Fearlessness Among a Feared God

Fearlessness Among a Feared God
Joshua 1.5,9
5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 9.10
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

We live in a world where we could be afraid of a great many things. War, nuclear weapons, pandemics, economic collapse, poverty, droughts and famine, the loss of a loved one, our own health issues, the loss of a job. This is, of course, nothing new, but the reality of fear is quite real in the hearts and minds of all people on Earth. This is not Biblical, however. Fear of anything apart from God is ungodly because it demonstrates two things: we are in direct violation of God's commandment to not fear, and that we are demonstrating a lack of trust for God's provisions for our lives. These two things will chip away at our spiritual fortress until fear throws open the city gates and sacks our hearts.

God's Word is very clear, however, that we should not be afraid. Towards the end of the book of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the book of Joshua, God becomes especially personal to Moses and Joshua. In this I mean that we see Him speaking a great deal of comfort to them. Why? Moses was faced with impending death, and any great leader will naturally fear for the safety and guidance of his people. Joshua, on the other hand, could have feared crossing the Jordan, soon overtaking the city of Jericho, and establishing an empire built by the very hand of God. But God is direct and transparent. He tells Joshua that "As [He] was with Moses, so [He would] be with [Joshua]." He assures Joshua that He will "never leave [him] or forsake [him]." All God commands Joshua to do is to "be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD [His] God [would] be with [Joshua] wherever [he went]." What comfort!

There is a lesson to be learned in God's message to Joshua--we must not fear the things of this world. Whether it be armies, crossing the river into an unknown land, or simply getting through the various trials of our day, we are commanded by God to not be afraid. The popular science-fiction novel Dune says "Fear is the mind-killer." That is true. Fear can turn our lives into a nervous wreck. It will cause us to lose trust in God and others. It will disturb our spirits, our minds, and our bodies. As Christians, we need to recognize that every event in life is guided by the hand of God. Yes, even the moments of great sorrow and suffering are known by God. He has all the answers to help us work through them. Notice I said work through them, not get out of them. Often, God does not remove the situations that cause us fear, but He changes our mindset so that we no longer fear them.

What, then, should we fear? Beloved, the only thing we should fear is God. Proverbs 9.10 says that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." When we learn to fear God, we begin to live lives focused on Him. We obtain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding needed to live lives fully dedicated to Jesus. By fear I do not mean fear that God will strike us down with bolts of lightning. I mean fear that we will, as Pastor David Platt once put it, let God down like a grown son fears letting his father down. Fear here really means deep admiration and respect for the sovereignty of God. We should desire to make sure everything we do is holy and pleasing to God. That means we desire to live lives of holiness and love--lives to which Christ has commanded us. When we do so, we will be pleasing the Father.

Are you afraid today? What struggles are there in your life that are causing you needless fear? God says not to be afraid. We must "be strong and courageous," not fearing anything Satan throws at us in this world. Our God is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving. He will protect us in the midst of our many struggles through life. What is it you need to turn over to Him today? If fear is controlling your life, turn it over to God. Ask Him, "Lord, I don't want to be afraid anymore. Grant me your heavenly strength to endure this day and this life without fear. Let me only trust in You, and your provisions for my life." Allow God to remove the fears in your life today, and he will replace that fear with comfort and strength in Him. Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich