For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Faith and fear are opposites. Faith drives out fear and fear drives out faith. We have a choice to make, to live in fear, or to live in faith. Let us look at some definitions. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, fear means, “an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm.” The meaning of faith according to the same dictionary is, “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.”
Fear clouds our judgment and destroys our trust in God. Fear is the fuel that flames doubt. Fear is a weapon used by the devil. This is one of many ways Satan will use to draw us away from God. If we do not overcome our fears, there is a danger that our trust in God will be deeply damaged. There is ultimately only one way to overcome fear. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ. Look to Him for strength and guidance. Remember, when Christ stilled the wind? His disciples were fearful of the dangers that the elements posed. It took just a few words from Jesus for the wind to cease and their fear disappeared.
The Christian ought to live by faith and in faith. The Bible teaches us that those in Christ have victory over fear because Christ has overcome fear. It is worth bearing in mind that if God is for us then nothing and no one can be against us. There is no condemnation for those who are the children of God, by faith. Christians are called to have a growing faith that is built up by prayer and the reading of God’s Word. If we belong to God by faith in Christ, we have nothing to fear.
We have a choice. Allow the demons of doubt to cripple our faith, or trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen, comfort, and protect us. Listen to Christ when he says, “Peace be still.” Hear him say to your soul, “Come and rest in me.” The question is simple, faith or fear?
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