TEACHING

Barbara Atkin

FEAR NOT

"Fear not" is a timely word.

Since the September 11^th attack on U.S. soil, there is a new enemy in our land. Its name is fear.

Do you ever experience anxious thoughts or fears? Fears about your family’s welfare, about your marriage, about health issues, about finances, about safety, fear of failure, fear of death, to name a few?

The Bible tells us, in Hebrews 2:14, 15, that there are some who are all their lifetime in subject to bondage through the fear of death. Jesus, through His death, destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and released us from bondage of this fear!

Fear is the opposite of FAITH and HOPE, and is viciously destructive. "A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." (Proverbs 17:22) "Hope deferred makes the heart grow sick." (Proverbs 13:12)

Fear can lead to deep depression, disease, mental illness, even suicide. Job cried out, "The thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me." (Job 3:25) According to your faith!

In the natural, there is much to fear in this day and age. However, our Lord Jesus says, "In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33)

Throughout the scriptures, our Lord speaks to His people, "Fear not."

In Genesis 15:1, He says, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

In Daniel 10:12, He says, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words."

To the shepherds on the Bethlehem hillside, the angel of the Lord said, "Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10,11)

To the virgin, Mary, the angel said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." (Luke 1:30)

In Isaiah 43:1-5, the Lord says to us, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you, for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place, since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you."

In Luke 12:22-32, our Lord Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat, nor about our bodies, what we will wear. He tells us not to have an anxious mind. He tells us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Then He adds, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Do you remember the Israelites in the desert, whose shoes and clothing didn’t wear out during their forty-year trek? Don’t you believe that He would take the same care of us?

In Romans 8:14,15, we are told that "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’."

Psalm 27:1-6 proclaims, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my heart shall be lifted high above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes I will sing praises to the Lord."

There are testimonies of countless Christian martyrs who have sung praises as they were being tortured and murdered.

I would like to share two personal testimonies relating to this subject:

1) Soon after our family had been called into the ministry, on a lovely California morning, our four young daughters, another little girl and I were taking a walk along our country road. Adjacent to our property was a large prune orchard, which was guarded by a Doberman Pinscher that was trained to attack any trespassers. This vicious dog was usually kept on a heavy chain.

However, as the six of us passed the orchard, to my shock and horror, the Doberman came running toward us. He was unchained, and prepared to attack! He growled, bared his teeth, and lunged at us.In that fraction of a second, the thought ran through my mind, "There are five little girls, and there is no way that I can pick them all up and protect them. This dog could, conceivably, tear at least one of us to shreds!" I cried loudly, "Oh, God!"

As that brief, desperate plea sounded, the Doberman fell to the ground ... less than a foot in front of us! He lay there for a minute or two, then stood to his feet, shook his head, tucked in his tail, turned and ran back through the orchard! It was as though he had run into an INVISIBLE WALL!!!

As the Doberman retreated, I heard a still, small voice say, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears." (Sometime later, I found this in Psalm 34:4.)

I felt assured and comforted that my Lord was telling me that whatever lay ahead in the future, I need not fear because my life was in His hands, and He was my Shield! "He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (II Samuel 22:31)

2) Don and I were ministering in India when the Gulf War broke out. The Indian newspaper warned that all Americans should leave as soon as possible. We stayed for one more week, but one morning several of the Indian brothers came to where we were staying. They said that they had just seen people in the city burning an effigy of our President, and, sadly, they felt that it would be wise for us to leave.

Suddenly, I experienced fear. We would have to spend one night in Bombay, waiting for our plane, and the airport would be full of Muslims. I silently cried out to the Lord, "Father, I am not afraid to die on the mission field, but I do not want to be a prisoner of Saddam Hussein! I need your peace."

One of the young Indian men, not knowing about this plea, took my hand and said, "Mother, I want to read a scripture." He read Psalm 91! "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you. For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways."

The young man hadn’t heard my cry, but the Lord had, and He filled me with His assurance that He was in control. We had no difficulties in the Bombay Airport, nor on the return flight. PraiseGod!

I John 4:18,19 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us."

I Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind."

Philippians 4:4-7 exhorts us to "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Jesus still speaks to us, in the midst of all of the turmoil that surrounds us, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

God Himself has said to us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Therefore, we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear."

When we hear of wars and rumors of wars, even in our own country; when there is upheaval in our families (from sickness or strife); when there are upheavals in the church, in the marketplace, on the job .... we shall not fear, but be filled with His peace that surpasses all understanding!

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear."

(Psalm 46:1)