““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”” Matthew 6:25-27 ESV
Anxiety and fear are rampant in our day. There is a continuation of perplexity and fear of the unknown. As time presses on, this feeling will only become more prevalent. The reason is due to darkness invading and spreading across the land. For where darkness is, there is confusion. For just as we cannot see what lies before us in the dark, so too we cannot know when spiritual darkness will end or what lies ahead. Our fear, whether we know it or not, comes from this spiritual darkness.
The spiritual darkness of our day seeks to blind us of the Light. It desires to disrupt our soul and spirit from recognizing Truth. Through this, there is a battle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV). The battle wages on between the call of God and the deception of darkness.
Spiritual darkness desires that none should be saved, but that all should perish.
As the Holy Spirit’s presence flows throughout this world trying to bring men to the Father, He continually gets rejected. Time and time again His voice is drowned out by the flesh and spiritual darkness. For this darkness desires that none should be saved, but that all should perish. This darkness that is derived by the Father of Lies and his demons desires to damn as many made in God’s image as he can. He knows his time is short, and what better revenge than to deceive those God loves into Hell.
Spiritual darkness not only attempts to cut off the voice of God from many of its hearers, but it also desires to bring forth fear to those who know God.
This spiritual darkness, then, not only attempts to cut off the voice of God from many of its hearers, but it also desires to bring forth fear to those who know God. We as born again believers know that before the Lord returns, the days are going to be darker than anything this world has ever seen. The fear of the unknown and what this all entails is what leads many believers to be fearful and anxious in this life. Rather than setting our eyes upon Eternity, we become fearful when disruptions occur in this life. For we as human beings naturally desire comfort and routine. When darkness begins to move around us, we become discomforted and uneasy. Why? Because we don't know if we too will lose all we have in the process. We become afraid if our rights are taken from us.
As Americans, we fear losing our high ticket items that 90% of the world knows nothing about or does not have. It is in our American comfort of ease and luxury that we foolishly fear for that which will not last and does not fulfill.
It is in the forgetfulness of knowing that God is for us and not against us (Romans 8:31) that we fall prey to fear and anxiety. Rather than putting our trust in God and knowing that those of us who have been born again are destined for Paradise, we see the problems and disruptions of this life. We become afraid that we might not be able to have food tomorrow. We are afraid that we shall never work again. As Americans, we fear losing our high ticket items that 90% of the world knows nothing about or does not have. It is in our American comfort of ease and luxury that we foolishly fear for that which will not last and does not fulfill.
What we fear in this life is temporal. It is all fleeting. None of it fills the soul or satisfies our eternal needs. That is why it is of utmost importance to look to the heavens and see that we are destined to be with Christ.
It would be one thing to fear that Satan might be able to rob the Holy Spirit from us once we have Him, but this is unBiblical and untrue. What we fear in this life is temporal. It is all fleeting. None of it fills the soul or satisfies our eternal needs. That is why it is of utmost importance to look to the heavens and see that we are destined to be with Christ. We are not to live like this all our lives, for we have a promised home that is free from affliction, suffering, evil, persecution, and sin. We will be in the Heavenly City of Perfect Purity and Holiness.
Why then must we worry about such things in this life, if we are destined to be with God? For if it is true that our soul is secure in Him; and if God is even in the smallest of details (such as feeding the birds), why do we fear? O that we would know that we are made in God’s image! Those of us who have repented and believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior go from being made in God’s image to God’s children! If God takes care of the animals of this world, then why can’t we trust Him to take care of our needs in this life?
O how God longs for His people to believe in Him and His promises. He desires to strip us of our fear and anxiety, but He can only do so if we cast them upon Christ.
God is a God of Love. Though He promises there will be trials and tribulation in this life, He promises to be with us. “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand’” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV). O how God longs for His people to believe in Him and His promises. He desires to strip us of our fear and anxiety, but He can only do so if we cast them upon Christ (1 Peter 5:7). When we truly give everything to Christ, that is when we may be filled with overflowing peace from the Holy Spirit. We will have that child-like faith that says, “God, I know not how You will do it, but I believe You will!”
We must not allow spiritual darkness and temporal feelings to override Eternal Truths. God is for us, in us, around us, beyond us, and beside us. We must not fear when the Eternal One is near.
O that we might have the faith to see that God is our Rock and Fortress. That we would see He and His Word are Immutable. We must not allow spiritual darkness and temporal feelings to override Eternal Truths. God is for us, in us, around us, beyond us, and beside us. We must not fear when the Eternal One is near. We must not fret when the Holy One of Israel covers and protects our head.
May His presence come to full fruition through our mustard seed of faith. May our desire to give Him all be the result of receiving all of Him. Only then, shall our fear and anxiety of temporal things dissolve. May we believe in Him Who is True. May we trust that our “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NKJV). For “the Lord is faithful, Who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NKJV). Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, God of Peace and Comfort, come to the weary, broken, and frightened hearts. O Lord, fill us anew with Thy powerful presence. Lord, we submit all we are; all our anxieties, burdens, sin, and will before You. Forgive us, cleanse us, purify us, and empower us. Give us faith and help our unbelief. Do what only You can do, and may we give You praise and thanks. We know You love us, Lord, and that You desire to bless us with Your presence and Your protection. Lord, provide for our needs. Draw us to where we must go. Keep us in Thy Word and ever growing in spiritual Truths. Calm our souls and give us the strength needed to persevere to the end. Move mountains, O God, and split the seas before us. Make a way where there is no way. We trust and believe that You shall prove Yourself faithful. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may this all be accomplished. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine
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