Dealing with Terror, part 5 of Dealing With Series. How do we as Christians deal with terror? Terror has been an effective tool of Satan from the beginning and He will continue to use it until Christ does away with it. Terror is a spirit and if left unchecked will destroy a mans faith in Gods promises. From Vietnam, Racial discord and the Cold War, we have been dealing with terror on our own terms. Viet Nam was a terror in a distant land; we knew where the front line was and whom the enemy was. By, The Grace of God, we overcame racial Discord and predigest. . The Cold war, we knew who our enemies were and it was dealt with by prayer and persistence. Our greatest threat today is September 11th.Fighting a cowardly enemy who knows neither decency nor boundaries to murder. An army with no face nor uniform, no rules of conduct or set country. The enemy here is religion, false religion. It has come in as a thief, to steal souls and lives of the innocent. The basis for their terror is found in the Koran;” The Guilty may be killed”, and who are the guilty according to Mohamed? Any one who is not Muslim. Christians around the world are being martyred every single day, beheadings are on the increase, bombings, imprisonment, rape and abductions are common practices for the antichristian nations. We should and must be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The Fear of the Lord should be our only concern, for Christ said,” Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The conscience (principles or the sense of right and wrong) is good, when it does its office well. But when the conscious deters from its intended purpose it brings forth death (spiritual and physical) and sin and all manner of abominations. Lacking truth and wisdom in God. In the case of our Lord’s suffering, he that knew no sin, suffered instead of those who knew no righteousness. The spirit of terror has no righteousness within itself; it has no shame and no love for mankind. Terror wishes to destroy the spirit of the people and bring them into bondage. If terror is allowed to accomplish its mission we as Christians are in bondage to it and not to the freedom that we have in God. Who is stronger, man or God? If you suffer the anxiety of terror you must renew you strength in God by renewing your Fear of God and your Joy in Him.
Rom 13:3 for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; Lets look a little closer at, 1st Peter 3; 14;
For righteousness, "not the suffering, but the cause for which one suffers, makes the martyr" [AUGUSTINE]. Augustine was indicating that the suffering of Jesus was not for the suffering itself, which was in the flesh, but the suffering was for the cause of righteousness and our salvation. Without a cause, suffering is pointless. Many today are suffering for the cause of Christianity this makes them martyrs for God and the Gospel.
Happy, Not even can suffering take away your blessedness, but rather promotes it. Terror cannot take away your blessedness or salvation unless you allow it to. Our suffering, again, must have a purpose or we suffer for nothing. Our safety is based on the Power of God and His Grace and not on the things that man can do. 2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. We are made strong thru our weakness and terror is overcome by our strength in our faith. If man kills the body there is no more that he can do. This body must return back to the dust of the earth but the soul will live forever.
2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
Jesus dealt with terror or should I say the spirit of terror, in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. Mat 26:38-39 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Overcoming terror for Jesus was accomplished by Joy, “for the Joy set before Him, endured the Cross, Despising the shame.” Joy overcomes terror and grief. The Joy of the Lord is my strength, my stay and my salvation; with the Joy of God we are overcommers of this world and its terror.
Does not the scripture say that we are more than conquers?
Jesus dealt with and overcame every spirit that we deal with today, we can do no less than our savior did, and we also must overcome. Look at Revelations, Jesus spoke of “He that Overcometh.” And the overcoming of terror is thru and by the Word of God, knowing that if we are martyred for the cause of the Gospel, we are assured of Life everlasting in the arms of the Almighty.
And--Greek, "but." Do not impair (damage or weaken) your blessing (1Pe 3:9) by fearing man’s terror in your times of adversity. Literally, "Be not terrified with their terror," that is, with that which they try to strike into you, and which strikes them when in adversity. This verse and 1Pe 3:15 is quoted from Isa 8:12-13. God alone is to be feared; he that fears God has none else to fear. God alone is to be feared, knowledge begins with the fear of God. Not a physical fear but a reverent fear, there is a difference.
Neither be troubled--the threat of the law, Lev 26:36; Deut 28:65-66; in contrast to which the Gospel gives the believer a heart assured of God’s favor, and therefore unruffled, amidst all adversities. Not only be not afraid, but also be not even agitated. When you hear or see signs of terror, take it with stride, understand the cause and be not afraid. Terror always has a cause and understanding it and facing it will relieve the fear of it.
I pray that this message will strengthen your resolve to endure and to strengthen your faith. We are never alone; Jesus promised that He would always be with you even until the end of the world. Ars.
