FEAR OR FAITH?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”
(2 Timothy 1:7)

MEDITATION:
We have many choices in our lives and there are two which are
in opposition to each other. We can choose either fear or faith,
but we cannot choose both. Fear puts us on a path to failure,
but faith puts us on the road to triumph. It is difficult for fear
and faith to coexist in the same heart. Either fear will weaken
our faith, or our faith will have victory over fear.

The scriptures tell us many times ‘do not be afraid’.
A few examples:
    “Without being frightened in any way by
      those who oppose you. This is a sign to
      them that they will be destroyed, but that
      you will be saved—and that by God.”
      (Philippians 1:28)

    “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
      courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
      discouraged, for the Lord your God will
      be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

    “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:
        “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be
          silent. For I am with you, and no one is going
          to attack and harm you, because I have many
          people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10)

    “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God,
      whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not
      afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
      (Psalm 56:3-4)

It is estimated that God has told us more than 350 times,
“do not be afraid”. Does that mean we are never fearful
or anxious? No. There are times when uncertainty can
invade our thoughts, but it doesn’t necessarily mean
our faith is weak.

We can have ‘moments’ of fear, but fear should not define
the life of a faithful believer. Why not? Because, after the
initial ‘shock or surprise’ of fear or uncertainty, we know
the One in whom our faith is directed toward and we turn
to Him for strength and encouragement.

We should not allow brief moments of fear to cause us to
question our faith. Nor should we allow brief moments of
faith to assure us we are true believers. Our overall lifestyle
is what defines us. In other words, if sin is in control of our
lives, more than likely we do not belong to God.

Conversely, if faith is in control of our lives, we will have
a greater desire to please the Lord and obey His commands.
This lifestyle (mindset) will help us in our efforts in resisting
temptations and in sacrificing our will for God’s will.

God’s Word gives us many instructions, but it is not just a list
of what to do and what not to do. Although we are encouraged
to do some things, and to avoid others, the scriptures are intended
to guide us in making overall changes in our lives. Such as:
    changes to our focus;
    changes to our attitudes;
    changes to our character;
    changes to how we interact with others;
    changes from selfishness to selflessness;
    changes to how we pray and worship;
    changes to how we fellowship with the Lord; etc.

ACTION:
Is your life dominated by fear or faith? Is fear weakening your
faith, or is faith giving you triumph over fear? What changes
do you need to make in your own life which will increase your
faith? Do you pray and worship regularly? Do you enjoy being
in God’s house with other believers? Is your life directed by
God’s will, or your will?

Consider:
    If your plans for this Sunday are something other than
    worshiping and praising the Lord with other believers,
    what could cause you to sacrifice your own desires for
    God’s will?

    Now, if you knew the Lord would be returning on Monday
    to take His children home with Him, would you change your
    plans and give His will a higher priority?

If this scenario is true for you, then you should ask yourself,
    “Do I really enjoy being with the Lord and fellowshipping
      with His people, or do I just want the Lord ‘hanging around’
      so that I can call on Him during certain times of need?”

When answering this question, be honest with yourself and remember,
if you feel a need to justify why something is more important than being
with the Lord, then you should reconsider your choices. When we justify
our actions as a replacement for obedience, we know the impact Satan is
having on our lives.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, You know how the evil one can
give me all kinds of reasons to have worry and fear;
however You give me more reasons to be thankful!
Forgive me for allowing any worry or fear to cripple
me emotionally and/or physically. When these two
emotions creep into my life, remind me of their source
and how I can defeat them by calling on Your Name
and recalling how much You have blessed me. Of course
the greatest blessing I have is knowing of Your love and
forgiveness for me and my failures. You have shown an
undeniable love through the sacrifice of Jesus for my sins.
Thank You, Jesus, for what you did for me and every other
sinner whom You love. I pray Father, that You would not
allow fear and worry to gain control of my life and cause
me to miss out on the joy and peace You offer to those who
love You and follow Your Son, Jesus.”

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