Don't Let Fear Rule!

             One of the most oft-quoted phrases found in Scripture is Joshua 1: 6, “Be strong and courageous…”  In verse 7, the writer adds emphasis, “Be strong and very courageous…”  Then, to make sure he gets his point across, in verse 9, he says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

            “Be strong and courageous” appears approximately 11 times in Scripture, and the term “fear not” appears over 70 times.  Why, then, does fear seem to be one of the primary concerns of our lives?  The word “afraid” or some form of it appears over 200 times in Scripture.  No matter how many times God tells us not to fear, we can’t seem to overcome that natural tendency to fear.

            Since fear in one form or another seems to be with us regardless of how hard we try to “be strong and courageous,” I guess the question becomes, how will we deal with that fear?  In the Gospel of John, there are three examples of people being afraid, and unfortunately, none of them handled it very well.

            In John 9, Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. When the Jewish leaders confronted his parents about how he had been healed, they refused to answer, “because they were afraid of the Jews…” (John 9: 22a, NIV84).  They knew that anyone who recognized Christ as the Messiah would be ostracized, so they chose to remain silent.  Their fear paralyzed them!

            Similarly, in John 19, as the Jewish leaders pressed for Jesus’ crucifixion, they told Pilate that Jesus had to die because He had identified Himself as the Son of God.  “When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid…” (John 19: 8a NIV84). Pilate knew enough of the Jewish religion to have some fear of their God, but he was more afraid of the Jewish leaders and what the Romans might do if a riot erupted.  Even though he knew Jesus was innocent, he chose to let his fear override good judgment. His fear determined his actions!

            Finally, also in John 19, we encounter Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Both men were disciples of Jesus and members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court that had tried and condemned Jesus.  However, their allegiance to Jesus was kept secret, “because [they] feared the Jews” (John 19: 38b, NIV84).  After His death, they chose to bury Him, but while He was alive, they had allowed fear to keep them from openly following Him and speaking on His behalf.  They surrendered to their fear!

            We all deal with fear at one time or another, and it is easy for fear to control us if we let it.  However, as Christians, we have the power that raised Christ from the dead living within us.  The Holy Spirit is ready, willing, and able to remind us that God is with us wherever we go.  There is nothing in this life that can defeat us if we hold fast to Christ.  “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1: 9 NIV84).

            Joshua 1: 6 – 9             John 9: 18 – 23                   John 19: 7 – 11 & 38 - 42

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