Whom Shall I Fear?

(published in Cordele Dispatch 1/17/13)

Whom shall I fear?

As a child, it seemed to me that the people mentioned in the Bible were just characters in a book.  I believed that God’s Word was true, but it wasn’t until I grew in maturity and in my faith that these characters really came to life for me. 

We can learn so much today about the world we live in simply by studying the lives of those in the Bible and by referencing its past historical events.  The Bible is full of stories about those who chose to follow Christ, but we also read about the schemes of the wicked and Satan’s attempts to prevent prophecy from being fulfilled. 

In reality, nothing has changed much in today’s world – sometimes I think conditions are worse.  Since Satan and his angels were thrown out of heaven, they have continued to roam the earth, seeking to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).  Just as Satan and his demons tried to prevent Jesus from fulfilling scripture, they are also busy today wreaking havoc in the lives of the just and the unjust.  Satan knows he is running out of time.  To prevent more people from coming to Christ through salvation, he makes it a priority to lay traps and snares for believers.  He knows if we fall for his schemes, we will not have an effective witness for Christ. 

Believed to have been written by Paul, the book of Ephesians offers us encouragement and advice for these troubling times.  Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) warns: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”.   Although we cannot see it with earthly eyes, there is spiritual warfare going on around us all the time. The book of Ephesians gives us the instruction we need to combat the evil we encounter in our daily lives.  We are to put on the “whole armor of God” and draw our strength from Him. 

At times we may feel that we’re fighting a losing fight, but it is then that we need to remember that the battle has already been won.  After dying a cruel death on the cross, Jesus Christ rose on the third day and defeated death.  In that moment, He made a way for you and for me.  Nothing formed against us can stand against His strength.

So if you’re feeling discouraged today in light of some circumstance that is beyond your control, take heart my friends!  With God on our side, who should we fear? 

In the words of Chris Tomlin: “I know Who goes before me, I know Who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side.  The One who reigns forever, He is a Friend of mine, the God of angel armies is always by my side”.