FEAR NOT, BE NOT AFRAID

For I am with thee.

With the very first man sin entered into the world. He was given everything his heart desired, except for one thing, do not eat of one certain tree. It was very simple, God said you may have everything, but this tree is mine. Adam and Eve were happy in the garden, until that one fateful day when Eve was tempted with the idea of being just like God. So, just as Satan wanted her to, she took the fruit and ate it. Then she told her husband, this is good take and eat it, and he did without question. They realized after the fact that they had disobeyed God, and in doing so, sin entered into the garden, and into the world, and with that sin, came fear. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? The ironic thing about this is the Bible tells us that every evening Adam walked and talked to God in the garden. So why was Adam afraid this time? Because of this disobedience he knew God would not be pleased. And God wasn’t pleased, because of that sin God took the skin from an animal to clothe Adam and Eve. An animal had to sacrifice his life to cover the naked sin of Adam. And from that time forward, until Jesus died on the cross, sacrifices had to be made to atone for sins. Because of Adam’s sin, he was cut off from God, no more walks in the cool of the evening talking to the Lord. In its place Adam now had fear in his life, he would no longer have his heart’s desire, but would have to toil to get his food. Because of God’s love toward Adam and his family, he did not cut off all communications with them. He promises time and time again in the Bible he will never forsake us. 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?

With the Lord as the strength of your life you have no reason to fear anything. The question is, does the Lord have any place in your life? He will give us strength, and protect us as he’s promised, if we are his children. In the times of the Bible, to be a child of God, atonement for sin was made through blood sacrifices. Jesus’ death on the cross was the final sacrifice for all time for the atonement of sin, but only for those who will accept him as that atonement and Saviour. Once you become a child of God you enter into his protection for all eternity. If God is for us, who shall be against us? The choice is yours, just as Moses ask, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

Tonight we had an old-fashioned thunderstorm, with lightning and rain that came down sideways. We were all gathered in the protection of the house, and although we were wary, we were not afraid. At least we were not afraid until lightning struck the house and blew the phone right off the wall. The lightning bolt hit like a cannon-shot and got all of our attention making our hair stand on end. The plug for the phone’s power cord blew across a room and landed 12 feet away from the wall. Even the air carried a scent of singed electrical wires. It seemed as though the explosion supercharged the children because they all started talking 90 miles a minute. Because the parent and grandparent showed no fear, the children knew they were safe. It is the same with our Heavenly Father we know that in his care we are safe, and we do not need to be afraid.,

As parents we will do everything in our power to keep our children safe, and not to be afraid. By teaching them that our strength comes from our Heavenly Father, we don’t have to be afraid, and reassuring them through the Scripture that he will always be with us. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? We must teach our children that whatever the world throws at us, God will help us through it and we don’t need to be afraid of it.

We as authors, use fear in our works to grab people’s imagination and hold their attention. Just like Adam in the garden, his fear came from what he imagined the Lord would do because of his sin. Fear is a powerful tool, and Satan likes to use it against us. But if God is for us, who can be against us?

 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 20:10

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Psalms 56:3

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: 
what can man do unto me?

Psalms 118:6

The fear of man bringeth a snare: 
but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

II Timothy 1:7