I Am No Longer Slave To Fear Series

Theme: “I’m no longer a slave to fear…For I am a child of God”

Text: Psalm 34

“I sought the Lord,... he delivered me from all my fears, all my worries, and all my troubles”.

1. PSALM 34:1-7 HE DELIVERED FROM ALL MY FEARS

Illustration: An airplane was going through very rough weather and turbulence. The Airhostess instructed all the passengers to be careful and fasten their seat belts. The turbulence increased, the plane was going up and down people were shouting and crying. A boy was very cool and not worried about the situation. Finally, the plane landed. Many asked that boy why you were not afraid of the situation. He told them “The Pilot of this flight is my DAD”.

Now our Life journey is also with turbulences. Nearly 216 countries and regions have affected by ‘Coronavirus Disease’. So, much a threat to life. The situation demands Social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine. This COVID-19 made everyone untouchable. There is a fear of death and fear of disease. The new quotations of present days are: “Divide we stand, unite we fall”. “Stand lonely to stay healthy”. In this context, the LORD would like to guarantee all of us, that “GOD IS WITH the US”, Jehovah Shammah.

We are more familiar with the word “Phobias”. Fear of anything and everything. Fear is a common emotion in the human body, and it leads to instability, unhappiness, sometimes even death. Fear is an enemy of faith. Fear is one of the by-products of modern life, and no one could avoid it. “It saps spiritual vitality, and it can paralyze the soul.”(Harold S Martin).

John Bunyan, in his Pilgrim Progress, records an interesting incident that at one point he met with two Roaring Lions blocking on his way to the heavenly city. Christian was afraid to take the further step, but, with courage he moved on, when he reached very near to the Lions, he found that the Lions were chained by God. How often, we are afraid of the chained, defeated, powerless issues over us. God has confined and cramped them already.

The Psalmist says “When I am afraid I will put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way. Still, the mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, and though its waters roar and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 91:4-5, “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.” Mathew 10:31 “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Take courage and have great faith and confess with an unmovable trust in the Almighty God and say: “THOU ART WITH ME”, Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil” Psalm 23:4. A VALLEY is a deep, narrow, dark ravine, extremely perilous and cheerless to walk through. They are cleft between the mountains (Deuteronomy 8:7, 11:11, and Psalm 104:8). Giants used to live in the valleys to terrify the sojourners and rob them (Joshua 15:8). According to the Jewish understanding, the Valley of Mount Carmel is known as the Valley of Death-Shadow.

Hebrews 9:27 says “Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment”. Ecclesiasticus 8:8 warns “No one has power over the day of his death”. Job 30:23 tells “Death is appointed for all the living”. Psalm 49:10 Says “all wise men, foolish and senseless will die one day”. So, death is unavoidable and it is fixed for all of us.

Fear weakens a person, leads to defeat and death. Courage and confidence lead to victory. We should not have fear of death, rather, safeguard the Temple of God, which is our BODY. The full life has to be lived by every person for the purpose, it has created for. The promise given to God’s children was “No plaque shall befall you” (Exodus 12:13). Psalm 91 gives such great comfort to all of us during the times of Plagues.

2. PSALM 34:8-14 HE DELIVERS FROM ALL MY WORRIES

Fear leads to worry. We are worried about tomorrow’s food, cloth, and shelter. Jesus Christ mentioned these things in Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus has taught his disciples and followers of Christ must not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34 a) but work for the given day. In this passage, the word worry is used by Jesus six times (Matthew 6:25, 27, 28, 31, 34. a, 34. b). So we must care for a day and work for that day and not worry for a given Day. God has given us “One Day” at a time in our hands. Let us make use of that precious day with the providence of God, with prayerful planning, execute it, according to the will of God, with the power of God, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6: 34. b).