DO NOT BE AFRAID.

( Luke 12:4-6)
New Year is the time for rejoicing. The old has perished and the new has
come. Don’t worry be happy.
But what we see around us today? Fears, worries and uncertainties.
Take example of the Indian sub-continent. The war clouds are threatening
at the horizon and the people are sore afraid, that a war, will thrust upon
them. Look at the Middle East. Due to Israeli strike at Gaza strip, there are
fears of another Arab-Israeli war. The west is fearful about Iran’s
producing of Nuclear weapons. There are fears and uncertainties
everywhere. In these circumstances let us see what the Bible says:
In the Gospel of John 16:33b Jesus says: In the world you shall have
troubles, but courage for I have overcome the world.”
What types of troubles we face today?
Today the economy worldwide is in downturn due to recession. Stock
markets are nose-diving around the world capitals. The Mittals and
Ambanies have lost huge fortune of their vast empire. Many
companies are fearful about their vast investments in mega projects,
which came to standstill. The ordinary people are fearful about losing
their jobs which are threatening by the large scale lay-offs in these
present uncertainties due to the melt-down of financial institutions.
In addition there is widespread fear of terrorist attacks like the one
which gripped the city of Mumbai in fear for 3 days. Today people are
sore afraid even to travel by trains or to visit a crowded market and
they fear any time there could be a terrorist like Pakistani Amir
Qasab, suddenly appearing from nowhere, brandishing a AK-47,and
firing bullets indiscriminately upon the innocent civilian.
Life is no safer, for there is fear evident in every walk of life today. I
could go on giving you examples, that how we are today gripped by
the “fear’ in our day to day life.
366 times in the Bible God says “Fear not”. Do not be afraid , I AM,
who AM with you.
That is every day when we wake-up in the morning, God says: “Fear
not- I AM with you, to protect you. I will not forsake you nor leave you
.A mother may forget her child of her womb, yet though she forget, I
will never forget you, says the Lord.(Isaiah 49:15)
But what we do? We always fear
Let us know how we encounter Fear in day today life?.
Many fear flying in aircrafts. We fear if someone knocks the door in
the middle of night.
We fear when the police come to our houses. Many fear of dreaded
diseases and hospitalization and undergoing painful operations. We
fear for losing jobs. Many fear for losing their loved ones,
We fear for the attacks by the Sang parivar on our churches, we fear
for communal riots. Children fear for injection needles, snakes and
lizards. Many fear Ghosts!
BUT WE DO NOT FEAR GOD”! We fear for everything but not God.
What happens when you fear?
Fear grips you in Self-doubt and Complete insecurity. Fear leads you
to doubt other people. We doubt everything around us in suspicion
and panic takes control on us.Above all we doubt that God does not
exist. You silently accept that there is no supernatural help for you,
because you do not Trust God.
In the book of Joshua we read that, when Israelites came across the
enemy in Jericho, they were sore afraid to wage war against them for
the enemy was too strong for them, and hence they sent spies to
evaluate their strength. In these circumstances Let us know what God
said to them
Joshua 1:9” It is I who command you: be strong, then, and be valiant.
Do not tremble or be afraid. Because Yahweh, your God, is with you
wherever you Go.”
When God says He is with us, what are our feelings?
Do I Trust in Him? Do I believe in His words? Do I cling to Him in
times of trouble?
When you think you have no hope, no life, no future, no peace, and
no satisfaction in life, the Lord says to you and me “Fear Not”
Isaiah 41:10”Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am
your God. I will give you strength, I will bring you help, I will uphold
you with the right hand of my justice.”
God says I am with you to guide you, to bless you, to defend you.
Isaiah 41:13 “For I, Yahweh, your God, take hold of your right hand
and say to you: “Fear not, I will be your helper.
*********
I will bring you a true story which says that what happens when you
are not fearful in times of trouble, keeping your faith on God.
Few months back a Qantas Airlines 747 was just taken off from the
Hong Kong Airport with 360 passengers on board. Its destination was
Australia’s Sidney Airport. While cruising at 40,000 feet above Indian
Ocean, suddenly there was an explosion in it’s undercarriage and a
portion of its belly riffed-off with the powerful blast. There was a
gapping hole in the Airplane and the airplane lost its power and
started to fall apart.
Within minuets it lost 10,000 feet and It was falling like a stone. The
captain and his crew did all they could to take control of the aircraft,
but the aircraft was descending fast.
Inside the cabin the passengers were terribly shaken with this blast
and things were falling apart in the economy class as strong wind
was gushing inside. Many were seen prying and crying and many
fainted.
Mean while in the first class cabin a young girl was seated beside two
nuns from Mother Teresa’s Institution. They were clutching to their
rosaries and praying in tears. And they observed that this young girl
was fearless and reading a coming book. The nuns asked her “Honey,
Are you not afraid? The aircraft is going to crash at any time. Young
girl, pray to the Lord, that your soul may saved.”And here what the
young girl said to the nuns:” Why should I fear, for my dad is the
pilot of this aircraft and he knows how to handle this.”
And when the aircraft at 10,000 feet, just minuets away from crash,
the Pilot got control of the aircraft he pulled up its nose, steadied it
on course, and landed the aircraft in Manila’s international airport in
emergency landing.
And all the passengers applauded the pilot for his braveness and his
skills to get the damaged aircraft to land safely!
