A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR
- Key Verse
"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?" (Psalm 27:1)
READ THE PASSAGE
Central Truth
If we surrender our whole heart and mind to God then we have nothing to fear and no one to be afraid of. How amazing is that?!
Reflections
Have you ever stopped to think about all of the things we fear or are afraid of?We're afraid we'll lose our job. We're afraid we'll flunk a test even though we studied really hard. We're afraid we will be diagnosed with a terminal disease. Sometimes this is referred to as being anxious or worrying, but deep down inside, it's fear.
We get so wrapped up in the things of THIS world that we forget that our God lived here on earth, experienced everything that we experience and more, then died on the cross, was buried, and rose again.
There is no superhero in the world today (real or imagined) that even comes close to the powers that our God has at His disposal. And the really neat part is that God loves us so much that He wants us to live a life without fear. Jeremiah 29:11 says "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to PROSPER YOU and NOT TO HARM YOU, plans to give you HOPE and A FUTURE.'" What an amazing promise from God.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26) Jesus Himself said these words, and we ARE more valuable to God than the birds. So why do we struggle to apply this to our lives and our own fears? We have the option to live our lives as royalty (a child of the King) or as a commoner. Who would turn down the opportunity to live as royalty? We do it every day because we just cannot grasp who we are in Christ.
"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14, NKJV)
Waiting is always the hard part, but if we sincerely ask God to teach us how to wait and give us courage, then through this He will strengthen our hearts.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you want to live a life without fear? What would that look like? Is the Lord your light and your salvation or just the one you call on when you're in trouble?2. Make a list of the things that you are afraid of. Will you give this list of fears to God knowing that He wants to be the stronghold of your life?
3. When you are afraid, who do you turn to for reassurance? Your friends? Your family? Your God?
4. What does it mean to wait on the Lord? What does it mean to be of good courage? How do you develop those habits in your own life? Do you truly believe that God will strengthen your heart?
Comments
The views expressed under “Comments” are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Hill Country Bible Church NW.
Chip Smith
February 8, 2010 06:03 AM
Good Monday morning to you, Melanie. Being in the presence of the Almighty is the antidote for fear. David said in verse four that the thing he sought most was to be in God's presence all the days of his life. If we don't earnestly cultivate an awareness of God through daily prayer, meditation in his word, and worshipping His majesty, when times of trouble come, we chance reacting in fear. I love verse eight, "My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me,' and my heart responds, 'LORD, I am coming.'" NLT To be in His presence, hearing the LORD speak to my heart, and having my heart respond to Him is what separates being a Christian from just being religious. It is why I cling to Him in times of trouble. "You ask me why I know He lives, He lives within my heart!" What a great way to start a Monday. Thank you, Melanie.
David Skeen
February 8, 2010 08:09 AM
Most of us are more concerned with visible adversities (or adversaries) than we are with the unseen God. The orientation of David's life was toward God, his Stronghold. Thanks for the devotional.
February 8, 2010 01:12 PM
I did what you suggested Melanie, and made a list of what I was afraid of. Loss of health, loss of family. Debts and finances. Can God help with them? Well, maybe he won't be sending me a check or a clean bill of health, but he is there for the Courage and Grace I'll need for dealing with these. Your Psalm selection was beautiful, thank you for post and your fellowship.
Kathy Foxworth
February 8, 2010 03:29 PM
Having lived with panic attacks most my life, I can sure relate to fear. I've also had debilitating pain for 11 years so I can relate to WAITING. But I do know this. Jesus is there with me even when I forget He is and I praise Him for that. Always reminding me He loves me and will never leave me, no matter how flawed I am. Thank you for reminding me to cast my cares on Him.
Cathy Laws
February 9, 2010 08:11 AM
I worry about everything, so this Psalm and your meditation really speak to my heart. It reminds me how I should cast all my cares on him and trust him with all those details and anxieties in my life. I especially like verses 4 and 5 about dwelling in God's house all the days of my life, to behold His beauty and meditate in His temple, keeping me safe in His house, whether a beautiful tabernacle or a simple tent, while also lifting me high on a rock for all to see how He cares for me. Thanks for reminding me to trust and rely on the Lord's strength rather than my own.
Benton Higgins
February 9, 2010 10:02 PM
Indeed. I am far from a perfect employee. However, my Father owns the company!