Whom Shall I Fear?

Fear is something we people have all experienced in one way or another during our stay here on planet earth.

We don't have to be taught by parents or teachers how to be afraid.  We have all been afraid of something.

It may be that we are afraid of being alone.  We may be afraid of thunderstorms.  We may fear that someone might hurt us. 

There are certainly many things we could be afraid of in our world today.

The fear that the economy continue to go down hill can weigh on our minds.  There is the fear of terrorism that can keep us up at night.

It is so easy to fall into fear.

There are many times in my life, even as a Christian, that I have been afraid.

Fear can be an overwhelming emotion.  We may feel like there is no where to turn or to go to escape our fears.

There may be times in our lives when we will be tempted to be afraid.  We may feel like there is a dark cloud hanging over our heads.

We may feel all alone.  Just us and our fear.

Some of our fears may stem from our imaginations at times.

I know my fears are amplified by my imagination because I have a really good imagination. 

I have had times when I have been so afraid that my imagination started in with those pesky "what if" questions.

Have you ever done that?

You have become so afraid that you start asking yourself, what if I fail at life?, what if I never find a wife?, what if I am alone forever?, or what if I go crazy?

This what fear can do to us if we allow it to control us. 

Did you notice the focus on those "what if" questions I mentioned a few moments ago?

The focus was on ones self.

Fear can push us inwards so that our focus is on ourselves and our problems.

When we focus on our problems, God seems to be small to us, even though He is not.

When we focus on our God then our problems and fears shrink.

We need to refocus how we think.  This may take time in some cases.  This may be a moment by moment leaning on the Lord each step of the way type of journey.

Psalm 27 says,

"The Lord is my light and my salvation-
whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life-
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,

when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

One thing I ask of the Lord,
this is what I seek;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.

For in the day of trouble
He will keep me safe in His dwelling;

He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies that surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of You, "Seek His face!"
Your face, Lord, I will seek.

Do not hide Your face from me,
do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.

Teach me Your way, O Lord;
lead me in the straight path
because of my oppressors.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

I am still confident of this;
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

When fear tries to steal our hope and joy we must turn our focus back to the Lord.

The Lord is our hope.  We can run to Him for safety.

The Lord Jesus promises us that He will never leave us and never forsake.

We can trust Him with our fears and those things that concern us.

When fear tries to control our live we must stop and make a decision.   We must chose whether to focus on our fear or to cling to the Lord our God.

We must fill our minds and heart with the truth of His Word.

The Lord is our Rock.

He is a present help in our time of fear and need.

We can trust Him to see us through our moments of fear and troubles.

Are you focused on your fears or are you focused on the Lord Jesus Christ?

Lord,
We thank You for always being there for us during those fearful moments of life.
Thank You for being our hope when situations may seem hopeless.
We praise You O Lord, our Rock.
You are our firm foundation.
Draw us near to You, Lord.
In Jesus name,
Amen