Faith Fights Fear

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:40

The disciples were taking Jesus across the Sea of Galilee in a boat when Scripture tells us that a ‘furious squall’ came up. Waves were breaking over the boat to the extent that Mark 4:37 says it was “nearly swamped.” The disciples were terrified! And you can hardly blame them. Their lives were in danger. I would say that fear was an appropriate response to their situation.

But look at how Jesus responds when they call out to Him for help. The passage says Jesus “got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid?”

The disciples' fear was perfectly reasonable from a worldly perspective. And yet Jesus rebuked them for their fear... because it showed a lack of faith. In vs 40 Jesus asks them, “Do you still have no faith?”

You see, if the disciples had trusted God more, they would have feared the storm less. If they had truly believed that God was in control of all things, they would have known that nothing could happen to them apart from His will. And if they truly had faith that Jesus was the Messiah, they would have known that that storm couldn’t be the end of Him.

Now, let’s apply this to our lives… Why are you so afraid? Is it possibly because you lack faith? The simple truth is that the more you trust God, the less you’ll fear the storms of life. The more certain you are that God is in control, that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from His care (Matthew 10:29), the more you’ll trust that no harm can come to you apart from His will

Consider what the psalmist says in Psalm 27:3, “Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.” What was it that gave the psalmists such freedom from fear? It was faith! Faith fights fear! So... trust the Lord! And have no fear.

Fear Not the Persecution of Men

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31

The ESV Study Bible tells us that “sparrows were customarily thought of as the smallest of creatures, and the copper coin that is rendered into English as ‘penny’ here was one of the least valuable Roman coins…”* The point here is that “if God does not overlook the death or injury of even the most insignificant birds,” then surely He does not overlook the suffering or death of His beloved children.** 

I like the way the CSB Study Bible puts it. “The God who has numbered even the hairs of your head has also numbered the days of your life. His plan for his disciples cannot be cut short by persecution.”*** 

If God doesn't let the sparrows fall apart from His will, then neither will He let you fall apart from His will. The Bible doesn’t guarantee that you won’t suffer. It doesn’t even guarantee that you won’t die. In fact, many Christians have died for their faith. But it does promise that God will watch over you and that nothing will happen to you apart from Him.

This is why Christians shouldn’t fear persecution. Because we have nothing to fear from men. They don’t hold our fate in their hands. God the Father does. And God does not forget His children. No harm can befall you apart from His will. You can be in the worst possible situation and not fear, because you know that God’s got you! So, faithful believer, don't live in fear of men!

*Wilkins, Michael J. ESV Study Bible note on Matthew 10:29 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001), 1841

** A. Boyd Luter, “Luke,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1632

*** Charles L. Quarles, “Matthew,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1517.

Invite Him In

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Mark 5:15–17

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How did the townspeople respond to Jesus and the great miracle He performed when He cast thousands of demons out of this one man?

They very kindly and very politely invited Jesus to leave. In fact, it says they “pleaded” with Jesus to leave their region. And this is exactly how some of you treat God. You go to church on Sunday morning and pay your respects and then you politely ask God not to interfere with your private life. Why? Why did they respond this way and why do we respond this way?

Verse 15 gives us the answer. It says, “When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” They were afraid! Who knows how long this man had terrorized their area. Who knows how many times they had tried to deal with him. The story tells us that he had often been chained hand and foot. Yet, Jesus arrives and within just a few minutes is able to subdue this man and cast all the demons out of him! They didn’t think this was possible. They were afraid of Jesus’ power. They simply weren’t sure that they wanted someone that powerful anywhere near them or their town. They were afraid of what Jesus could do, afraid of what He might do with all that power.

‌I think many of us respond to Jesus in this same way. We are afraid to let Jesus into our life, because we are afraid of what He might do? Afraid of what He might ask us to do. I struggled with this for a very long time. I was afraid that if I fully surrendered my life to Christ He might call me to be a missionary, or He might ask me to walk up to strangers on the street and share the gospel with them. Are you keeping Jesus at arm’s length? Are you very politely asking Him to leave you alone because you are afraid of what He might ask you to do? Don’t make the mistake these people made. The Bible doesn’t record Jesus ever returning to this area after they invited Him to leave. Don’t let fear keep you from Jesus. Don't plead with Him to leave. Invite Him in.

