Strength and Courage, Part 20

"'O Jacob My servant, do not fear,' declares the Lord,

'For I am with you.  For I will make a full end of all the nations

Where I have driven you,

Yet I will not make a full end of you;

But I will correct you properly

And by no means leave you unpunished."'  Jeremiah 46:28 (NAS)

God allowed His people to be punished for their disobedience by other nations, but He also promised to punish the nations who punished His people.

"Now so that your heart does not grow faint,

And you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land--

For the report will come one year,

And after that another report in another year,

And violence will be in the land

With ruler against ruler--

Therefore behold, days are coming

When I will punish the idols of Babylon;

And her whole land will be put to shame."  Jeremiah 51:46-47 (NAS)

God can't overlook evil, and it will always be punished in the end.  He will remember wrongs that have been done to you, and He will avenge.  Be on His side, and do what's right, and you won't have to be afraid.

"You drew near when I called on You;

You said, 'Do not fear.'"  Lamentations 3:57 (NAS)

Pray.  He'll hear you.

"Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead.  Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house."  Ezekiel 3:9 (NAS)

God sent Ezekiel to deliver a message to hardheaded people who He already knew wouldn't listen to it.  He made Ezekiel just as headstrong as the rebels to whom he was sent.  Do the job you're commissioned to do, whether you feel successful or not.

"Then he said to me, 'Do not be afraid Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.'"  Daniel 10:12 (NAS)

This was an angel sent to minister to Daniel.  Set your own heart on understanding what the Lord has to tell you and humbling yourself before God, speak the words He gives you, and angels will be released to aid you as well.

Strength and Courage, Part 19

Five more reminders that we don't have to be afraid.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord

And whose trust is the Lord,

For he will be like a tree planted by the water,

That extends its roots by a stream

And will not fear when the heat comes;

But its leaves will be green,

And it will not be anxious in a year of drought

Nor cease to yield fruit."  Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NAS)

That doesn't leave much room for uncertainty, does it?

"'Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' says the Lord, 'And do not be dismayed, O Israel;

For behold, I will save you from afar

And your offspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,

And no one will make him afraid.'"  Jeremiah 30:10 (NAS)

With God, there is always hope.

"Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, 'Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you.'"  Jeremiah 40:9 (NAS)

God's warnings finally turned to judgement, most of the nation has been taken into captivity, and a few people have been left behind.  That remnant was put under the governorship of a man named Gedaliah, who promised them safety.  He took decent care of the people until he was assassinated.

"'Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing; do not be afraid of him,' declares the Lord, 'for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand.'"  Jeremiah 42:11 (NAS)

The Lord promised the remaining group of people the He would cause their new ruler to have compassion on them, if they would stay put.  They didn't stay put, they ran away to Egypt.  They didn't trust Him.  Will you?

"But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,

Nor be dismayed, O Isreal!

For, see, I am going to save you from afar,

And your descendants from the land of their captivity;

And Jacob will return and be undisturbed

And secure, with no one making him tremble."  Jeremiah 46:27 (NAS)

God warned these people that if they ran away to Egypt, they'd be taken away into captivity.  (They did, and they were.)  Even so, He still promised that they would someday be rescued, not because they were faithful and good, but because He is.

Trust Him.

Strength and Courage, Part 18

Take a look at another five of the Bible's reminders to be not afraid.

"Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,

A people in whose heart is My law;

Do not fear the reproach of man,

Nor be dismayed at their revilings."  Isaiah 51:7 (NAS)

It's to be expected when you live the way God wants you to that it's going to ruffle some people's feathers, and many of those people will try to bully you.  Keep doing what you know is right.

"Fear not, for you will not be put to shame;

And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;

But you will forget the shame of your youth,

And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more."  Isaiah 54:4 (NAS)

Keep looking to the Lord, keep doing what He has instructed you to do, and don't give anything else a second thought.

"In righteousness you will be established;

You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;

And from terror, for it will not come near you."  Isaiah 54:14 (NAS)

Everything you do now carries a reverberation into your future both on earth and in eternity.  When you do now what's right, what do you have to be afraid of later?

