Fear Not

by Tiffany
from Virtuous Daughters, August/September 2020~Volume 20, Number 3

My Dear Sisters,

Earlier this year, I was asked to share at a ladies’ retreat. I felt very honored, but I also felt overwhelmed. Last year was hard, and to be honest, I felt inadequate to talk about having a heart of trust and surrender and contentment…because I knew that these were areas that I needed to grow in.

However, as I prayed about this opportunity, the Lord reminded me that we will never “arrive,” and through my own journey, He has graciously given me so much truth and encouragement from His Word to strengthen my heart and renew my focus…why would I not pass along that encouragement to my sisters in Christ?!

​This article is simply my notes in written form. Truly, it is not about me or anyone else “having it all together,” but about leaning on the Author and Finisher of our faith. You see, Christ wants to live His life through us. Understanding this truth has given me so much peace and victory, because it reminds me to depend on His strength instead of my own. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”—Galatians 2:20 My prayer is that the things God has been teaching me would encourage you and point you to Christ…not because of who I am, but because of Who He is.

Genesis 15:1 has been a tremendous encouragement to me over the last couple years: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” The Lord spoke these words to Abraham in between some eventful happenings, but let’s think about how this promise applies to us as Christian girls and young women….
 
Fear Not
How many of us would admit to struggling with fear? I’m a list person :), and I encourage you to take a moment to write out some of your fears on a strip of paper. I did this awhile back, and it was quite interesting to see what kind of fears were lurking in my heart.

Last Christmas, my little brothers and I were studying some passages of Scripture related to Christ’s birth. I noticed a thread of “Fear Not’s” all throughout the account. This was spoken to Mary, Zacharias, the shepherds, Joseph…why would this command be so prevalent during this time? The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Perfect love had just entered the world through Jesus Christ. He truly is the ultimate source of hope, peace, and true certainty!

Why should Abraham not be afraid? After all, he had just experienced a separation with Lot, some intense wars, and he still faced uncertainty regarding the future. But the Lord told him to not be afraid because God was his “Shield and exceeding great Reward.” Did this mean that Abraham would now live a pain-free, trial-free life? No. Did it take away all his desires for earthly blessings, such as a son? No. Did it magically transform him into a super spiritual man who would never doubt or struggle in his journey of walking by faith? No. But God’s promise was his anchor, and I believe it served as his motivation for living faithfully to the Lord. Romans 4 says that Abraham was strong in faith. This doesn’t mean we will never struggle, but it does mean that in the triumphs and the failures, we keep going back to the ever-faithful One.

Let’s take some time to think about what it means that God is our Shield…
 
Our Shield
The word that likely comes to mind when we think of shield is protection. But have we stopped to consider some of the specific ways that God is our Shield? Here are a few for starters:

• God shields us from the fiery darts of the enemy and the world’s lies.
• God shields us from danger by giving us His presence.
• God shields us from insecurity by promising to lead us, even when we cannot see the way.
• God shields us from burdens too great for us to bear by taking these burdens upon Himself. It reminds me of a little quote: “Bear not a single care thyself; one is too much for thee. The work is Mine, and Mine alone. Thy work—to rest in Me.”
• God shields us from disappointment by providing true comfort and more of Himself when our plans are foiled.
• God shields us from a spirit of fear by replacing it with a spirit of power, love, and a well-disciplined mind.
• God shields us from the judgment we deserve by giving us the perfect righteousness of Christ our Savior. This one is huge! Our salvation is the greatest reason to rejoice.
• God shields us by withholding the way that “seems right” to our human minds, but that God knows will actually lead to death.
• God shields us from needless anxiety by promising to finish what He starts and not forsake us.
• God shields us with His love and infinite wisdom by doing what is best for us and most glorifying to Himself.

 
We all face situations that are too big for us. Circumstances are overwhelming. In ourselves, we are not strong enough. Yet God is our Shield! This is such a beautiful truth. We can rest and be at perfect peace in knowing that He is our source of strength and victory. So why do we still sometimes wrestle with fear and anxiety? Why are we able to write entire lists of the fears that we face? Could it be that we are not trusting God’s Word? Could it be that we believe those truths in our head, but we have not embraced the truth in our hearts? When we fail to trust God, we are actually trusting ourselves instead….and what could be more frightening than that?!?!

Let's take a moment to think about some ways that God being our Shield impacts our lives...
 
God being Our Shield
Impacts Our Thoughts
What We Feel Versus What We Know
 
I want to encourage you with a very practical idea that has helped me when I am trying to get the truth from my head to my heart. Ephesians 6 refers to the “shield of faith” as the piece of armor that we are to take above all else, because with that we quench the fiery darts of the wicked. (Again, isn’t it amazing that God Himself is actually our Shield?!)
  
The fact is, we are in an intense spiritual battle. We face a daily choice to walk by faith or by sight, and the decision we make impacts our spiritual growth, our future, those around us, and future generations. It might not seem like small decisions can make such a tremendous difference, but the fact is, they do. The Bible promises that we reap what we sow.
   
For women especially, I think there can actually be a subcategory to walking by faith – walking by emotions or feelings. :) Of course we all know not to depend on our feelings, because they are so fickle. Yet let’s face it—there are many times when our feelings feel so real, whether they are true or not! When this happens to me, I have learned to start “preaching” truth to myself. There have been times when I have literally quoted the same Scripture dozens of times to drive away a thought of fear or doubt. Eventually, the eternal Word of God does renew my mind and directs my focus on the Lord.
    