God's Kingdom Won't be Stopped

Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

Mark 3:6-8

By just verse six of chapter three of mark's gospel, Jesus has unnatural allies plotting together how they might kill Him, but what we find in the next two verses shows us that even in the face of increasing opposition, God’s kingdom advances.

In verse 7 we read that Jesus has a large crowd following Him but they are all from Galilee which is the geographic area that Jesus’ ministry has been primarily restricted to up to this point. But it doesn’t stay that way for long. In verse 8 we find that word about what Jesus has been doing has spread and that people are coming from all over to see Him. 

The names of some of these places that they come from are interesting. Tyre for example is far north of Galilee. While Idumea is far south. And both of them, along with several other areas listed, are inhabited primarily by non-Jews. What this tells us is that Jesus’ influence is growing. He is now drawing people from a large geographic area. [John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Mk 3:8.]

And so what we see here is that in spite of the fact that Jesus’ enemies were plotting to kill Him, His influence grows and God’s kingdom advances! This is strong reminder that we should not live in fear of the world or of those who oppose the expansion of God’s influence over it. People with a secular mindset may call you nasty names. They may say awful things about Christians and Christianity. They may even makes threats against you, but they cannot stop the growth of God’s kingdom! God is in control, and you are in His hand. They cannot harm you without His permission; so never, never, never fear them.

Run to God

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3

A Christian can possess internal stillness of soul even as the world melts into chaos around him. Psalm 46 tells us how. The secret is trusting God. Even when that which seems most fixed and unshakeable in our world, characterized in this psalm by mountains, collapses before our eyes and falls at our feet, we don't have to be afraid. Even when everything around us is shaking, we need not be shaken, because we trust in the Lord.

Psalm 46 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." No matter how bad life gets the Christian has a refuge he can run to, a safe place that can't be touched by the evils of this world. This reminds me of what I would do when I was scared as a child. If a big, scary dog approached us and was barking at us, I would instinctively get close to my dad or grandad because I knew they would keep me safe. When I was scared I ran to them and felt safe. 

It's the same with God. When your world is shaking, when it seems like everything is falling apart, it isn't time to get angry with God or question His justice, it's time to run to Him for protection. The wise Christian knows that his relationship with God is his only refuge in this chaotic world. He also knows that God is his only source of help or rescue. So, whenever the wise Christian feels scared or in trouble he runs to His God and feels safe again.

Stuck Between Terror and Trust (W.o.W. Rewind)

 I remember my dad using a pocketknife to remove a splinter from my hand when I was a kid. I trusted him, but I wasn't so sure that I should trust him when he was pressing a blade up against my hand to pick a splinter out. I remember feeling this odd mixture of terror and trust. I felt the same thing when my mom would use a safety pin to remove a splinter or when one of my parents would pull my loose tooth. In fact, I think I felt this way a lot as a small child. Anytime my parents needed to do something that would be painful to me in the short run, even though I knew it was good for me in the long run, it created this tug of war in my heart between terror and trust.

I think the disciples experienced a similar mix of terror and trust in the hours leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus had been hinting at His impending death for days or even weeks (one example can be found in John 12:27-33). Then came the night of the last supper. After He had washed their feet, Jesus told the disciples that one of their own would betray Him (John 13:21-30). Then at the same meal Jesus revealed that one of their greatest leaders, Simon Peter, would fall away and deny Him three times before the next morning (John 13:36-38). Taken together in short succession, the predictions that Jesus would be murdered, that one of them would betray Him and that even Peter would fall away must have been the most painful news the disciples would ever hear. You can imagine how filled with terror and confusion their hearts must have been. And as they reeled, struggling to make sense of it all, Jesus comforts them with these words.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1)

He tells them not to be anxious or distressed, but to simply believe in God and in Him. In essence, Jesus tells them to wait, to be still, and to trust. The same things my parents told me when they needed to do something that was ultimately for my good but might cause a little bit of pain in the short run.