"'Do not be afraid of them,

For I am with you to deliver you,' declares the Lord."  Jeremiah 1:8 (NAS)

Whoever they may be, they're no match for God.

"Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,

And they cannot speak;

They must be carried,

Because they cannot walk!

Do not fear them,

For they can do no harm,

Nor can they do any good."  Jeremiah 10:5 (NAS)

This is a reference to the idols of Israel's enemies.  Whatever your enemies' idols are, they are no threat to you when you have God on your side.

Strength and Courage, Part 17

Here are another five of the Bible's three hundred and sixty five references to rejecting fear.  They're pretty straightforward.

"'Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you,' declares the Lord, 'and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.'"  Isaiah 41:14 (NAS)

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel, 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!'"  Isaiah 43:1 (NAS)

"Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,

And gather you from the west."  Isaiah 43:5 (NAS)

"Thus says the Lord who made you

And formed you from the womb, who will help you,

'Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;

And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.'"  Isaiah 44:2 (NAS)

"Do not tremble and do not be afraid;

Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?  And you are my witnesses.  Is there any God besides Me,

Or is there any other Rock?  I know of none."  Isaiah 44:8 (NAS)

Any questions?

Strength and Courage, Part 16

Here are another five Biblical references to saying no to fear.

"Say to those with anxious heart, 'Take courage and fear not,

Behold, your God will come with vengeance;

The recompense of God will come,

But He will save you.'"  Isaiah 35:4 (NAS)

 If you're on His side, what do you have to be afraid of?

"Isaiah said to them, 'Thus you shall say to your master, "Thus says the Lord, 'Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.  Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land.  And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.'"'"  Isaiah 37:6-7 (NAS)

In this particular case, God told His people not only that He would save them, but how.  And then He did it.

"Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news,

Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news,

Lift it up, do not fear.  Say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!'"  Isaiah 40:9 (NAS)

When God gives you a message to deliver, do it  Say it loud.

"Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10 (NAS)

Write this down somewhere you will see it every day.

"For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13 (NAS)

You're never alone.

Strength and Courage, Part 15

Here are another five of the Bible's "don't be afraid" references.

"You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!'

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,

And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it."  Isaiah 8:12 (NAS)

When you live in the fear of the Lord, the Lord is the only thing you have to fear.

"Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, 'O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did.'"  Isaiah 10:24 (NAS)

God had a plan to punish the people who had punished His people.  Don't waste time keeping score; He's already doing that.

"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;

For the Lord God is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation."  Isaiah 12:2 (NAS)

Self explanatory, yes?

"The cities of Aroer are forsaken;

They will be for the flocks to lie down in,

And there will be no one to frighten them."  Isaiah 17:2 (NAS)

Interesting to note that destruction caused by God's vengeance results in peace for the innocent.

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You."  Isaiah 26:3 (NAS)

Keeping your focus on the Lord puts an end to fear.

Strength and Courage, Part 14

Here are another five "Don't be afraid" verses.

"Oh that my ways may be established

To keep your statutes!

Then I shall not be ashamed

When I look upon all your commandments."  Psalm 119:5-6 (NAS)

Living right in the first place is far simpler than trying to cover up bad behavior.

"When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."  Proverbs 3:24 (NAS)

This is preceded by an admonishment to "keep sound wisdom and discretion," and it sounds like a repeat of the concept that right living is an anxiety deterrent.

"Do not be afraid of sudden fear

Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes."  Proverbs 3:25 (NAS)

People who choose to continue on a bad path won't escape eventual punishment, but you will if you're not one of them.

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."  Ecclesiastes 11:10 (NIV)

Leave it to the cynical book of Ecclesiastes to issue a sharp reminder that life's too short to waste on fear.

"and say to him, 'Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.'"  Isaiah 7:4 (NAS)

When you are on the path God laid out for you, anybody who tries to fight you is just a stub of smoldering firebrand.  Trust God.  Hold the line.

Strength and Courage, Part 13

The Bible contains enough "do not fear" references that there's one for every day of the year.

