What are you afraid of right now?
If we fear the future, we're afraid of the unknowns; losing loved ones, friendships, jobs. Will the kids walk away from their faith?
What about our possessions? Our homes? Our health? Will we have enough money for the kids college, or retirement?
What about rejection? Or worse, failure? "What if I try and fail and people see me as who I really am?" Does it surprise you that the Apostle Paul dealt with some of these same fears?
As for myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom; For I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.The moment Paul is describing here is when he first visited the town in Corinth. You can read about that time, and God actually coming to visit Paul in the night to reassure him in Acts 18:1-11.
And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (utter dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them], So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 AMP)
Does it comfort you to know that Paul was fearful? The man, who was probably the greatest Christian of our time, and certainly the greatest missionary. The one who wrote most of the New Testament dealt with fear? It does me!
We honestly don't know if this was only at the beginning of his ministry or if this was something he always had to deal with! Could this fear, dread and the propensity to experience great trembling be the thorn in the side Paul asked the Lord to remove in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?
Fear is a universal problem! We all deal with fears at times. Fear can come on like a wave and take us down almost before we're fully aware of what happened. The word fear is used 441 times in the Bible and afraid 167. There are also words such as: dread, frightened, terrified and faint.
Fear can be defined as the complete state of anti-God. God is farthest from you when your heart is filled with fear. Think on this! Fear is completely relying on your own resources and suddenly realizing they aren't adequate enough to sustain you. Look back at what you fear most and take a look at who are you relying on to meet that need.
Now look to what the writer of Hebrews shared in Hebrews 13:5-6,
Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Most assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?Let me ask you, if God promises us five times in verse 5 alone to never leave fail or forsake us, who moved away when fear grips us? Not God! He keeps His promises and Paul knew this, if not then, he experienced it throughout the rest of his life.
James knew it as well, which is why he wrote, So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you..." (James 4:7-8 AMP)
Take your fears to Jesus! Turn and lay them all out at His feet. Cast all of your cares upon Him and He will sustain and help you, for He would never allow His children to fail, fall or be moved.(1Peter 5:7AMP)
Blessings!
sue