I FEAR GOD!

God tells us how to overcome any fear or anxiety produced in the world.

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be in dread, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,” (1 Peter 3:14–15 NASB).

When someone does us harm it is a well-documented Christian principle that we are not to retaliate back. We also are instructed to not live in fear…except the fear of God.

This idea is also found in Isaiah 8 where the king of Israel feared the Assyrian king. He formed alliances to get rid of this threat. The prophet Isaiah comes along and gives an alternative.

“It is the Lord of armies whom you are to regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

Then He will become a sanctuary;

But to both houses of Israel, He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,

And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem,” (Isaiah 8:13–14 NASB).

He says to fix your mind upon the Lord. Fear God and not the enemy.

The world is frightening for us. Alarm bells sound all around us. In America, the average person worries over losing their money, job, friends, reputation, or life. We are paralyzed by loss.

But Christians, we are called to be different. The fear of God means that He alone is worthy to fear since He supplies all worldly things.

Your reputation only truly means something at the final judgment. Health or physical death means little with the eternal view of heaven in front of us. Fear should cause us to fix our minds upon the God of the Bible and His promises.