Notes used to present a Zoom lesson during the summer of 2020.

We use the word flippantly sometimes like the way we use the word love.  I love ice cream.  I love your new shoes.  I love my mom and dad.  I love God.  Same word, different degrees of a similar emotion.  I am afraid I will not be able to go with you tonight.  I am afraid it is going to rain.  I am afraid of spiders.  I am afraid I might die.  Same word, different degrees of a similar emotion.

It would be wise to expand our vocabulary to better convey what our thoughts are, but for the most part we are left to translate what someone is saying through context, facial expression, and tone of voice.  We will assume, for this discussion, that being afraid it is going to rain and being afraid of spiders are minor fears that, unless we let take over our lives, are not the kind of fears that God discourages us from.

We are in an especially fearful time.  We have some real-life fearful things going on around us.  A virus that has killed many worldwide.  And not just any virus but an especially contagious virus.  A virus that we as a people have not yet developed any immunity for.  A virus that causes some to become extremely sick and even die.  It is scary to think that, while not many are affected in our area, it would take just one person coming into our town for many of our family and friends and even ourselves to be exposed.  If I happen to be one who has a weakened immune system or am elderly or pregnant or have a young baby or sickly child, it can be a fearful thing to think that the person next to me in line at the grocery store might carry this virus.

God Wants Us To Be Strong And Courageous

But God does not want us to be afraid.  On the contrary he told us to be strong and courageous.  In fact, one of the last things Moses told the children of Israel were those very words.  While his words are directed toward them and not us, the principle that God will not leave or forsake them carries over to all who love and obey Him.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

In the very next verse, Moses repeats the same charge to Joshua as he prepares to take Moses’ place.

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

And then, Joshua’s first message to the people as their leader repeated the same words.

Joshua 1:9 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.

God knew that the children of Israel would need strength and courage to endure what lay ahead.  He knew there would be physical hardship and that their allegiance to Him would be tested again and again.  Many times, they failed the test and caved into their fear by longing to go back to the old ways, by fearing they would not have enough food or water and by just wanting to be like everyone else.

These children of Israel had a complete 180 degree change in their lives.  It was something they had longed for for years.  They wanted to be free from the tyranny of the Egyptians.  They wanted to be from the hard labor they were forced to perform.  Well, they got their wish but had not factored into the equation the fact that their lives would change to such an extreme.  They left everything they knew.  Their cooking had to change.  Their housing had to change.  Their routines were totally disrupted.  They did not know where they were headed.  They did not know when they would get there.  They had the sick, the elderly, the pregnant, the newborns with them with no idea where they were going.  Just imagine what that would feel like.

Sounds a little like what we have been through lately.  We have had our routines disrupted.  We have found ourselves wondering if we would be able to buy the essentials we have come accustomed to.  We have wondered what would happen if we became ill with the virus or with something else.  Stores are closed.  Doctors are not seeing patients.

It sounds like we need the same instruction that the children of Israel received.  Be strong and courageous.  To be anything less would be to distrust God.  We look at the children of Israel in amazement that they could not see how truly blessed they were to have God right there with them.  We can learn from them that God is right here with us and that we can endure anything that comes our way.

 Fear Is A Gift From God

What is wrong with being fearful?  Isn’t fear what keeps us from trying to beat the train to the railroad?  Isn’t fear a God given emotion put there to keep us from doing foolish and reckless things? 

Yes, fear is given to us by God.  There are times He commands us to fear.  We are to fear Him: 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. 

Fear is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. 

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. 

I find that interesting.  We are supposed to be strong and courageous but to get there we must first learn to fear. That is what God was teaching the children of Israel in the wilderness.  He stripped them of everything they knew: routine, food supply, home etc.  He caused them to be vulnerable to the dangers around them.  They had no control over where they went or what they did.  Even though they had been slaves in Egypt and were told what to do, they had carved a life for themselves.  They had grown accustomed to the Egyptian ways and loved the comforts they had found there.  God took them away from all this making sure they could look to nothing or no one for help and comfort except Himself.  They were fearful.  They were troubled.  They HAD to learn to trust God.  This fear was where they began to learn about God.  And through this newfound knowledge, they gained wisdom.  They learned who the giver of all life was and who genuinely loved them. Not for what they could do for Him but because He wanted them to love Him in return.

Fear Causes Negativity

Fear is a good thing when it is directed in the right direction — towards God.  All other fear brings negativity to our lives.   

