Genesis 28:15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Jeremiah 1:19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”
1 Kings 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,
John 10:28-29 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Psalms 121:5-8 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
There is much happening in our lives, neighborhoods, schools, work place, states, country, and the world that can and at times does give us reason to fear what is happening. I think this is natural. The nature of man, without God in their life, ought to be fearful and afraid. Lying, fighting, partial truths, global warming, natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, wildfires), sickness, cancer, law suits, pornography, godlessness, financial troubles, jobs, hacking, stealing, death, divorce, bias news, child abuse, wife abuse, foster care, pride, greed, sex trafficking, pedofiles, murder, shootings, etc… are all things that can and do happen frequently. Who in their right mind would not have fear knocking at their minds door?
Fear is a natural response to a belief concerning something dangerous or unwelcome may happen.
Are any of these greater than God? Can any of them thwart God’s plan’s and purposes? Can any of them take God by surprise? NO!!! they are not and can not. God is sovereign and King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God above all things. He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. He knows all, sees all, above all, and in control of all the things that have potential to bring fear into our lives.
He promises to be with us, help us, uphold us,, keep us, never leave us, shelter us, encourage us, go before us, and deliver us. He has given many examples of these through scripture; creation, flood, ark, Red Sea, manna, fiery furnace, lion’s mouth, serpent’s, blind, deaf, dead, chains, walls, rivers, mountains, and many more. What do we have to fear?
Fear of the unknown has a way of robbing us joy. It takes live from our soul. It confuses our heart and mind.
As much as we want to think that we are strong and fear will not have a place in our heart and mind, it seems to find a place when we least expect it. This is when faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God must engage. It is natural to have sudden fear but, once recognized, it needs to be put into it proper place – subjected to faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God. Recognizing it for what it is “natural fear” and laying it at God’s feet, and trusting in His ever present power, might, strength, and love is where we see fear defeated and God glorified.
The one example I always look at is when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would not bow to the great idol even with threat of being cast into fire. They said they would not bow and that their God was able to keep them from harm and even if He didn’t they would not bow.
God’s will, God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s timing, God’s protection, God’s love are never wrong.
Rely on, cling to, and trust in Him whatever may come your way.