THE MEDICINE FOR FEAR

WHAT IS FEAR?

Fear is a painful emotion or passion exited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. The force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror or fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us. Fear can also be defined as the passion of our nature which excites us to provide for our security, on the approach of evil.  In good men , the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and His laws , which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience called the filial fear. The definition of fear can go on and on as fear has got a wider meaning and definition all together.  But today I will be covering the fear that makes one feel a painful apprehension of some impending evil; be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotions of alarm or solicitude. The fear of the approach of an enemy or of a storm.

HEZEKIAH’S PLEA FOR HELP AGAINST THE ASSYRIAN MENANCE

King Hezekiah was terrified and afraid of the reproach that Sennacherib the king of Assyria and his commander the Rabshakeh had threatened him and the children of Judah. Truly the king of Assyria had laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands- woods and stones. Therefore they indeed destroyed these kings and their kingdoms. “Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hands, that all the kingdom of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.”  (Isa. 37). Hezekiah’s plea for help against the Assyrian menace brought a word from the Lord. The message of terror from the Assyrian general motivated message of faith to God in prayer which, in turn, brought a message of comfort and hope to Hezekiah.  King Hezekiah was assured that the Lord was in absolute charge, even to the extent that the Assyrian king’s activities were brought about  through God’s own plan (Isa. 37:26) “Did you not hear long ago how I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass that you should be for crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins.”  Sennacherb’s forces fell before the mighty power of the angel of the Lord” (Isa. 37:36),” The angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and  eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpse – all dead.”  This takes me to the psalmist epistle which says,” Touch not My Anointed and do My prophets no harm” (Ps. 105:15). As a witness to the truth of the Word of God that all the King’s heart  is turned by the hand of the Lord wherever He wishes, like channels of water(Pro. 21:1). The Word of God is relevant to world history as well as to our own personal histories. Isaiah later reminds us that the nations are “as a drop of water in a bucket…. As the small dust on the scales” (Isa. 40:15).

FEAR AS BEING AFRAID

WHY DID PEOPLE EXPERIENCE FEAR?

1. In the ancient times, people fear to see God thinking that the consequence of seeing God was death. I will begin with Moses hiding his face for he was afraid to look upon God (Exod.3:6). This was a time when God first appeared to Moses at Mount Horeb in the burning bush, to go deliver the children of Israel from the oppression of the Egyptians.

2. Men were greatly afraid both at the birth of Jesus and His resurrection, because of the glory that shown around them (Luke 2:8-9; Matt. 28:4) respectively.  They were dreadfully afraid at the vision of the angels.

3. The disciples of Jesus; John, Peter and James were terrified when the cloud overshadowed them, and they were fearful as they entered the cloud when Jesus was transfigured before them.  And when He told them He was about to be betrayed into the hands of men, they did not understand Him, because it was unknown to them and they did not perceive it but were afraid to ask Him about the saying (Luke 9:34-45).

4. There is fear of punishment for sin; when Adam and Eve heard the sound of God walking in the garden, in the cool of the day, they hid themselves from the presence of God among the trees of the garden, why? Because they perceived that they had sin and were afraid of their God because they were naked. (Gen 3:8-10) Sarah was also afraid and denied that she did not laugh when asked by the angels; because she thought, she had passed the age of childbearing and Abraham and she were old to have pleasure again (Gen. 18:15).

5. Isaac was afraid of being killed because of the beauty of his wife Rebekah, therefore he lied and said; she is my sister (Gen. 26:7). Elijah the Tishbite after killing four hundred and fifty prophets of ball, and threatened by Jezebel to be seized  as well, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left his servant there( 1 Kgs 19:3). I used to ask myself why Elijah fled for his life at the threat of only one woman, after slaughtering four hundred and fifty false prophets and my answer is; Jezebel was a dreaded wicked woman with much power and authority which was able to do all that pleases her! (When Naboth the prophet of God refused to give his husband king Ahab the vineyard for an exchange of another or for money, what did she do? She made plots against him, which made him lose his life and presented the vineyard to her husband free of charge (1Kgs 21).

6.  Paul and his companions were afraid of the dangers that befell them and all hope that they would be saved was finally given up, but God sent His angel and saved them (Acts27: 17-29).

7. There is also fear of losing one’s life; when Peter saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out saying, “Lord save me!”(Matt. 14:30).

8. Jacob flee and stole away from his master, uncle and father-in-law without telling him, because he was afraid, perhaps he would take his daughters from him by force (Gen. 31:31) and in (Gen. 42:4) Jacob would not send Benjamin with the rest of his sons to Egypt because he was afraid to lose him as he had thought, he had lost Joseph.

9. Fear of bringing unpleasant news; Samuel was afraid to tell the vision which he had seen at night to Eli the priest because it was a disaster that will befall Eli’s house (1 Sam. 3:15). The servants of King David were afraid to tell him about the death of his child for they say” Indeed while the child was alive, we spoke to him but he would not heed to their voices. How can we tell him now that the child is dead?  They thought of him doing some harm to himself.” (2 Sam 12:18).

10. Fear of an enemy; When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly (1 Sam. 28:5), And when the disciples of Jesus shut the door where they were assembled for fear of the Jews the time Jesus arose from the dead (John 20:19).

HOW TO CONQUER FEAR

In the Book of (2 Tim. 1:7), Pau tells us that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” With this in mind brethren let us state some points on how to conquer fear.  Fear is demonic spirit that hinders God’s people to achieve what God has for us in store;

1.       For us to conquer fear, we must put our trust in God, (Ps. 56:4, 11),”In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me.?

2.       By believing in Jesus; “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36). 

3.       By believing in the Lord; “Then Samuel said to the people,” Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing” (1 Sam. 12:20-21).

4.       By knowing God will fight for us: “You must not fear them, for the Lord Your God Himself fights for you” (Deut. 3:22), and he shall say to them, “Hear O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to  fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deut. 20:3-4)see also (2 Chr. 20: 15-17)

5.       By knowing God is our refuge (Ps. 27:1-3), “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumble and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.”

 

“Grace to you and Favor from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen, and Amen, and Amen. “