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere man do to me?" Psalm 56:3-4 (NAS)

Always a good verse for perspective.

"In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"  Psalm 56:11 (NAS)

A repetition in case the message didn't sink in the first time.

"He led them safely, so that they did not fear;

But the sea engulfed their enemies."  Psalm 78:53 (NAS)

To clarify, the "He" in this allusion to the people of Israel being brought out of Egypt isn't Moses, it's God.

"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him."  Psalm 91:15 (NAS)

Don't let your feelings trick you into believing you're alone.  Ask the Lord for help.  He's there.

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,

Your consolations delight my soul."  Psalm 94:19 (NAS)

If your anxious thoughts never multiply within you, I hope you remember to thank God for that.  But if you're like most of us, let's work at letting God's consolations delight our souls!

Strength and Courage, Part 12

Here are five more don't-be-afraids from the Bible.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life;

Whom shall I dread?"  Psalm 27:1 (NAS)

Makes sense.  We just need to remember it.

"Though a host encamp against me,

My heart will not fear;

Though war arise against me,

In spite of this I shall be confident."  Psalm 27:3 (NAS)

This, for the reason previously stated.

"The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace."  Psalm 29:11 (NAS)

That makes you want to be His people, doesn't it?

"Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;"  Psalm 46:2 (NAS)

The word "therefore" indicates an antecedent, which in this case is that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

"Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,

When the glory of his house in increased;"  Psalm 49:16 (NAS)

This Psalm goes on to remind us that the rich are just as mortal as the poor.

Whatever you're facing right now, ask the Lord for direction, then follow and trust.

Strength and Courage, Part 11

"Their houses are safe from fear,

And the rod of God is not on them."  Job 21:9 (NAS)

Job is referring to evil people who appear to flourish instead of coming to punishment.  It does seem that way at times.  We need to remember that in the end, everyone will have to give an answer.

"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me round about."  Psalm 3:6 (NAS)

God against "ten thousands of people" wins.  He did create them, after all, so who's more powerful?

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep

For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety."  Psalm 4:8 (NAS)

Can anything be more comforting than that?

"I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;

Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.

I have set the Lord continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices:

My flesh also will dwell securely."  Psalm 16:7-9 (NAS)

It's interesting to note the personal action in this passage: "I have set the Lord continually before me." and pay attention to what's happening when we are sinking in fear.  Have we set the Lord continually before us?

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me;" Psalm 23:4 (NAS)

It's not always that there isn't something to be afraid of, it's that we have God with us, and He's bigger than whatever we fear.

Strength and Courage, Part 10

"'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.'  Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you."  2 Chronicles 20:17 (NAS)

On this particular occasion God sent word that He Himself would come through for His people in this war, and they listened and believed, and He did not disappoint.

"Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him."  2 Chronicles 32:7 (NAS)

Hezekiah's kingdom was under attack by the superpower of his time, but he had the sense to look to the Lord rather than the most hated and feared army of that day.  His faith was rewarded.

"When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: 'Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.'"  Nehemiah 4:14 (NAS)

God had set Nehemiah and his people on a specific task.  Nehemiah prayed to God and then encouraged the people when they were badgered, terrorized, threatened, and harassed, came up with a plan, refused to give up, and ultimately succeeded.

"You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

And you will not be afraid of the violence when it comes."  Job 5:21 (NAS)

Eliphaz implies that Job's troubles originated from Job's bad behavior--which the first chapter has revealed to be untrue--and seems to indicate that Job can save himself by fessing up.  There are some elements of truth in what Eliphaz has to say, but if you're going to approach someone with this kind of sermon, you'd better be sure it's by the Holy Spirit's leading and not your own idealism.

"Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect,

And you would be steadfast and not fear."  Job 11:15 (NAS)

Zophar advises Job to abandon his misdeeds.  Overall a decent rule of thumb.  Later though, we find out God wasn't impressed with Job's friends' treatment of Job during Job's time of distress.  Be a little more compassionate with people in their dejection, and keep your eyes on Jesus, not your own efforts, as our Deliverer from wrongdoing and from hardship.

