Do Not Fear or Dread-from November 2019 newsletter

As I was praying this morning, I was thanking the Lord for His blessings to us.  Some of the things I was mindful of was His grace, mercy, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, health, provision, protection, forgiveness and deliverance, a sound mind, family, love, abilities and anointing.  There is a much longer list but as I rehearsed these in my mind I was filled with gratitude that we have such a loving and wonderful God.

There are many that I know that are not even aware of everything that God has provided for His children.  In one of my studies this past week, I found myself in Isaiah and I would like to share with you some of what the Lord revealed to me as I read.

Isaiah 8:12 (NASB)

12 “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,

And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

The background of this verse is that the people were in fear of what was happening to their nation.  Other nations were deciding to come against them and attack them.  It would be like all the Middle Eastern nations attacking the United States from one direction and the Latin American nations attacking us from another.  Or, a past situation was our armies being attacked from the west by Japan and fighting Germany from the east.

Nations were conspiring to attack and destroy Israel and Isaiah was telling the people not to fear nor be in dread of the enemy.  Instead, they were to trust in the Lord.

Isaiah 8:13-14 (NASB) 13 “It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary;

In the time we are living in here in the United States, there are many opportunities to fear and dread what is going on around us.  We are inundated with horrible news every day with reports of terrorism, recession, civil unrest, school and workplace shootings, etc.  Some people are close to panic because of what is happening in our country.  We don’t have to wait until another nation attacks us-we are attacking ourselves.

Regardless of where the danger lies, we are not to be fearful but instead to put our trust in the Lord.  Isaiah 8:14 tells us that He shall become a sanctuary.  The sanctuary was where the Lord dwelt in the Old Testament.  Somewhere it tells us that there is joy in the presence of the Lord.  We also know that there were treasures stored in the tabernacle (sanctuary).  The Lord is our strong tower.  The priests inquired of the Lord as they served in the sanctuary.  As the armies of the Lord followed the ark of the Lord (His presence), they were victorious in battle.

We are told in the New Testament we have not been given a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.  In another place we are told that the mind that is stayed upon the Lord is at perfect peace.  We have been reminded by our pastors that fear and faith cannot abide together.  

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

All of us are tempted from time to time to give in to fear, anxiety, a bad report.  These temptations are from the enemy and we are not to succumb to his schemes.

2 Corinthians 2:11 (NASB) 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Ephesians 6:11 (NASB)

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Fear paralyzes man.  Faith energizes man.  Part of the armor of God is the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  The flaming arrows of Satan are the lies and deceptions that he sends our way to cause us to fear.  Without having the Word of God planted deep in our souls, we are not aware of what weapons we have at our disposal.

During the time I was dealing with the results of a stroke, the Lord instructed me to use the Words of God to fight the physical attack I was experiencing and I still use this strategy and weapon today.  When what I was calling “brain fog” which was a type of confusion, would attack me, I would quote verses-out loud- concerning healing:

*by his stripes I am healed

*he sent his word and healed them and delivered them from all their destructions

*no weapon formed against you shall prosper

*I am the God that health thee

*no disease shall come nigh thy dwelling

* in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not     one of them.

*He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

A couple of reasons I quote these promises out loud was 1) Satan needed to know that I know these promises and stand on them, and 2) I need to hear them in my ear because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

So, in conclusion, yes, we are tempted to fear and be in dread but God is to be our fear and dread and He will be our sanctuary.  I will close with this passage from the Old Testament:

Isaiah 43:1-3 (NASB) 

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

3 “For I am the Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior