You Should Be Afraid
Devotional Reading: And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV
Fear affects us all, the enemy uses feelings of fear as his most potent means of persuasion to get you to stop, avoid or run. The devil wants fear to be so real to you that the mere existence of a challenge does not just warn of potential danger but also promises the certainty of it.
This is what God’s people experienced just before they entered the Promised Land. For forty days, twelve men scouted the land to see what was ahead. While their report confirmed that there was much to look forward to, it also revealed a reality that sent the people into panic: There were giants in the land. Upon hearing this news, imaginations of worst-case scenarios consumed the people until the entire nation was sent into a panic from fear of certain defeat (see Numbers 13:32).
Were there really giants living in the land? Absolutely. Were the giants physically stronger than the people of Israel? Without a doubt. If those were the only two realities by which they were to base their outcome, then they might be wise to be afraid. But there was a greater reality to consider. It was God’s presence. This is what Joshua and Caleb reminded Israel of, and it snapped them out of the spell of their feelings: “Don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only hopeless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them” (Numbers 14:9, NLT).
Throughout the Bible, remembering God’s presence is always His solution to fear. God’s presence is a reality far more real than what eyes see or ears hear; it is a factor in every situation that changes everything. In fact, the certainty of God’s presence is the reason you are still here.
Every time the whisper, “You should be afraid” pushes itself into your mind with all its imaginations and speculations, push it out with the truth that God is with you and He will never leave you. This means that you never have to fight a battle on your own. Whatever obstacle you face does not only face you, but it faces God. And that is a losing battle for the obstacle, not you.
Prayer and Confession
I declare, fear has no place in me. I am assured of God’s presence continually and I leave in the confidence of this truth. Amen!
Further Reading: Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 43:1-4
Reading The Prophets: Hosea 1-5
