Send to Kindleby Suzanne D. Williams
I needed medication for my older dog the other day, so I called the vet as I usually do. Since her puppyhood, she has had this persistent itch. She will scratch until her skin is infected. The pills are a lifesaver.
During the call, the vet tech asked me if I wanted twice as many this time, “Just in case.”
For the life of me, I could not figure out what she meant. Just in case of what? Confused, I asked my spouse, and he gave me a one-word answer – panic. The vet tech assumed I was worried about the future.
“I don’t think like ‘panic,’ I guess,” I replied to him.
Not anymore. I’ve become acquainted with WHO GOD IS. We have a relationship. He is personal to me, accessible, and incredibly longsuffering. But hearing those words I’d spoken opened my eyes wider. What God has helped me overcome is a huge problem for others. They don’t know Him like I do. If they did, there’d be no fear at all.
Fear actually bookends the Bible. It is the first emotion which followed Adam’s sin in the book of Genesis and is the first type of person listed as those who will face judgment in Revelation. (Ge 3:10; Rev 21:8) There, the word closer holds the meaning of “cowardliness.” It is someone whose fear of man prevents them from standing up for God’s truth. (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)
But we can see this in other Scriptures. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear of any kind does not come from God. Know this first. However, also, the word used here, translated “fear,” describes someone timid.
(NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity.
(VOICE) God did not give us a cowardly spirit.
God is full of mercy and compassion. We have not fully realized how much. Study God’s Word and you will see a picture of His heart. He does not want His children to be afraid and has provided the power of Jesus’ name, a name above any other, and the victory of the Resurrection over that liar, the devil, as our power to overcome it. We have the armor of God to quench the fiery darts of fear and the good news of peace to guide our feet. (Php 2:9; Eph 6:13-16)
Peace, mental clarity, and harmony of soul is God’s will. God does not bring confusion. Jesus carried all our griefs, sorrows, anxieties, and distresses when He died on the cross. (1Co 14:33; Is 53:4) We don’t have to struggle with panic at all but must deliberately lay the weight of all our worries at Jesus’ feet.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Consistently indulging fear will eventually become cowardice and ultimately, sin, if we choose to stay afraid. Whereas a child of God, one who has taken God’s name as his own, one who calls Him “Father,” walks in boldness, unashamed of the gospel. (Act 4:29; 2Ti 1:8) We are commanded to “seek peace; and pursue it.” (Ps 34:14; 1Pe 3:11) That makes it an act of faith. We go forward despite how fearful we feel.
I get it. I know how hard it is to put down fear, how tight you cling to it, unsure how to take another step. But that’s the thing, God’s got you in His palm. What feels like midair and uncertainty is secure in Him. Hear the words of Isaiah.
Listen, Jacob, to the One who created you, Israel, to the one who shaped who you are. Do not fear, for I, your Kinsman-Redeemer, will rescue you. I have called you by name, and you are mine. When you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, You will not drown. When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One of Israel! (Is 43:1-3 TPT)
God’s entire character depends on Him showing His great love for us. We find this thought emphasized a few verses later when the prophet Isaiah speaks in God’s own words. He says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions FOR MINE OWN SAKE, and will not remember thy sins. ” (v25)
God will be known for mercy, for forgiveness, for compassion. And oh, how great His compassion is! The Biblical Illustrator describes it as if the father, having forgiven the prodigal son, once more entrusted him with his fortune. What a moving example.
Almighty God’s care for us is immense. We have nothing to fear. Fear lies to us. It says God is small and unkind and unable, that we will never overcome what we are facing. But never, not once, on any day is that the truth. Whatever we face, He has provided the way out. Faith and patience will inherit the promises. (Heb 6:12) Sometimes, the victory isn’t instant, but with our determination to follow God, it is always on the way. And know this – we do not walk alone but hand-in-hand with the Creator of the universe, the God of all comfort. (2Co 1:3)
And lest you still have doubts, let me remind you of the most powerful truth of all. He sent His Son to earth to prove it.
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What does it mean to be fearless? And how do I get there? Where is the way out from hopelessness and despair?
Crippled by fear, Suzanne Williams found herself unable to leave home. In her testimonial book, Fearless, she shares her personal walk out of the darkness and bondage of fear into the health, peace, freedom and hope promised in God’s Word.
About the Author:
Best-selling author, Suzanne D. Williams, is a native Floridian, wife, mother, and photographer. She is the author of both nonfiction and fiction books. She writes devotionals and instructional articles for various blogs. She also does graphic design for self-publishing authors. She is co-founder of THE EDGE.
To learn more about what she’s doing and check out her extensive catalog of stories, visit www.feelgoodromance.com or www.suzannedwilliams.com or link with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/suzannedwilliamsauthor or on Twitter at @SDWAuthor.
