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"Be strong and good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God,
he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
- Deuteronomy 31:6
Having pastored for 30 years, I have watched and witnessed many occasions where fear has kept folks from making necessary changes in their life. I discovered that most, if not all of us, have had to deal with a deep-seated resistance to change that oftentimes wells up the moment we are faced with demands to alter our life or lifestyle.
Most of this is due to one simple truth: the fear of the unknown. When sin entered the human race every single human being from that time on became subject to bondage. The nature of man was never created to have to bear such a reproach, but it did. And it was forced upon man to have to live under a yoke called depravity. Even in his best state of mind or better behavior he still struggled with fear because of an unseen force that held him captive. Paul wrote to the Church of Rome, and said, "For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). The whole idea of falling short means man was incapable of living on the level of life that he was originally created to live on. That was the hardship we all encountered because of the nature of sin. It was falling into this state of depravity that exacerbated what became our debilitating effort to face our fears and reluctances.
However, Jesus came and he offered us hope. He told his followers, "If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31, 32). What truth do you think he is referring to and what freedom did he promise to give? The truth he is talking about is obvious. He became the remedy for our depraved nature. By acknowledging the work he did for us on the cross, we find a way of escape from the corruption that held us captive. And, it is in this truth that we also find a way out of the deep-seated dilemma that has tried to restrict us from being able to handle change. A dilemma we call fear.
This freedom that Christ offers has the ability to take us right out of a place of bondage and bring us into a place of confidence and assurance. Isaiah wrote and said: "The work of righteousness is peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever" (Isa. 32:17). It is in this state of righteousness that we are also able to overcome fear. Isaiah went on to say, "In righteousness thou shall be established: thou shall be far from oppression; for thou shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee" (Isa. 54:14). What an awesome promise!
When Jesus came to reconcile the world back to God he not only destroyed the sin principle within us, but he empowered us to live life the way God intended for us to live. That means we have within us now the ability to rise above all fears and reluctance so that we can confidently face the unknown. The Lord told Isaiah, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: by 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" (Isa. 41:10). If this were true to unredeemed Israel, how much more does this truth apply to us today? The Bible says, "Jesus has been made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30). We have been made righteous before God so now we have a power within that not only enables us to become established in a life of freedom from sin, but a life delivered from fear, oppression, and the threat of terror.
Fear is a product of a fallen nature. That's where it comes from. But, "God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7). This new life we have in Christ frees us from the bondage of fear. But to be truly free from all of its lingering effects we have to become established in righteousness. We have to know who we are in Christ and what he did to provide for us our freedom. When this truth becomes settled in our hearts then a new courage will take over that will empower us to overcome any fear of the unknown.
Of all people Paul knew this best. In some of the most trying circumstances he boldly declared, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). How could Paul be so assertive? Because he knew he was not alone. To the Church at Philippi, he writes: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).
There is a courage that comes from knowing who you are in Him. That's why John could say boldly: "Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Amidst all the forces of hate, deception, and fear that opposed him, he knew he stood head and shoulder above them all! If you are facing the threat of fear or even worried about changes coming into your life just remember there is a courage that you have within you that is part of your new nature in Christ. Change does not have to threaten your peace any longer. You can rise up and declare: "Fear is defeated. I am a new creature. Christ made me righteous. No weapon formed against me can prosper, and I can face whatever may come because I have the courage and confidence of knowing the Greater One lives in me!"
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