Faith Or Fear?

Jesus mentions fear many times in the New Testament. Fear is defined as this: to fear, revere, be afraid. We are told many times throughout the word of God to f ear not. All are told to not fear what can destroy the body, but fear only that which can destroy both body and soul in hell. When we receive Jesus Christ as ou r Saviour by our faith, and in baptism through his name; fear will leave us and his peace will settle into our hearts. One time while Jesus was in a boat with h is disciples, a storm arose suddenly. They who had God enfleshed there with them , became afraid. Mark 4:35-41: And the same day, when the even was come, he sait h unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away t he multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves be at into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest t hou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the se a, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they fea red exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Why where these men who witnessed Jesus casting o ut demons, healing all manner of sickness, and performing all types of miracles, afraid? The answer is in Matthew 14:22-33. And straightway Jesus constrained h is disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there al one. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wi nd was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walk ing on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were tro ubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesu s spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter a nswered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. A nd he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretc hed forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, w herefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind cease d. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth t hou art the Son of God. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and then began to sink. He look at the waters or problems, situations in life, instead of Jesus. His focus needed to be on Jesus Christ. James 4:8: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nig h to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] dou ble minded. God inhabits our praises of him. Psalm 22:3: But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. When the army of King Jehosaphat, who served God though he failed at t imes like most of us, began to sing praises to God they became victorious in bat tle. His army was vastly out numbered by his foes. Yet God promised him delivera nce without having to fight. As the battle was the Lord's, and not his. Just lik e today. We cannot gain victory over Satan by our means. From Job 38:1-12: Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lett est down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a t horn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto t hee? Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for eve r? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens ? Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merc hants? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed iron? or his head with fish spears? Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of hi m is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fi erce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? Who hath preven ted me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. Satan is seen as leviathan here also in Isaiah 27:1 In that day the Lord with his sore an d great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even levia

than that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that [is] in the sea. Sa tan is as a roaring lion who seeks to devour whom he may, 1 Peter 5:8. We must p ut on the whole armor of God to withstand his attacks, Ephesians 6:11-18. Verse 16 states a important fact. Let's read it. Above all, taking the shield of faith , wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. We mus t lift up the standard (Jesus Christ) against the enemy who comes in like a floo d says Isaiah 59:19-21. It is because we have already have a covenant with Jesus Christ by our obedience to the gospel truth. Romans 1:5-6: By whom we have rece ived grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for hi s name: Among whom are ye also the called Jesus Christ. After our baptism in Jes us name we can also cast out demons in Jesus name. You can read the whole story of Jehosaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:6-29. James 1:5-7 Tells us to ask God in faith and not doubting, and we shall receive an answer f rom him. But if we waver we become like the waters of the sea, driven and tossed about. That person shall not receive anything from the Lord Jesus. A double min ded man [is] unstable in all his ways, James 1:8. Now faith comes by hearing the word of God, says Romans 10:17. There are some who believe to a point. A good e xample of this is in Mark 9:17-22. A man son was afflicted by demons and he brou ght him to the disciples to cast them out. Yet they could not. These were the ty pe that came out only by prayer and fasting. He then came to Jesus. Mark 23 thro ugh 27 of the same chapter. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all thin gs are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child c ried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Je sus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, sayin g unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. Yet he had a certain amount of faith. Peter simply looked at water (world) inst ead of Jesus here. There are times that spirit of fear will try to influence us and try to abide in us. 1 John 5:7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his S on cleanseth us from all sin. Jesus was tested and gained the victory over Satan by rightly dividing the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15) after his baptism. The sto ry is in Matthew 4:1-11. Fear can save us from pain and warn us of danger. The f ear of God is commanded. Deuteronomy 6:8, Proverbs 8:13, and Proverbs 29:25 amon g many others. In fact we read in Psalms 34:7 that; The angel of the LORD encamp eth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. We are to fear no man y et often the hordes of the wicked surround us. 2 Kings 6:11-23 Tells a story of Elisha the man of God being compassed by the wicked on all sides. God sent his a rmy of angels to protect him and deliver him by blinding the enemy. Jesus Christ is the same always in Hebrews 13:8. He can do all things for us that we could n ot do by our own strength. In these last days fear will affect many people. Luke 21:25-28: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the star s; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the wave s roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those thing s which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And t hen shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your head s; for your redemption draweth nigh. Remember we are set free from bondage of si n and Satan by Christ. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Liberty means freedom from restraint. A man enjoys liberty when no force binds or restr ains his actions. Does that mean I can freely commit sin then with no consequenc es? Romans 6:1-16: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer ther ein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were bap tized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: th at like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even s o we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together i n the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrectio

n: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin mi ght be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead i s freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also l ive with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; deat h hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: bu t in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to b e dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let no t sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts t hereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin : but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have domini on over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Here aga in scriptures tell us all that we need to buried in baptism with Christ Jesus. A lso Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12, and 1 Peter 3:21 among many, state the same thing. Once we do that one must yeild themselves to God. As obeying and having his righteousness be our covering. Why does Satan especially attack Christians? Well, he hates all mankind as we are created in the image of God. But above all men we are hated because we hold the light and spirit of God within us. He attac ks us with the opposite spirit of God's angels. If the demon (At one time was a angel) once held the spirit of faith, then he becomes the spirit of fear. And ye s, Satan attacks saints. First example is Peter. (Satan desired to sift him like wheat or break him apart.) Also Paul. (Satan sent a thorn in the flesh to him a nd God answered after the third time Paul prayed to him about it. Daniel once wa ited twenty one days for an answer from God. It was sent the first day of his re quest but delayed by battle. The reason being is that there is a spiritual warfa re going on constantly between good and evil angels.) 1 John 4:18: There is no f ear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He th at feareth is not made perfect in love. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not wan t. he leads me in paths of righteousness, for his name (Jesus is the name alone that holds: all saving and command power. See Matthew 28:18, Acts 4:12, and Colo ssians 3:17 among others.) sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, (If God be for us, who can be against us. He that created all things neither faints nor becomes weary.) thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. When we are in the presence of almighty God nothing can hurt us unless he allows it to be. Read the book of Job. Satan must first ask permission to afflict the people of God. The coming Anti-Christ and be ast will be allowed to make war and overcome the saints of God. They will seek t o wear out the saints. Like Satan, as a flood will these try to eliminate all op ponents. We are the salt or perserving power of God on the earth. If there were but ten righteous men in Sodom it would not of been destroyed then. Perhaps late r, but not with the righteous in it. And if the truth of Acts 2:38 and Deuterono my 6:4 had been preached until now since the Apostles time by all Christians. Wh at great things would of been revealed by God? Yet like ancient Israel of the Ol d Testament, there was only a handful of true believers. So it is with the churc h age. It will soon close and the harvest of souls is almost completed by the Ge ntiles. The gospel will return to Israel before the end of time. We are made mor e than conquerors through Christ Jesus, and by our active faith in him and his w ord. God bless us all in his power filled name of Jesus.