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Devotional Central
Are You Bold?
Though "No
Fear" is a popular slogan on T-shirts and bumper stickers, claiming
victory over fear takes more than just posting a public declaration
on your clothing or car. The truth is that everyone battles fear to
varying degrees on a
daily basis, and the only force capable of defeating fear is the power
of Jesus Christ.
Fear originates
with Satan. It is his tactic for demoralizing and distracting believers
from following the will of God. In fact, fear has posed such a
problem for believers throughout history that God chose to make the
directives "Do not fear" and "Fear not" the most
frequently repeated commands in the Bible. As Joshua prepared to take
over the reigns of the leadership of the Israelites following the death
of Moses, God challenged him to "Be
strong and courageous; do not be discouraged; for the Lord your God
will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).Though the task
was intimidating and the responsibility was enormous, God urged Joshua
not to be paralyzed by fears
and doubts but to trust that God's wisdom and provisions would guide
and sustain him.
The list of
Bible characters that dealt with fear includes prophets, judges, and
apostles. Whether it was Gideon hiding from his enemies, Elijah running
for his life, or Peter denying association with Jesus, all of these
great men of
faith battled fears that plagued their ministries. Yet, when they tapped
into the power of God they received the strength they needed to overcome
their weaknesses and became bold witnesses for the Kingdom. The Bible
declares that those who have been made righteous through Jesus Christ
will be
"as bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). King David was so confidant
of God's power to bring the victory that he declared in Psalm 18:29,
"With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can
scale a wall." In other words, he had
"no fear" because God was before him, behind him, and beside
him. And as believers in Jesus we now have the benefit of having Him
in us as well!
Today God is
calling you out of bondage to fear and into a place of boldness for
Jesus Christ. In II Timothy 1:7-8 Paul states that "God did not
give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of
self-discipline." Anytime you battle with doubt, fear, or timidity
you can be sure that the devil is at work trying to
keep you from doing the task God has called you to complete.
God wants to
instill confidence in believers so that they will proclaim the Gospel
of Christ without hesitation. Ask God today for His boldness to replace
your fears and for the ability to distinguish Satan's lies from God's
truth. Jesus paid the price on the cross so that you could be free from
fear, and you need only to come
and receive this peace and freedom. What are you waiting for?