Strength and Courage, Part 9

"Isaiah said to them, 'Thus you shall say to your master, "Thus says the Lord, 'Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me,'"'" 2 Kings 19:6 (NAS)

When Hezekiah was threatened by a powerful enemy, he asked God for help.  God answered.

"Gedaliah swore to them and their men and said to them, 'Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans; live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.'"  2 Kings 25:24 (NAS)

Gedaliah tried to reassure his people after he was made governor by a conquering king.  Things didn't end well for him.  He should have urged his people to trust in God instead of the king of Babylon.

"Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel.  Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed."  1 Chronicles 22:13 (NAS)

Excellent advice from David to Solomon, his son and successor.

"Then David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God is with you.  He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished."  1 Chronicles 28:20 (NAS)

David encouraged and reassured Solomon as the kingdom was passing down to him.

"and he said, 'Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat; thus says the Lord to you, "Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's."'"  2 Chronicles 20:15 (NAS)

When Jehoshaphat's kingdom was under attack, he was afraid but his first reaction was to pray.  God listened.  He's listening to you too.

Strength and Courage, Part 8

The Bible is packed with don't be afraid messages.  Most of them are encouragements.  Some should be warnings.

"The king said to her, 'Do not be afraid; but what do you see?'  And the woman said to Saul, 'I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.'"  1 Samuel 28:13 (NAS)

The woman should have been afraid.  She was a medium, which was against King Saul's law (even though he was the one hiring her) and against God's law.  And really, why would you seek information from any other spirit when you have access to the Holy Spirit?  If He doesn't inform you, then you're not supposed to know.

"David said to him, ''Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly.'"  2 Samuel 9:7 (NAS)

King David took in his late best friend's son, who incidentally would have been an heir to King Saul's throne.  Any other king would have killed him to eliminate possible competition, but David had faith in God's anointing on his own life, and was gracious and merciful instead.

"Then Elijah said to her, 'Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.'"  1 Kings 17:13 (NAS)

This lady was out of options and resigned to giving up on life itself, but Elijah, being a man of God, was asking her to have faith.  She was rewarded with miraculous provision.

"The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, 'Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.'  So he arose and went down with him to the king."  2 Kings 1:15 (NAS)

Elijah had just sent a "you're going to die" message to the king, so naturally he wasn't excited about going to see the king in person when he was sent for.  Elijah had ordered fire from the sky to destroy the first two captains with their fifty men apiece who were sent to take him to the king.  The third captain came on his knees begging for his and his fifty men's lives, and God told Elijah to go ahead with them.  He did, he re-delivered a "you're going to die" message to the king, and the king died.  Once again, when you're on a mission for God, He'll see you through it.

"So he answered, 'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'"  2 Kings 6:16 (NAS)

Elisha's attendant saw that they were under siege, but Elisha prayed that the attendant would be given the ability to see what was happening in the spiritual realm.  The man saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire, and the tables were supernaturally turned.

Keep your eyes on the Lord, not the circumstances.

Strength and Courage, Part 7

"The Lord said to him, 'Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.'"   Judges 6:23 (NAS)

Gideon was afraid he would die from coming face to face with the angel of the Lord, but he was assured otherwise, because God had a mission to give him.  When God sends you on a mission, move forward fearlessly.

"And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, 'Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.'  But she did not answer or pay attention."  1 Samuel 4:20 (NAS)

Baby Ichabod was born the same day his parents and grandfather died and his nation was defeated in battle.  His mother gave him a name meaning "inglorious" in her last moments.  I don't know, but I hope he made a positive difference in the world as he grew up and came to understand his family history.  Don't fear the future, change it for the better, no matter your past.

"Samuel said to the people, 'Do not fear, you have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.'"  1 Samuel 12:20 (NAS)

God's people had refused His perfect will for them, that they would be the nation to prove Him to the world by having Him as their only King.  They insisted, however, on having a man on a throne because all the other countries were doing it, and God graciously continued to take care of them even though they ruined their chance to be extraordinary.

"Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are safe with me."  1 Samuel 22:23 (NAS)

David sheltered Abiathar, an escapee from King Saul's slaughter of the priests.  Trust God to provide you with protection.

"Thus he said to him, 'Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.'"  1 Samuel 23:17 (NAS)

God had chosen David to take the kingship from Saul.  Saul apparently thought he could outwit God by killing David, but Saul's own son--the prince---in faith, offered encouragement to David.  Remember who won?  Remember who won!

Strength and Courage, Part 6

"Now the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear or be dismayed.  Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.'"  Joshua 8:1 (NAS)

God will see you through the mission on which He sends you.

"The Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.'"  Joshua 10:8 (NAS)

God trumps everything and everyone.

"Joshua then said to them, 'Do not fear them or be dismayed!  Be strong and courageous, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.'"  Joshua 10:25 (NAS)

God told Joshua not to be afraid, and he encouraged his people with the same message.  Let's all encourage each other with that same message.

"Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.'"  Joshua 11:6 (NAS)

God means business.  No cowering.  Stay focused, people.

"Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, 'Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me!  Do not be afraid.'  And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug."  Judges 4:18 (NAS)

This time it's not God saying don't be afraid.  Sisera should have been very afraid.  If you're not familiar with this story, read the fourth chapter of Judges.  Jael, however, was fearless.  Be like her.

Strength and Courage, Part 5

"When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you."  Deuteronomy 20:1 (NAS)

It's a recurring theme, that when you're on God's mission, He will see you through.

"He shall say to them, 'Hear O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today.  Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them,'"  Deuteronomy 20:3 (NAS)

God never said we wouldn't have trouble.  In fact, He warned that we would.  He's not surprised by it, and He's still with us through it.

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you."  Deuteronomy 31:6 (NAS)

Self explanatory, no?

"The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed."  Deuteronomy 31:8 (NAS)

Two verses later, God repeated Himself.  We probably ought to listen.

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9 (NAS)

It's not a suggestion, it's a command.  Remember that courage doesn't necessarily mean not feeling fear, it means moving forward anyway even if you have that feeling.  Be brave!

Strength and Courage, Part 4

With enough "don't be scared" references in the Bible that there's one for every day of the year, we are left with no excuse to be afraid.  So when we find ourselves tempted to fear, let's reflect on those scriptures.

"See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you.  Do not fear or be dismayed."  Deuteronomy 1:21 (NAS)

When He sends you on a mission, He'll be with you through it.

"Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them.'"  Deuteronomy 1:29 (NAS)

Moses was recounting sending the people of Israel up against an enemy who was literally bigger than they were; unfortunately they forgot that their own God was bigger than their enemy.  Let's remember that: God is bigger than any enemy!

"But the Lord said to me, 'Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.'"  Deuteronomy 3:2 (NAS)

Don't forget previous victories.

"Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you."  Deuteronomy 3:22 (NAS)

When you set out to do what God has for you to do, He is guaranteed to be working on your behalf.

"you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:"  Deuteronomy 7:18 (NAS)

You know the story of the ten plagues, and the Red Sea crossing.  We're still serving that same God, and He hasn't gotten tired or run out of ideas.

Strength and Courage, Part 3

The Bible is loaded with "do not fear" statements.

"I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble.  I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land."  Leviticus 26:6 (NAS)

This promise was given to the people of Israel as a benefit of adhering to God's law.

"The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace."  Numbers 6:24-26 (NAS)

Perfect spot for a mic drop, but the list continues.

"Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey.  Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."  Numbers 14:9 (NAS)

Makes you want to stick with God, doesn't it?

"But the Lord said to Moses, 'Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand and all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.'"  Numbers 21:34 (NAS)

Israel had requested to travel through Sihon's territory and he declared war on them in return.  He lost, and they took over his cities.

""You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike.  You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God's.  The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it."  Deuteronomy 1:17 (NAS)

Moses reminded his people to fear God rather than other people.  We can use the same reminder.

Strength and Courage, Part 2

Here are five of the Bible's 365 "fear not" references.

