When I Am Afraid

Facing battles, whether from within or not, calls for a strong resolve to not fear. It shouldn't surprise us to know that God knew one of our biggest enemies would be fear – fear of the unknown, fear of defeat, fear of becoming vulnerable, fear of being unprepared, fear of defeat.

Deuteronomy 20 gives a prescription for fear when facing a battle ... before the battle, a priest was supposed to encourage the people to not fear since Yahweh was fighting for them (Deut 20:2–4).

And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ 

Our Great High Priest admonishes us not to fear or panic in face of our enemy. He never said we wouldn't face enemies, but He tells us not to let our hearts faint or be weak. He reminds us to not fear or panic or be in dread of our enemy. The Lord God goes with us, fights our battles for us, and gives us the victory.

It's interesting that God doesn't take away our fear. Instead, we're told not to fear – in other words, it is within our power to stop fear from becoming a stronghold against the victory God has already won against our enemy.

No matter what or who we fear, we must trust God, cling to Him with faith in His promise to fight our enemies for us. Our lives are in His hands.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? 

Sources
Miles Custis, “Fear,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Dt 20:2–4.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 56:3–4.