Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Being Afraid

I do not think we fully comprehend the power that God has granted to His creations. Job 3:25 says: "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." The literal Hebrew is: "I feared a fear and it came upon me." The events of Job's life had a start in his fears. We must guard ourselves from fear because what we fear will manifest in our lives. Sometimes, we have greater faith in our fears than we do in God's Word. The word "feared" is the Hebrew word pahad and it means to dread, to be in dread, or to be in awe. The word "afraid" is the Hebrew word yagor and it means to fear a specific occurrence such as catching a disease; being reproached or scorned; or being delivered into the power of specific people. While the first word speaks to a general sense of fear, the second word involves a specific thing being feared. Fear will attract the object of fear.

How do we stop fear? We stop fear with faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The more Word you have in you, the less fear you will have. We need to be people of "The Book." God's Word on a subject should settle the issue. How can you fear sickness and disease when the Isaiah says, "By His stripes you have been healed." How can you fear financial lack when the Word says, "My God shall supply all your needs." How can you fear when people come against you when the Word says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." How can you fear the economic recession when Jeremiah says, "You shall be like trees planted by the river and you will not wither."

The choice is between faith and fear. If you concentrate on fear, like Job it will come upon you. If you have faith in the Word of God, His promises will become true in your life. Again, it comes down to choices. You can have either faith or fear. Which do you have?

No comments: