trust in Him He gives us a peace that will establish our hearts and minds. And when the "spirit of fear" tries to attack us, He has given us everything we need to defeat it- power, love and a sound mind.
We can't stop fearful situations from coming, but we can stop fear from taking us as its prisoner when they do come. We might be in fearful times, but fear doesn't have to be in us. Fear can be rendered powerless in our lives if we will keep our hearts and minds fixed and stayed upon the Lord and upon His wonderful promise to be with us.
Have a great day. Fearful times come, but we don't have to give into the fear. We can have victory over it through Jesus Christ because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
For further reading:
Psalm 91
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 26:3
For the last several months this verse has come up every time I turn around. We did a study on it at our church. My pastor has been preaching from it. I have heard it mentioned at prayer group. It has come up in conversation with others. Several of the preachers on television have mentioned it as well. It has come up through various emails I have received. When you keep hearing something repeated over and over again, you can be sure that the Lord is trying to say something to you.
We have been talking about what a "good" God our Heavenly Father is, so in His goodness toward us He keeps sending this verse to encourage and comfort us. We are living in fearful times. The economy looks bad. People are afraid of losing their jobs. They are afraid of losing their homes and everything they have worked hard to get. They are afraid because of the threat of war. Violence seems to be plaguing the nation- even once quiet, safe communities are experiencing violence. If you take a look around you the condition of the world is getting more fearful each day. They are afraid of sickness and disease.
People have experienced fearful times throughout history. But those whose trust and faith were in God had nothing to fear. The Israelites had nothing to fear when the plagues were falling around them in Egypt. Noah had nothing to fear when the flood waters came. Lot and his family had nothing to fear when destruction fell upon the city. Daniel had nothing to fear when facing the lion's den. The three Hebrew boys had nothing to fear when faced with the fiery furnace. The Israelites had nothing to fear though sure destruction was all around them when they were hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army. And you and I have nothing to fear "through the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof". (Psalm 46:2,3) We having nothing to fear because the Lord is our refuge, our present help in times of trouble, because we have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us, because He is our provider, because His grace is sufficient for whatever comes our way, and as we trust in Him He gives us a peace that will establish our hearts and minds. And when the "spirit of fear" tries to attack us, He has given us everything we need to defeat it- power, love and a sound mind.
We can't stop fearful situations from coming, but we can stop fear from taking us as its prisoner when they do come. We might be in fearful times, but fear doesn't have to be in us. Fear can be rendered powerless in our lives if we will keep our hearts and minds fixed and stayed upon the Lord and upon His wonderful promise to be with us.
Have a great day. Fearful times come, but we don't have to give into the fear. We can have victory over it through Jesus Christ because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
For further reading:
Psalm 91
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 26:3
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