Fear Not

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent’” (Exodus 14:13, 14).

The Lord is very clear about our concern for personal welfare. Fear or anxiety is a natural response to uncertainty and threatening situations. Nevertheless, believers are forbidden to be fearful, worried, or anxious. God is sovereign in all things. He has complete control over all things, and nothing happens without His knowledge and consent. This is clear in Scripture (Isaiah 43:1–7), and to doubt it is to sin in unbelief (Matthew 6:25–34).

The Lord did not promise His people an easy life. Because we are sinners by birth and choice, living in a sin-cursed and broken world. We suffer Adam’s curse: “Hard work was created for everyone, and a heavy yoke is laid on the children of Adam, from the day they come forth from their mother’s womb until the day they return to the mother of all the living. Perplexities and fear of heart are theirs, and anxious thought of the day of their death. From the one who sits on a splendid throne to the one who grovels in dust and ashes” (Sirach 40:1–3). As long as we are in the flesh, we will be subject to anxiety.

There is also the fact that we are engaged in a spiritual war, unseen but very real. The enemy of our souls is set to doing as much damage as he can as long as he is able. We should expect that we will be attacked suddenly from every quarter. His aim is to disquiet our hearts and tempt us not to stand firm. If he can, he will cause us to turn tail, flee, cower, and hide in fear and terror. Our Commander and Chief orders us to “stand firm” and “fear not.”

The Old Testament is a written warning for New Covenant believers to trust their God and Savior in every situation. He is able to save and keep all who are in His sovereign care. For example, the enemy of God filled the promised land with the offspring of Nephilim clans to terrify and dissuade the children of Israel from taking possession of the land promised to Abraham. With clear promises of His going before them to drive out these usurpers, God commanded them to enter the land and take possession without fear (Deuteronomy 1:20, 21). The test was designed to separate the godly remnant from the unbelieving majority who were judged unworthy to enter the promised rest (Psalm 95 and quoted in Hebrews 4:3–7).

Believers need this truth, especially in these days of uncertainty. With growing intensity, Christians are becoming the objects of attack from a culture that is becoming more wicked with ever-increasing decline. God’s Word to us remains the same: “fear not.”