I don't know what you are going through right now. I don't know what is troubling you or causing anxiety or distress in your life, but I believe God is trustworthy. So, if you find yourself stuck between terror and trust, choose to trust God. Submit yourself to Him, even when He puts you under the knife to perform surgery on your life. Wait. Be still. Trust. He has a plan. He is in control. And it will work out for your good, believer.

Fear and Bravery

Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Luke 8:37

Jesus had just done the unthinkable. You see there was a man who was notorious in this part of the country. He was demon possessed. Not by one demon. Not by two. But by so many that when Jesus asked the demon its name it replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many" (Mark 5:9). Having been possessed by so many demons, this man had uncommon strength. He could not be bound or restrained even by a chain. But he also lived the tortured existence that the enemy wants for us all. He was driven out from society into solitary places. He lived among the dead in the tombs. He no longer wore clothes but went around like a wild animal.

So, you can imagine the stir that it caused when the people of the area heard that Jesus had cast the demons out of this man. When they came to investigate and saw the man clothed and in his right mind, sitting at Jesus' feet, Scripture says they were afraid. 

Now, you may disagree with what I am going to say next, but I would argue that fear was the right response. Scripture says that the "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). When you glimpse how big and powerful and amazing God is, fear is the only wise response. But fear can push us in two directions. Fear of the LORD can push us toward God or away from Him, and this is where they went wrong. Their fear ought to have caused them to fall at Jesus' feet asking for mercy and forgiveness. Instead, it poisoned them against Jesus, causing them to reject Him. Perhaps... if I can suggest this without sounding heretical... perhaps they saw in Jesus some of what they had seen in the demon-possessed man: great power that they could not restrain or control. They wanted to be free of such power, so, they sent Him away. 

Don't make the same mistake. Fear God. But draw near to Him. Tremble at His presence. But fall at His feet as you do so. Be glad that God is so fearfully powerful and mighty. We need Him to be so, because the devils among us are more powerful than we are also. Only a God who is more powerful still can save us. So fear God, but be brave enough to draw near to Him.

Fearless

God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3

Christians ought to be the most fearless of all people in the world. By that I don't mean that we should make reckless decisions or carelessly enter into dangerous situations. Rather, I mean that no situation that arises in our lives rightly ought to cause us to fear. Now, that's a rather bold statement when you really think about it, but I believe Scripture supports it. 

In the passage above the psalmist says that even if all of creation itself began to shake and come undone, that he would not fear. Why? Because God is his refuge even in the midst of great chaos. God is in control, God is all-powerful, and God is good. These three truths are all you need to know to stop fear dead in its tracks for if all three of these are true, then believers have no reason to fear anything or anyone other than God.

Think about it. Any person or circumstance that enters your life to do harm, is under God's control. He allowed it. He can stop it. Ultimately, your fate is in His hands. So even if someone holds you up at gun point, you can trust God. When you are diagnosed with cancer, you can face it without fear knowing that your life is in His hands. Don't get me wrong. Christians are still human. I know that we will still fear at times. Even Paul was afraid when his life was in danger (2 Corinthians 7:5). But at the end of the day, there is no reason for us to live in fear of anything or anyone.

Scripture commands us over and over again to fear God, but it never commands us to fear anyone or anything other than God. (The only possible exceptions to this rule are Proverbs 24:21-22 and Ephesians 6:5, but I believe both speak of fearing human authority as extensions of God's authority.) 

Still not convinced? David takes up this same theme in several other psalms. He promises not to fear even when tens of thousands attack him on every side (Psalm 3:5-7), or when he walks through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4), or even if an entire army should declare war and besiege him (Psalm 27:1-3). The sons of Korah dare to ask why they should fear anyone but God? (Psalm 49:5). Another psalmist still comes right out and says "surely the righteous...will have no fear" (Psalm 112:6-8). Why all this fearlessness? Because faith is the antithesis of fear. Their fear of God and their faith in God is so strong that it drives out all other fear.

Heavenly Father, fill me with a holy fear of You and a bold faith in You that I might not fear anyone or anything else. For if You be for me then what can man do to me? And if You be against me, then who can protect me? Only let me be right with You, Lord.

For further reading...

• Luke 12:4-5- Don't fear people who can kill you. Fear God.
• Psalm 91:4-8- Another psalm that promotes fearlessness.