"He said, 'I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.'"  Genesis 46:3 (NAS)

Let God guide you, follow where He leads, and trust Him to be with you on the way.

"'So therefore do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.'  So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."  Genesis 50:21 (NAS)

Joseph's brothers were afraid of retaliation once their father had died, but Joseph was sincere in his forgiveness.  We can be too.

"But Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.'"  Exodus 14:13 (NAS)

When you are on the path God has laid out for you, He's going to guard that path.

"Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.'"  Exodus 20:20 (NAS)

Why does God test you, when He already knows your mind and your future?  He doesn't test us so He can learn about us.  He tests us so we can learn about ourselves.  And He wants to keep us from sin not just because it's offensive to Him, but because it's damaging to us.

Strength and Courage, Part 1

I've heard that the Bible has enough "Fear Nots" for each day of the year.  Let's check them out.

"After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.,"  Genesis 15:1 (NAS)

Let Him be your shield.

"God heard the lad crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter with you, Hagar?  Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.'" Genesis 21:17 (NAS)

He hears you where you are.

"The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, 'I am the God of your father Abraham;

Do not fear, for I am with you.  I will bless you, and multiply your descendants,

For the sake of my servant Abraham.'"  Genesis 26:24 (NAS)

It seems relevant, to me at least, the He appeared to Jacob "the same night".  God's not late.

"When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, 'Do not fear, for now you have another son.'"  Genesis 35:17 (NAS)

Even when Rachel was dying, she wasn't alone, had someone to comfort her, and got to know that her baby was all right.

"He said, 'Be at ease, do not be afraid.  Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.'  Then he brought Simeon out to them."  Genesis 43:23 (NAS)

Joseph's brothers didn't deserve the grace he showed them, but he made a huge positive impact on the world because he let God have his heart and his life.

So there we have five days' worth of reminders to be fearless.

Whose Mind Is It Anyway

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."  1 John 4:1 (NAS)

Tired of conflicting information?  Feel like you're bipolar or can't make up your mind?

We've talked about this before but it bears repeating.  Demons can't read your mind, but they can try to inject thoughts into it.  It's your job to decipher which thoughts are your own, which are from God, and which ones are from enemy spirits trying to trip you up.

How do you figure this out?

"Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I might not sin against You."  Psalm 119:11 (NAS)

"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you heave heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world."  1 John 4:2 (NAS)

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NAS)

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him."  James 1:5 (NAS) 

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.'"  John 8:31-32 (NAS)

Read your Bible.  Pray.  Know what you believe.  Test everything against God's truth.  Not just on special occasions, but daily as if your life depends on it.  Because it does.

Check Your Point

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 6:1 (NAS)

It's insanely frustrating to work your bum off doing what you thought God wanted you to do, only to see someone else receive--or worse yet, take--the credit.  Just as aggravating as that is investing mounds of time and energy in the Lord's work and not seeing any positive outcome from it.

Reality is, those things do happen.  When they do, we often question whether we truly heard from the Father, or if He let us down.  I've tried to learn instead to check my motives and my motivation.  Is my motive God's glory or my own?  Is it enough for me to know I'm living in God's will, or is my motivation from the satisfaction of getting results?

My friend Vic often says that people can accomplish a lot when they're not concerned about who gets the credit.  Along those same lines is the quote that a horse that's kicking can't pull, and a horse that's pulling can't kick.  Don't let yourself be distracted from what is most important.

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."  Galatians 6:8-9 (NAS)

As they said in the 1970's, keep on truckin.

Advocate

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy."  Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)

If taking care of yourself and minding your own business is good enough Christianity for you, it's time to reevaluate.

Yes, God loves you, wants the best for you, sent His Son to redeem you, and pours blessings out on you.  Some of the blessings He gives you are people.  Teachers, encouragers, inspirers, exhorters, prophets, comforters, confidantes, companions, supporters, advocates.

It's not enough to bask in our blessings, God intends for us to share what we have been given.

"Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."  Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)

You don't have to look far to find people at a disadvantage.  Are you advocating for them in the Name of Jesus?