DO NOT BE AFRAID

Fear not but be strong- Rev.Ekine

Josh.1:5-9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

In this passage, Joshua was about to step into the shoes of Moses, he was faced with what seemed to be an uphill task of possessing the land for God’s people, but God comes and tells him as he faced the high walls of Jericho“…do not be afraid.” In the same way God is telling us not to be afraid, because He is with us.

Isa.8:11”Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid”. 

We shouldn’t allow the things we hear to frighten or dismay us because we have His word; this is the only thing that takes away fear. Then He says “…be strong,” once we are afraid we’ll not be strong.  What strengthens us is the same thing that will deal with the fear. We are not to be strong in ourselves but in God, because the strength of man will fail.

I Sam. 30 “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”  

There was a casting down experience in the camp of David, but David began to encourage himself, it was a time to be strong and not be discouraged. Whatever we see around us; be it adversity or casting down, it shall not touch us, but this depends on what we say when it happens around us, because “when men are casted down, thou shall say there is a lifting up”

2 Chr.20:2 “Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.  And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

Even though Jehoshaphat feared, he did not allow the fear to take a hold on him; instead he set himself to seek God. David also encouraged himself in God and enquired from the Lord.

Most likely, the first thing that we will feel when we see all these things happening around us is fear, but we should not dwell on it, but stay on what we know and be strengthened in God, as in Him alone can we find strength and this comes from His word.