Overcoming Fear Of The Future

OVERCOMING FEAR OF THE FUTURE

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

Forty years of wanderings in the wilderness are finally over! But, Moses the man who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt is dead. Now, it is time for Joshua to take the staff. He is named as Moses’ successor, and the time has come for Israel to cross the Jordan River and take possession of their Promised Land. If they could get over this one last obstacle, they would finally be home. On the other side of Jordan is a land flowing with milk and honey, the fulfillment of all dreams. But standing at the edge of the River and not knowing what lurks ahead, Joshua became fearful. And he had every reason to be afraid! Canaan was occupied by giants! The cities to be captured were fortified. And yet the Lord tells Joshua, in Chapter 1, Verse 6, “Be strong and of good courage." Meaning, to succeed in his new assignment, Joshua needs to overcome fear. God tells him this again and again. Indeed, He wasn’t “asking,” "requesting," or “suggesting” to Joshua not to fear. God was issuing a command!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." Isaiah 43:2.

As we stand at the edge of the year 2021, God's telling us not to fear. As we are embarking upon a new path that we've never been to, there is a danger that we too can become anxious and fearful. But God has given us a sound mind! We are exhorted to be strong and courageous! God's given us power so we can overcome every obstacle, and He’s given us love. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. So there is no reason for a child of God to be gripped, controlled, paralyzed, and destroyed by fear. The Almighty tells us not to fear because He is in control of every situation. He is our refuge and strength! God is our help in times of trouble. So we don’t have anything to fear! God will be with us. He knows our name and knows what we are going through, so we don’t have to be fearful of the unknown. We can face the future fearless.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.

Have you ever been afraid? What do you fear? What is weighing heavy on your heart? Like Joshua, we all face fear! Is it of height, of failing, or of how things will turn out? Do you fear criticism? Some fear poverty, old-age, or the prospect of separation or divorce. We worry about the future, about politics, and our health. Fear is a human emotion. It can make a grown man squeal like a child. Fear often results in depression. It stops your spiritual life. Fear paralyzes. It freezes. Sometimes it can rob us of quality of life, or lead us to make bad decisions. Fear will cripple even the strongest. It can prevent us from moving forward to receive all that God has for us. Fear is a torment! Fear brings turmoil in our hearts and minds. When we are filled with so much fear, we can’t think straight. The only time fear is mentioned in a positive light in the Bible is when it refers to reverence for God. Fear is everywhere! Everywhere we turn we hear the voice of fear. The media industry fills our ears with the noise of unemployment, murders, and a failing economy. The doctor's report flood our ears with cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart attacks, tumors, COVID-19, etc. Friends and family speak their fears into our lives and it weakens our faith. "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth." Isaiah 24:17. Still, we don’t have to listen to those noises. We don’t have to agree with them. And we don’t have to line up ourselves with them. "For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." I John 5:4. Therefore, we can overcome these noises of fear by our faith. Even though we hear these noises every day doesn’t mean we have to be afraid. Faith will silence these noises as soon as we activate our faith.