In this topsy turvy world and media filled with negative reports one could easily get caught up with what is being reported allowing fear to permeate our thoughts and attitude. But, as Christians, we have a better report to look to.
In Jeremiah 29:11 we read: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declared the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” As we set our eyes upon God's Word and Him Who is the Living Word, Christ Jesus, we come to understand that God's plans for us are good. Even our Lord Jesus encouraged us in this same way when He said, "...I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b). God does not want to harm us in this world nor in His Kingdom. He gave us His Word so that we could understand His plans and His heart. Jesus sent for the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us along the way and draw us closer to our Lord Jesus Christ. God has provided all we need to have a victories life. It is at our disposal. The thing is, will we access it?
Jesus never promised us that we would not have trials in our lives. As a matter of fact, we can be assured that they will come our way. What He has promised us is the ability to overcome them as we look to Him to be our strength. The first part of John 10:10 read, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy..." so we can know that we do have an enemy coming against us, whether we be believers in Christ Jesus or not. Just as God allows it to rain on the just and unjust, granting blessings to the believer and non-believer alike so does the enemy seek to destroy mankind - whether they believe in our Lord or not for God create all of us in His image.
The difference between the believer and a non-believer is that we have been given promises from our heavenly Father and through our Lord Jesus Christ. While the non-believer in Christ might look at the situation that is going on in the world and lose heart and hope, we can be assured that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind(2 Timothy 1:7)." Whenever we are striving to walk with the Lord and fear tries to overtake us we can be pretty confident that it is coming from the enemy's camp. God's Spirit brings forth correction; satan and his minions bring forth condemnation. There is a definate difference. If fear comes because of the wrong things we are doing against God then we can come before Him with a contrite heart and confess our sins, seeking His help to sin no more and know that He is quick to forgive. If fear comes against us because of the things we hear going on in the world and we can't seem to shake ourselves free of this fear, we can safely assume that the enemy is trying to bring us down.
God has not given us this spirit of fear. It comes from the enemy. Satan wants us to get our eyes off of Jesus and on to the situations that are happening around us. He wants us to lose hope in the promises we have been given through our Lord, Jesus Christ. But, remember, not only has God
notgiven us the spirit of fear, He has given us the Spirit of power for we have God in Christ in us and the Holy Spirit to empower us from on high.Praise be to God! When we are weak we look to Him Who is strong and mighty and it is His power in us that lets us know that we are overcomers through Him who loves us. Hallelujah!!! That surely is wonderful news, wouldn't you say?
Our Lord has also given us a spirit of love, His Spirit which is Love! In this way we can love those who spitefully use us and whose plans are against us. Does that mean that we are to love satan and his minions? NO WAY!!! Their fate has already been sealed when they turned their backs on the One True God. We can love those that satan has influenced to come against God's people though. But that is a topic onto itself. Love covers a multitude of sin and I am fully convinced that the more we allow God's love to flow through us, the more hits the enemy's camp is receiving. Remember, the thief (satan)comes to steal, kill and destroy. These are all negative actions, hurtful and evil. God's love brings restoration, life and healing, the opposite of what the enemy brings. What a good and awesome heavenly Father we have. Praise Him for He is worthy!
Through Christ Jesus we have not only received a spirit of power and of love but also of a sound mind. Many of us might confess that we don't feel we have a sound mind. Well, neither is that power or love coming from us. It is His power and love that God has given us access to! In same manner it is His mind that is given and made available to us through Jesus. We are to allow God's Spiirt to move in us, changing us daily. We are to be reading His Word and communing with Him that we might be transformed into the image of His Son, confident in our heavenly Father's love for us and His good plans for our lives.
Dear ones, if fear should come upon you, shake it off in the name of Jesus! Stand firm in Him who is our all in all. We live in this world for such a short time. But eternity is ours forever and we can dwell with that eternal thinking as we live on the earth, anxiously and expectantly waiting for His kingdom to come, on earth as it is in heaven. Glory!!! That should brighten any of our days!!!
God bless you and keep you. May your eyes and hearts be open to His Divine Truth and Love and may you find strength in Him who has given us the victory over all things, fear included. Hallelujah! Glory to God, amen!