Once we receive Jesus as our Savior and are at rest in His presence, a healthy fear of Him gives us the power to live a fearless life. When Hannah was still living at home in Oklahoma, she had a dog — a shih tzu named Mozart — and he was small and pretty timid around other animals. If he crossed paths with a big dog and was on the ground, he would cower and go the other way. However, if one of her parents picked him up and held him, he would suddenly gain courage and bark loudly and ferociously at the same dog. Though this seems like a silly example, I hope it serves as a simple illustration of a profound spiritual point. While we are certainly more complex than little Mozart, the truth is that the Lord keeps us safe in His strong arms and will never let us go. Because He is awesome and mighty, we can embrace each day with the knowledge that He holds us fast, and live in the assurance that nothing can snatch us from His Hand. No matter how dark the shadows or how loud the voices of our opposition, His presence gives us the security we need to push through and do the next right thing. We can be fearless in our faith and confident in our convictions because we trust in the One whose arms never grow weak. Regardless of how near our enemies come, He will hold us close to His heart until the day we enter His presence and inherit eternal safety. 

My friend, you can embrace bold faith and live fearlessly in the strong arms of your Savior! In a time like the present, He has called you to be a beacon of light and hope in a dim and clouded world. Though the road to righteousness can be hard to find when culture is in confusion, the Holy Spirit has the power to illuminate divine truth so you can reflect His priorities wherever you go. And because He holds you fast, you can keep forging ahead and sharing His Gospel, both in word and in action, even when it’s unpopular. No matter how much resistance you encounter or how much the devil tries to discourage you, you can anchor your heart in His strength, rest in His arms, and allow your soul to become a source of hope and healing to others.