We live in a fear-driven world. Our environment offers plenty of opportunities to be afraid; however, living in fear isn’t God’s will for us. With this in mind, it’s imperative that we respond correctly to this emotion. Instead of fearfully reacting to what we see around us, we can instead respond in faith to the finished works of Jesus.

Fear was the main motivator under the Law of Moses, but that has since changed; Jesus’ body and blood sacrificed on the cross now put us under the Gospel of Grace. Fear can paralyze us from moving forward into the future God wants us to enjoy. It’s straight from the enemy, but it has now lost its grip on the believer. We take the first step in conquering this emotion by believing that God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

Faith in God’s love helps us in this area. Under the law, God was a punisher and a harsh judge; under grace, He’s now a loving heavenly Father who wants a relationship with us. There’s no fear in love; accepting His perfect love casts out fear. The Lord has loved us with an everlasting love and has drawn us with lovingkindness.

Fear comes from Satan, who is a thief intent on stealing our peace and joy; trusting in Jesus prevents the enemy from gaining traction in our lives. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. When we believe that God is on our side, whatever man can do to us no longer matters.

Courage is a willingness to do what we know is right according to the Word of God despite fear knocking on our door. That’s how we exert our authority over it as believers. God, Himself, is holding our hands and commanding us not to fear. With these kinds of odds stacked in our favor, there’s no reason to be afraid.

Prayer:

Lord, Your Son bled and died so that we no longer would have to live in fear of anything. Trusting in this empowers us to move forward, no matter what happens. Thank You for the sacrifice You made on our behalf. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

2 Timothy 1:7

1 John 4:18

Jeremiah 31:3

John 10:10

Psalm 118:6

Isaiah 41:13