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Don't be Afraid

“Do not be afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36)

 

Throughout the Old and New Testament, there are a multitude of verses that tell us not to fear, not to be afraid… but to trust God, have faith in Him and to believe in each and every one of His promises.  However, fear is alive and well in many believers.  We all get attacked by fear and the initial impact of fear upon us is not a sin nor have we failed.  The problem comes when we give fear place in our hearts and minds and we do not resist it.  Fear is a spirit but it has not been given to us by God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7) so if it has not come from God, then we can resist it and get the victory over it. Jesus was a very passionate man. He loved fully, got angry, was hurt… but He never feared!

 

Fear speaks… did you know that? Fear speaks through other people who sometimes do not realize that they are speaking fear instead of faith.  Fear tried to defeat King David and take him out of the place where God had him… but he faced fear and responded with a tenacious faith that took down a giant and revitalized a nation.

 

In 1 Samuel 17, David approached the Valley of Elah, where Goliath intimidated the army of God. Fear first spoke to Him through his brother Eliab, (vs. 28), when he was told he didn’t belong there.  Fear worked through Eliab to try to get David out of place, out of where God had him. Fear tried to make him feel inadequate, unworthy and un-equipped. But David was confident in his God and would not be deterred. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16)

 

Fear spoke again to David when King Saul told him that he was not able to fight the giant. (vs.33) Through Saul, fear came up with every excuse why he was not able.  Feat tried to discourage him and demoralize him… to take the heart of a warrior out of him. But David resisted and spoke of the faithfulness of God when David faced the lion and the bear. David knew that with God, he was able!

 

Fear spoke one more time to David through Saul who gave his armor to David to wear citing that he needed the armor to win the battle. Fear will always tell you that God is not enough and that you need something else besides God. Fear wants you to trust in the externals and not in the internal presence of Christ. Fear will tell you that Jesus is not enough… but He surely is! David refused the external and had faith in the God who was with him.

 

Lastly, fear spoke loudest on the battlefield facing the giant. Fear always speaks loudest when you face it directly. Fear spoke through that giant as he told David that he would give David’s flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field. Then David spoke to Goliath as he ran towards him coming to him in the name of the Lord, that the battle was the Lord’s and that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel.  Goliath spoke fear… David spoke faith! (vs. 43-47)Fear was defeated because someone stood up in faith trusting in an almighty God to win out the day! Read these Scriptures that are about speaking faith in a time of fear…Acts 4:29, Mark 11:23, Proverbs 18:21, 2 Corinthians 4:13.

 

David had no sword in his hand (vs. 50)… because the sword was in his heart! Fear cannot stay where the Word of the Lord is. “… take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God”(Ephesians 6:17) the giant of fear doesn’t stand a chance! Don’t be afraid… only believe… right now!