Enough “Fear Nots”

We have spent a month looking at God’s many assurances to “Fear not”.  The actual phrases “not be afraid”, “not afraid”, “not fear” and “fear not” appear over 120 times in the Bible. There are auxiliary phrases that have a similar meaning that also appear frequently. They are handed out liberally to God’s saints in both the Old and New Testaments.  It is the message of God to His people so often repeated that God must really wants us to get the idea firmly fixed in our minds.  It is repeated so often because God knows how often we need to hear it. 

There is another phrase that is often repeated in various forms, “I am with you”.  Jesus used a form of this phrase in John 14.  “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions.  I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”  In this passage we have the assurance, “not be troubled” and the promise of His presence, “come again”, “receive you unto Myself” and “where I am there you will be also”.  In His absence from them physically He then went on to declare that He would not leave them alone but send them another Comforter. 

God accompanies His assurance to “Fear not” with the guarantee of His presence with us so that we need not fear.  His presence with us comes in four powerful fashions, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and angels to minister to His saints.  With His assurances to “Fear not” and the promises of His presence there are enough total promises to fill one each day of the year with leftovers for special need days. 

How is it that we can keep our minds so secure in His promises?  We can delight in His law.  The psalmist said, “Great peace have they which love Thy Law, and nothing shall offend them.”  The saints of God need to be people of the Book.  Therein we find every promise for every need at every time of every day.  We need to delight in His word and then rest on His promises. 

Lena Sandell wrote the beautiful hymn, “More Secure is No One Ever”. Cherish these promises.  “More secure is no one ever than the loved ones of the Savior, not yon star on high abiding nor the bird in home nest hiding. God His own doth tend and nourish; in His holy courts they flourish. From all evil things He spares them; In His loving arms He bears them.”

 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

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You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/