Description

What are you afraid of? Spiders (arachnophobia), snakes (ophidiophobia), heights (acrophobia), crowded places (agoraphobia), germs (mysophobia), death (thanatophobia), or any of a myriad number of cringe-inducing people, animals, or situations? A quick glance at the television news programs can also be a frightening experience as reports detail the latest terror threat, hideous acts of violence, racism, economic downturns, job losses, disease, etc. What are we to do?

Fear can wreak havoc in our lives. It can be the source of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain that shortens lives and robs people of joy. This type of debilitating fear first revealed itself in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve chose to sin and then later tried to hide from God to cover their shame. We have been living with fear (and in fear) ever since.

Fortunately, we have a Savior who is well aware of our propensity to fear, and is the one in whom we can find faith that is greater than our fears. Of the 125 commands of Jesus recorded in the Bible, the topic he most often addressed with imperatives was fear, encouraging his followers to “Fear not,” or to “Take courage.”

It is time for Christ-followers to cast off the shackles of fear, to take hold of their faith, and to confidently step into God’s calling for each part of their lives. Doing so will create kingdom impact and encourage fellow Christians.