Fear Nots That Untie Fear Knots

You are involved in a process. That is a word often associated with athletics, but it deserves to be in the vocabulary of the faith community. It involves a series of well designed activities intended to achieve a well defined goal. What the Lord is doing in your life is trying to lead you in a process resulting in a productive life called “abundant life,” consummating in eternal life. He wants to enable you to achieve all He has created you with the ability to be.

The development of faith is a process. If you don’t go through the process to get it, you don’t have the strength to keep it. Don’t let the past or the future control your present. The present is a process you are going through to get to where God wants you.

Consider the experience of Israel and how His commitment to them relates to us. They had been slaves for 70 years when He shared two “nots” with them that are also applicable to us.

The first not is FEAR NOT. (Isaiah 41:10)

Studies show 90 percent of our fears are without legitimate basis. The devil uses fear to keep us in bondage. Fear not, why not! “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (Titus 1:7)

Therefore, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 56:3)

So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper I will not fear.’” (Hebrews 13:6)

The second not is BE NOT DISMAYED.

The word dismayed means to develop a defeatist attitude, a hopeless outlook, a sour disposition, a joyless spirit. Bottom line: don’t give up. 

This takes courage. Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it is simply a quiet voice that says, “I will try again tomorrow.”

The text presents two “I ams.”

First, “I am with you.” We need to be able to focus on the line from Psalm 23, “Thou art with me….” Ringing in your ear more clearly that the blasphemy of the crowd should be the words of your Beloved: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That is the reason we should not fear.

Second, “I am your God.” The word used in the text for God is “Elah” or “Eloah.” “El” means the strong one. Elah speaks of durability. It carries the idea of faithfulness. He is faithful.

Don’t let success go to your head or failure to your heart. Sometimes you may think you are being rejected by God, when you are simply being redirected by God.With your hand still on the doorknob of the unknown you can enter it with boldness because of the infinite resources of your faithful God.