“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”-  Psalm 34:4

Sometime back, I was invited to preach on the subject of fear.

I stepped on the pulpit carrying a large paper bag and everyone was curious to know what it was about.

Then I invited someone from the congregation to take a look inside the paper bag.

“Mama nyabo,” she shouted before running back to her seat in fright.

I called someone else. The same thing happened.

Then I put my hand inside the paper bag to show them that there was really nothing to be afraid of.

Afterwards I called someone else to check it out.

He freaked out too and refused to even touch the paper bag with a finger!

Well, I had put a small black toy-snake in the paper bag to illustrate fear.

I mean even when I pulled out the harmless toy and held it in my hands, everyone literally cringed when I pointed it in their direction.

What a challenge God has to convince His people that the demons they dread were indeed defeated and disarmed by Christ at Calvary!

The Greek word for ‘fear’ is phobos,  from which we derive our English word ‘phobia’ – defined as an irrational fear of something, which is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation.

Technically, the experts tell us, a phobia is a form of ‘anxiety disorder’ as it affects the mind.

“Do not fear what these people fear and do not be in dread of it.”

ISAIAH 8:12

That reasonable adults could freak out because of a mere toy is enough proof that fear is indeed a problem of the mind. 

The experts say there are at least 400 known phobias, including the fear of failure, fear of people, fear of death, fear of developing an incurable disease, fear of germs, fear of money, fear of success, etc.

I know of someone who has a debilitating fear of cockroaches! 

Years ago, I worked with a muzungu lady who had a terrible fear for nsenene. What a wonder.

In our meditation today, David testifies that he cried to the Lord and He heard him and delivered him from all his fears.

Note that it doesn’t say that God delivered him from his actual problems or circumstances; he was “delivered from his fears.”

That’s why Christ came and died for us in order to “deliver us from the fear of death,” which had subjected humanity to “bondage” (see Hebrews 2:15).

That shows us that your biggest challenge is NOT the actual problems, ordeals or circumstances you face.

It’s the fear the enemy has put in your head that you should pray to be delivered from.  When you stop fearing something, it completely loses its power and control over you. 

That’s why fear is the opposite of faith (Luke 8:50).

As someone said, courageous living is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important.

Of course the people of the world may have good reasons to live in fear, given all the frightening stuff going on all around us.

But for those of us with Christ in our lives, Isaiah 8:12 says; “Do not fear what these people fear and do not be in dread of it.”  

The wicked flee even when no one is pursuing them but the righteous are bold like lions (Proverbs 28:1). They’re fearless.

Prayer:      

Almighty God, I pray that You deliver me from my fears. Whatever happens, I choose to live a fearless and courageous life because with you on my side I have absolutely no reason to entertain fear in my life. Amen!