Fear Not

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 In the story of the Good Samaritan, there is a fourth and final reason why the priest and Levite failed to help the man who was left to die on the Jericho road: They were afraid! In this situation, it makes sense that they would be scared. The sight of a man dying on the road is frightening. Frightening is the fact that he’s dying because he has been beaten up and robbed. What are those robbers now doing? That would be the next logical question. Does anyone know if they are still around? Let’s leave right now!   We see fear as a sign that something can potentially ruin your life. The feeling

“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” – Acts 18:9 Fear Not! Do Not Be Afraid! These commonly used Biblical commands always precede God doing something really great in a person’s life. For instance, every time an angel appears to one of the Lord’s chosen, whether Mary before becoming pregnant with Jesus or the Apostle Paul before surviving a shipwreck, He tells that person to not be afraid. The presence of an angelic being alone, full of power and celestial glory, would be enough to make anyone tremble in fear, at least in the moment; but after the call of God is given, there is an even greater opportunity for worry and anxiety to set in.   The world is full of obstacles and there are more opportunities for angst and fear than ever before. When