1 John 4:18; Mtt. 14:29-31
Many Christians starting on the way of the Cross get side-tracked into roads with Dead ends!
These roads lead us nowhere. The signal is – “Thou shalt not enter.” It is the commandment of the Lord Jesus.
One of the roads with dead ends is Fear. Fear does one good thing only, if it is harnessed to constructive ends. If fear is used and controlled, it can do good to us. It makes the soul alert lest it hurt itself through wrong choices.
Fear is one of the roads with dead-end
There are three evils in fear: (1) Fear produces diseases; (2) Fear paralyses efforts; (3) Fear is useless. If fear is such a thing, then it is prudent to consider it as an enemy which should be done away with at the first instance.
The darkest and the most fearful period of human history was the period of 400 years between Malachi and the New Testament. God did not utter a word and no prophets spoke. The world was fear-ridden.
The first voice of the Angel was “Fear not.” The first word of Jesus after His resurrection was “Have no fear” Mtt. 28:10.
Fear is the root of diseases: Ps. 55:4-6; Luke 12:32
Faith builds us up; fear tears us down. Faith is healing, fear is hindering. To be released from fear is a physical necessity as well as moral and spiritual necessity. Fear ties us up but Faith releases us, therefore we must choose Faith.
Fear produces paralysis: Mtt. 25:25; Deu. 28:65-67
Jesus spoke of the seeds that were chocked with worries, money and pleasures – Lk. 18:14. Many people are mentally, physically and spiritually arrested by fear and worry than any other simple thing. Peter was afraid and began to sink. Jesus saw that the paralytic man had his paralysis rooted in fear and sin. So Jesus told him – “Courage, my son. Your sins are forgiven.” Mtt.9:2. The fear was lifted, the paralysis was lifted. Jesus said to his prostrate disciples, “Rise up have no Fear” – Mtt-17:17. Fear gets us down but faith lifts us up! The disciples gathered within closed doors for fear of the Jews – John 20:19. Fear puts you behind doors. Fear drives you underground. Jesus said to the hemorrhaged woman, “Courage my daughter” – Mtt 9:22. Fear made her tense, and that made her bleed and the more she bled the more she was afraid. Jesus got her rid of the fear and gave her the faith that healed her sickness. Fear puts us behind closed doors. But faith throws open the doors and makes us free from all fears. It is, “I do trust Jesus, I have no fear.”Mtt.14:27. Where Jesus is, there is no fear: Where Jesus is not, there is fear. Equation in life is: minus Jesus, plus fear. Plus Jesus, minus fear.
Most people are inhabited with senseless burdens of home-grown fears like fears of failures, of the future, of growing old, of sickness, of death, of opinion of others and so on. As Christians we should learn not to entertain these kinds of fears.
One should not think of fearful thoughts, should not speak of fearful words, give no way to fearful acts but try to be positive in faith that Jesus is with us always, that He is the lord of our life.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear” Ps. 46:1.
“Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for God is with us” – Ps. 23:4.
Jesus said: “All hail! Be not afraid, all power is given to me in heaven and in earth. I am with you always.” No more fear of sin and death! Jesus has removed them once and for all. He is alive and whosoever believes in Him is alive forevermore. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!
R.C. Chiten Jamir
