Nothing to fear except for failing to enter into His rest.

Nothing to fear except for failing to enter into His rest.

The recent terror attacks in Paris are designed and well thought out plans to strike fear in the hearts of those in the west who live good and fruitful lives due to the divine establishment principles that have been resident for centuries. We do not experience such chaos in our corner of the world because of the value of law and order that most of us, by far, agree with and contribute to. Yet in areas where poverty and lack of structure exists, violence and chaos are more of the norm. The organizations who wish to destroy our way of life know that they can make us react in ways that they themselves desire if they can get us to panic and fear. Under such stresses the human mind becomes reactionary and emotional, which produce poor decisions that the terrorist organizations are actually trying to bring about. In 2004 the bombing of a commuter train in Madrid was carried out by an al-Qaeda terrorist cell in which 191 died and more than 1800 were injured. The timing of this attack was specific for a desired outcome. It was three days before the national election and because of the fear and anger that it produced the ruling party lost power, which was exactly what al-Qaeda had hoped for.  

After reading about such terrorist attacks as just happened in Paris, I think most of us imagine ourselves being caught in such a disaster. What would you do? And if you lived through it, what would you do or hope to be done so that it will never happen again? As for me, after reading the reports, I almost immediately thought of my wife and daughter. I guess it's the natural reaction to protect those whom you love. What happens when the time comes that such things may be far more frequent in America and our physical safety comes to be in jeopardy? I think it's just a matter of time, for Islam and those who die for it will not stop until they see the whole world under its rule, and even then, I'm sure they won't stop because violence and those who love it are never fulfilled. Terrorism, like cancer or war, will never be eradicated from us for good.

I know that God will in the end be victorious, but until all enemies are made a footstool for His feet, many good people die. It's ok for us when the action is far away, but what happens when it's happening in the next state or the next neighborhood?

Alas, the word of God brings calm, peace, direction, and comfort. This is why the mature or maturing believer is the anchor or pivot of his nation. He is strong in Christ and can think and act under pressure precisely for the reason that he doesn't fear. EXO 14:13-14

But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent."

DEU 3:22 'Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.'

LUK 12:6-7 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Because of fear you have to be at the airport two hours early to catch your flight in which you practically have to disrobe and then face a full body x-ray. That same fear has hampered our economy and increased the already considerable senseless regulation that we're under every day. Even when the underwear bomber failed the terrorist celebrated a success since it increased the amount of fear in the west. The same was true about anthrax in letters, etc. The believer, grounded in the perfect peace of Christ, should be an anchor for his family and his community. The pastors all over this nation need to be proclaiming this message rather than fear mongering or railing about political parties or government policies from the pulpit. None of those things affects the peace of Christ. Do not fear. If we fear, they have won. FDR famously said, "The only thing to fear is fear itself," when he was trying the rally the nation during the Great Depression. The writer of Hebrews said it better; HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

God is our Father, and with such a Father we have nothing to fear. Our adoption into our Lord's royal family has given us a spirit of power and love and discipline and this has fully supersceded the spirit of fear. ROM 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" Paul reiterates this to Timothy in his final letter; 2TI 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Timothy would have to go on without Paul to lean upon. I'm sure he feared, any young pastor who was used to such great leadership would have, but there was no time for such fear. Timothy had to carry Paul's blueprints for the spiritual life to the next generation in the church with boldness, power, love, and discipline. Fear in the voice of the teacher betrays the message.

In the movie Braveheart, Mel Gibson playing William Wallace famously says, "They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom." Although our politicians and others in the population may cower with fear before the terrorist and concede to him their very freedom, the believer in Jesus Christ should never do so. Last I checked the number one religion in the United States by far is Christianity and although some reports show it to be in decline, it is still by far a large majority. Let us hold fast our faith until the end and not fear, even if they find the opportunity to take our lives or, and I pray God forbid, the lives of our loved ones.

LUK 12:4-7 "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

If it does happen to any of us we can rest in the joy that we have been called to suffer as Christ has suffered. All us do so to some extent as the perfect plan of God calls us to, but at certain points in history, in certain places, Christians suffer imprisonment and death. The Lord said to the church at Smyrna; REV 2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

This is the season when we celebrate Christmas. We often don't realize that the first thing that the angels said to the shepherds in the wilderness of Bethlehem was, "Don't fear…" LUK 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. They feared what they saw, not understanding what it was. I believe the same is true during this time in our history, as it has been in all times of the history of the church, that what looks to be worthy of fear on the surface is not to be feared at all, but that there is another and greater aspect of it to behold that is a direct result of the purposes and plans of God, and when we see that, rest and peace will be the easiest thing to do.

Let's lock shields and encourage one another with these words.

My love to all in Him,

Pastor Joe Sugrue

Grace and Truth Ministries.