Several years ago, I made a list in my journal titled “What I Feel vs. What I Know.” I would encourage you to do the same. Write out some of your feelings and counter them with the truth from God’s Word that sets us free.
   
I have a friend who was trying to make an important decision. She brought in several godly mentors, including her parents, to help guide her. Sometimes she felt like this only complicated the process. However, she was holding onto truth from God’s Word, walking by faith that Proverbs 11:14 is true: “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”
    
I faced a situation in my life that was very difficult to understand. It didn’t make sense to me, and it didn’t seem good to me. Yet I could claim the promises of Scriptures such as Romans 8:28. At times I wondered how good could come out of something that seemed so bad. Yet this promise gave me the assurance that God was working together for good all things! This didn’t always feel real in my heart, but as I preached that truth to myself, God transferred it from my head to my heart.
  
David is such a good example of this, as seen in Psalms and other portions of Scripture. In 1 Samuel 30, we find him arriving in Ziklag at a horrific scene: the destruction of the Amalekites. He didn’t know if his wife and children were even still alive! There was tremendous discouragement and uncertainty. Yet we read that David “encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” Sometimes we just have to preach to ourselves; it’s how we take thoughts captive.
   
Second Peter 1:3 says, “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Do we truly realize that God has provided everything we need for this life in Himself and in His Word?! I just can’t over-emphasize the need to immerse ourselves in the eternal Word of God. “Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.” Proverbs 30:5
    
Dear girls, none of your time in the Scripture is wasted. When we face serious decisions or confusing trials, we may have a myriad of questions. But what we know, we know. Those “commonplace” verses we’ve heard of scores of times, such as Romans 8:28, they come back to us. They become the lamp to our feet and the light to our path. They keep us focused on the Lord. Romans 12 says that we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, and when I am struggling in any area, I always receive guidance, comfort, and victory when I immerse myself in the Word. It may feel redundant at times, but those rock-solid truths are shaping our lives and will impact every decision we make. They will be a shield to us.
 

God being Our Shield Impacts Our Theology
Meditating on God’s Character

Something else so critical is to meditate on the character of God. We see David do this in the Psalms as well. God’s attributes are a shield to us. When Paul met Christ on the road to Damascus, he asked two questions: “Who are You, Lord?” and “What would You have me to do?” These really are the main two questions we should be asking all of our lives… Lord, teach me Who You are. Let me grow in knowledge of Your character and greatness. Someone once told me that our view of God directly affects the way we live, and this is so true! We need to have the right view of God according to His Word. Then, the more we come to know God, the more we love Him. The more we love Him, the more we experience joy in serving Him. This leads us to asking the second question: Lord, teach me what You would have me to do. How can I serve You? You are worthy of a life of devotion to You.

One summer I chose an attribute of God to meditate on as I fell asleep each night. It was so encouraging! Another time, when tempted to complain, the Lord prompted me to turn my complaints into praise by quoting Psalm 145:3: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.” Something else I have found helpful is to begin each morning praying and praising God for Who He is. This shifts my focus off of myself and onto His greatness.

We all need to soak our mind in Scripture that reveals the character of God. I would encourage you to get into the Word and make a list of verses that teach Who God is. We serve a great God! Understanding His character is a shield to us.

 
God Being Our Shield Impacts Our “Thorns” (Trials)
Spiritual Victory in Trials

I also wanted to touch on how God is our Shield through trials. As I mentioned earlier, I walked through some hard times last year. But this is what I discovered: as deep as a trial runs, God’s grace runs deeper still. My pastor said that our breaking point can become our break-through point when we receive the grace of God, and I found this to be so true! One thing the Lord showed me was that my trial was more than just a package of personal pain and confusion to be surrendered to the Lord. It was more than just a test of faith. It was more than an opportunity to walk out truth I have been taught over my lifetime. My trial involved spiritual warfare!
  
The Lord showed me that during trials, so much is at stake! I needed to prayerfully put on the whole armor of God so I could triumph through the victory I have in Christ. I didn’t want to give one inch of ground to Satan by yielding to bitterness, doubt, discouragement, and other wrong thoughts. As I prayed and studied Scripture, it occurred to me that Job knew nothing of what was taking place in the heavenlies. He didn’t understand what had prompted such a tragic chain of events in his life, nor why he had to endure such suffering. Yet as he chose to trust and even bless God in his pain, great spiritual victories were being won for the kingdom of God. The Lord was proving to Satan that Job loved God for Who God is, not merely for God’s blessings.
    
There are many possible reasons for the trials we face, but regardless of the cause, every trial presents an opportunity to resist temptation in the name of Jesus Christ. Our response gives either glory to God or ground to Satan. Thus, our decision to praise and worship God is crucial, and a serious blow to the enemy. We are so blessed to have the Word of God for our comfort! Unbelievers have no hope in the storms of life, but we have the presence of Jesus Christ and the assurance of His promises. His grace truly does run deeper than our pain.
   
In trials and in spiritual warfare, we definitely need a shield! What greater assurance than the fact that God is our Shield?!

To Be Continued...
In the next article, we will look at how God is our Exceeding Great Reward.