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Fear: What Happens When We Quit Trusting the Lord

Trusting God is our calling as Christians. Jesus asked the disciples: “Why did you fear? Where is your faith?” (Mark 4:40)

Not long ago, I arrived early at the church where I was to preach that morning and found that a Sunday School class was meeting in the auditorium. I made my way to a chair and joined the dozen or so adults of various ages.

Whatever scripture they were studying that day, they had wandered far afield from it. Class members were excitedly speaking against abortion, gay marriage, transgender acceptance, hate crime laws, political shenanigans, the coming world government, the Antichrist, President Obama and the possibility of an armed uprising in America so everyone had better have plenty of ammunition. Also, blood moons, Armageddon and Joel Osteen.

At one point, during a lull, I asked, “So, what is the scripture for today’s lesson?” As far as I could tell, only the teacher caught the irony (and gentle rebuke) of that. He named some place in one of the prophets.

As the members of the class fed on one another’s fears, something occurred to me from the Lord.“This is what happens when Christians quit praying and trusting Me.”

They fear.

These believers were frightened out of their wits.

It spoke volumes about their failure to trust the Lord.

Let’s admit the obvious here: God is never happy when His people live in fear. Fear shows a distrust.

“God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

How many times in scripture does an angel begin a conversation with “Fear not”? And how often does the Lord Jesus tell us not to be afraid?

“I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not be afraid” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

The faithful do not live in fear. Period.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4).

I will not be afraid.

OK. Everyone on the same page about that? God’s children are not to fear. Fear is giving too much credit to the enemy and not enough to the Savior.