“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (1Timothy 1:7)
If you watch the news these days from different sources all over the world, you may notice a common denominator – fear! Fear of war, fear of terrorist attacks, fear of economic depression, fear of epidemics and diseases, fear of natural disasters, fear of persecution, fear of other people different from us, fear of the unknown future… and the list goes on and on.
Although there may be logical reasons to be afraid, God does not want us to operate out of fear. In so many Bible verses, God tells us “Fear not.” It is encouraging to remind ourselves of this.
One would think that the opposite of fear is courage, but the Bible has a different perspective. “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.” (1John 4:18) Experiencing God’s love makes us overcome all fears.
I believe we have to live this truth in our own lives in order to be able to share it with other people who do not know Christ and who are living in fear. I admit I am the first one to say that it is easier said than done. Yet again, we are reminded that God has already given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
We often include Bible reading of verses that deal with this issue – just the biblical text, no comment needed. God’s word is so powerful. People are often encouraged by the message
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God… saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’…” (Isaiah 41:10-13)
I pray that our programs continue to draw our listeners to the source of peace, the Prince of Peace, who would help them overcome their worst fears.
Categories: AFRICA
