Fear Not – The Battle is The Lord’s

If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear.  His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer – His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable. John Newton

We have all experienced fear in one way or another. We experience fear as part of our built-in fight-or-flight mechanism when we are in (imminent) danger, causing us to flee or defend ourselves. We also experience fear when we find ourselves overwhelmed by our circumstances. We may face lack, sickness, attacks by others (physical or emotional), abandonment, loneliness and other hardships. Fear causes us to focus on our circumstances. It causes us to worry and to descend into hopelessness and even depression. It may cause us to make irrational decisions that could exacerbate our circumstances. 

The wonderful news is that we do not have to allow fear to overtake us. We can overcome fear. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who were overcome with fear when their lives were dramatically interrupted by adverse events. 

King Jehoshaphat

I love the story of King Jehoshaphat, recounted in 2 Chronicles 20. King Jehoshaphat faced a clear and present threat of attack by a vast army. When he heard of the attack, he became fearful.

“Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord” 2 Chronicles 20:3-4.

When Jehoshaphat received the bad news, fear gripped his heart because he knew they didn’t have the military capability to defeat the vast army. But Jehoshaphat knew his God and knew that He was the only One who could give him the wisdom he needed to navigate this threat and save him and his people. So he sought the Lord through prayer and fasting. They fixed their eyes on the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:12) and not on their circumstances. When they did, the Lord gave them a clear word through the prophet, Jahaziel:

“Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's” 2 Chronicles 20:15 ESV.

They trusted the Lord to save them. The Lord was true to His Word when He miraculously rescued them from the hands of their enemies.

Just as Jehoshaphat trusted the Lord when fear overwhelmed him, so can we. We can trust Him because we know He is a faithful God (Lamentations 3:22-23). We know He is with us when we walk through the deepest valley (Psalm 23:4). He comforts and strengthens us (Isaiah 35:3-4). His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). His power is at work in us and in our situation, and He will do the impossible for us (Ephesians 3:20).

Reflection 

Have your circumstances been so overwhelming that they have caused you to fear? Will you give your fears to God and trust Him to do the miraculous in your life?

Prayer

Lord, You know that my heart is gripped with fear because of my circumstances. I give all my fears to You. Help me, Lord, to trust You as I walk through this deep valley. Help me fix my eyes on You, not my circumstances. Fill me, Lord, with your hope and peace so that I can endure. I thank You that You will deliver me from these challenging circumstances. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.