Here, when all the 360 passengers were gripped in fear while the
aircraft was in the verge of crashing; only a little girl and her dad
were fearless. Because as the innocent little girl had complete trust
on her dad, the Pilot too had his complete trust on his Heavenly
Father, as he surrendered the control of his aircrafts to the Lord and
just waiting for a miracle to happen. And God gave him the wisdom
and knowledge to do the rest.
Just as the little girl and her dad were not afraid and faced the
situation boldly, surrendering to the Lord, we must also take courage
and face the circumstances, giving controls our lives to Christ.
*********.
Now the question is: To Whom to fear?
Today we have to fear the terrorists like Pakistani Amir Qasab and his
companions who terrorized Mumbai for 3 days, who came to kill as
many as 5000 ! .We have to fear Praveen Tagodia, for he attacked
Christians in Orissa and burned the churches in kandamal dist and
paraded our priest and nuns naked. We have to fear Advanies, Modis,
Takreys, for they with their mussel power terrorize the nations and
accuse the Christians for the only reason of conversion.
And we have to fear the supernatural powers, the ghosts and the evil
powers for they can harm us? I can go on.. to whom to fear..
But What the Bible says? To whom we must fear? And Jesus gives the
answer in Luke’s Gospel.
Luke 12:4-6”I tell you my friends, do not fear those who put to death
the body and after that can do no more. But I will tell you whom to
fear: Fear the One who after killing you is able to throw you into hell.
This one you must fear.”
Do not fear the terrorists Qasab and companions. They may kill you
with their weapons of destructions .Do not fear the fundamentalist
like Takreys, Modi’s or Tagodias who may attack you and kill you in
the name of religion.
The terrorist, the fundamentalist may only kill your body but not your
soul.!
Who got power to cast you into hell? Satan ?Lucifer? Evil Spirit?
They have no power to cast you to hell. They have only power to
tempt you to disobey God and accuse Him. Fear only God who has the
power to cast out you in to hell
*************
Let us ask a question to ourselves.
Why there is no peace, no joy in our lives today? Why there are
disappointments in us?.
Why there is so much disturbances, uncertainty surrounding us? Why
there is so much tension, worries that haunt us? The Answer is in No
God’s love in us.
(Read) Deuteronomy 10:12 “Israel what does the Lord thy God
require of thee is but to fear the lord thy God and to walk in His ways
and to love Him and to serve thy God with all heart and with all the
soul.”
How to fear God? How to walk in His ways?
To fear God is to follow His commandments and to walk in ways: is to
honor Him and love Him.
Do we follow His commandments, Do we Honor God today? How many
families say their evening prayer and read the Word of God when
they gather together at home?
Why we fear today? Because “God’s love” is not in us, in our family,
in our society,
in community, in our neighbor hood and we do not experience “God’s
Love”.
Where there is No Love of God in us, there exists fear. When we fear
God then we have no reason to fear others. When we fear God then
there is no need to fear Terrorists, fundamentalist.
When we fear God, there is no need to fear Evil spirits, cosmic
powers, principalities, powers of darkness, rulers of this world or
another world, for nothing will effects us, because those who fear
God, will be protected by His Mighty Hand.
Since we have no “fear of God”- we have been subjected to fear all
other powers, even fear the Ghosts.
**********
Finally, What must we do to overcome by doubt and fear?
(Read) I John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives
away fear, for fear has to do with punishment. Those who fears do
not know perfect love.”
Perfect love is patient, kind ,without envy. It is not boastful or
arrogant. It is neither ill-mannered nor selfish. Perfect love
overcomes anger and forgets all offenses. Perfect love does not take
delight in wrongdoings but rejoiced in truth. Perfect love excuses
everything and endures all things. And Perfect Love is Christ.
Do we experience perfect love in our lives? Do we have perfect love
for others our brothers & Sisters? Do we criticize others ? do we
harbor venom or grudge on others then we have no perfect love in
us. Do we boast ourselves? Do we give priority for ourselves? I, Me,
and My self. Then perfect love is not with us.
First give priority for Jesus in your life, then others, your neighbors,
and last for yourself, and then only joy and happiness will come into
your life and you shall face no fear in your life.
The Bible says that we must cast our burdens of fear to the Lord.
Psalm 55:22 says "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain
you; he will never let the righteous fall."
When fear strikes you, when you are going thru difficult time, do not
focus your eyes on the bigness of your problems, that what happens
of your investment, your savings, your land and property, But focus
on the bigness of your God and cast your burden upon the Lord and
he will take care of you. .
When fear strikes you, don’t focus your eyes on the bigness of your
sickness, your jobs, your family problems, childlessness, difference
amongst spouses, your failures. But Focus your eyes in the bigness of
God. When fear strikes us, we must not forget that we have a hiding
place, we have a Rock of Salvation, and we have a strong tower.
Take refuge in Him and pray as the Disciples prayed when their boat
was caught in the storms in the Sea of Galilee and when they were
gripped with fear they came to Jesus and said: Lord save us and the
Lord said to them “Fear not”. When the Master is on board, which
boat will sink? He calmed the storms in one word.
Today Jesus will calm the storms of fear in your life, when you seek
Him and He will say: Fear not, believe in Me and believe the one who
sent me”(john 14:1)
While ending I wish you a Happy and prosperous New year. Praise the
Lord.