• Fear results in distrust of others.  As it relates to our current condition, the fear that someone might be sick and not know it or know it and come near me has caused people to distrust their neighbors and friends.

• Fear results in distrust of God.  God has given us all we need in this world.  He has given us an amazing body that can heal itself when given the proper tools (nutrition/exercise).  He has given us a support system (the local church) that can help us with our physical needs as well as with our spiritual needs.  He has given us a belief system (His word) that is all about love for Him and love for one another.  When we fear, we forget these things and turn inward for our belief system.  We turn to worldly wisdom for our support system.  We look to medical science to give our bodies the remedies to correct things that could have been taken care of naturally through God’s creation. 

• Fear results in isolation. A friend who was abandoned as a child has learned that those she loves leave her.  She has found that isolation ensures that she will not be hurt again.  She knows this is not a healthy response but when struggles come, she withdraws from those around her.  She tries to fight against her fear, but it is a daily struggle.

• Fear elevates self.  This sounds counter to what we think we know about ourselves.  When I am fearful, I feel like I am small, weak, and alone.  How can that fear bring about a self-absorption elevating of myself?   I first heard this in relation to performing on my violin.  I was told that to hold back on performing my instrument is a selfish act.  I should use my talents to bless those around me.  When I choose to not perform out of fear, I am putting my wants and needs above others.  I am being selfish.  This selfishness can be seen in other areas of life.  Being afraid to try something new can be selfish.  Being afraid to be around others can be selfish.

• Fear results in turning away from God.  This is a logical result of fear elevating self.  When self is considered more important than God, self usually wins.  The children of Israel feared for themselves and their loved ones.  Even after being shown the great power of God, they turned to themselves for wisdom and shunned God’s love.   

The more we elevate ourselves/our needs/our wants through isolation because we distrust one another and distrust the amazing body God has given us, the easier it will be to turn away from God.   

Courage Offers Positivity

Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

• Courage increases the likelihood that we will try new things.  Each time I present a lesson I am faced with the fear that I cannot do this.  Add the situation we are in now that the teaching needs to be done online and I would have really liked to just not even try.  New things can be scary and difficult.  The courage that God will be with me has given me the courage to try this new method connecting with my sisters and although not a preferred method has turned out okay.

• Courage causes us to look toward the needs of others before our own.  In other words, courage discourages selfishness.  It takes courage to prepare a meal or present a gift to someone else.  What if they do not like it?  What if I am rejected?  Courage takes us beyond those selfish feelings to doing the good we know that needs to be done because it will help or encourage someone else, not because it will make me feel better.

• Courage allows us to act. I have been frozen with fear.  Fear does that to us.  Causes us to think we cannot do something or that we should not do something.  Courage, Godly courage, gives us the strength to go ahead and do what needs to be done.

• Courage draws us nearer to God and God increases our courage.  One is always paired with the other.  It can be a scary thing to do something that goes against the way we were raised or to do what our peers consider foolish or to go against what the authorities have told us we must do.  Drawing nearer to God, our courage will strengthen enabling us to do the work God has required us to do.

Courage Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

When we are surrounded with sickness, death, uncertainty, how do we gain courage? 

Wait on the Lord.  Sometimes it takes time.  We must always do things in God’s time.  These days of isolation have been trying to many of us but by patiently waiting on the Lord, He will strengthen us, building our courage to the point we can bravely serve Him even under difficult times.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.

• Realize that the outcome may not always be what we choose.  God may have other plans.  Satan may have other plans.  We might succumb to the virus.  We might permanently lose our job.  We might not survive this physically, but we all know that whatever our outcome on earth, the most important thing is our eternal outcome.  Man may hate us.  Man may use us.  Man may physically, emotionally, economically destroy us, but God will reward us, save us, and protect us in the end.  That must be our mindset.  If not, we are hopelessly destined to trust our own selves and that is most pitiable.

Matthew 10:28  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

• Be thankful that the strength with which you endure the persecutions that come your way, gives strength to others.  It may not seem like it at the time, but others are watching.  Others see what you are going through and when they see you draw nearer to God and gain the courage to do what you need to do, they gain courage as well.

Philippians 1:12-14 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole [palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

• Love one another.  Love between brethren builds a bond that cannot be broken.  Love through the good times.  Love through the hard times.  Love knowing that the love you share will be given back to you which will give you courage to love yet again.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

Let our motto be:

Psalm 56:3-4  Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

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