In a Fearful World, Be Fearless

Have you ever been fearful? As a culture, especially today, so many are bound by fear. There are many things to be concerned about, for sure: inflation, riots, communists, not to mention the virus. Fear is why many Americans have been so willing to do anything and everything the doctors and politicians have been telling them to do without question. We live in a fear-obsessed age today and that fear is killing us.

Parents are fearful for their kids. The mentality of “helicopter parenting” in which a main goal is to protect children from every possible risk, has grown out of control and spread to every aspect of society. In many nations, there are now “helicopter governments” that masquerade in parental garb and speak in paternal language.

Now don’t get me wrong. I like safety. Reflecting on my childhood, I appreciated my parents warning me of dangers and keeping me from potentially hazardous situations. When I worked in the electrical trade I appreciated the emphasis that was made on safety.  I never went to work fearing the possibility of death or losing an arm or a leg. We had safely meetings daily, wore hard hats, and other protective gear such as high visibility vests and steel toed boots. These measures were both good and helpful. I am in no way protesting these measures. 

However like every cultural movement there is is a danger of imbalance and excess. At any time there is always lurking in the background the danger of opportunism in which bad power is consolidated by bad people in government. The moment we are living in is characterized by what might be termed a “safety obsession imbalance”. There is a deep desire to create an environment of perfect safety before any action is taken. This mentality is reflected in the intense, long-term lockdowns enacted in many states as well as in many countries throughout the world. This attitude is paralyzing. 

Australia is a perfect example of this imbalance. Recently the government of Australia enacted a covid lockdown in which they committed to eliminating every case of covid before reopening society. Although there is some resistance in that land, the very fact that such a lockdown could be enacted shows that people generally already had a “safety obsession imbalance”. Generally they believe that complete elimination of risk is more important than the abundant benefits of a normal society. They are paralyzed with fear. 

Here is the reality: Every profitable endeavor involves an element of risk. Simple things like going to the store to get groceries, flying in an airplane to visit family, or going to work to make money incorporate risk. Large business endeavours incorporate risk. America’s economy is built by risk takers. There will always be risk if anything good will be accomplished.

This same principle applies in the spiritual realm. Remember what Jesus said just before he ascended to heaven. What did he say? He told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. What else did he say? He said “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of age.” This is our main purpose as believers. We are to be witnesses of the glorious message of the gospel. Fear is not an attitude that should be reflected in in the heart of a Christian. Jesus is with us. We are to live lives that are fearless.   

At every turn, obedience to Christ’s command incorporates risk. When we do door to door in evangelism, we encounter the risk of failure, rejection, or even persecution. 

When a missionary, an evangelist, a pastor, or a church planter, a father, a mother, a child — when anyone pushes forward in spiritual advance, they exposes themselves to the potential of risk. A missionary risks failure spiritually, physically, and financially. A pastor wishing to see an advance in his church, risks rejection, not only from those he is reaching, but also from those he is partnering with. A father, wishing to lead his family to walk closer with Christ, perhaps calling them to do family devotions, or setting up a new rule to protect his kids risks the resistance of his own family. A teenager in public school or even in Christian school risks being thought of as a nerd or a prude when he decides to obey Christ instead of the demands of peer pressure. A employee who chooses to work hard unto the Lord instead of slack on the job will be ridiculed by lazy people. All these situations can cause us to fear. However Jesus is with us. And because of this, we are to live lives that are fearless.     

If a spiritual leader, or even a Christian in general lives with all too common “safety obsession imbalance” he will never be obedient. He will never see advance in his Christian walk. He will never win souls. He will never attempt to build a church, he will never attempt a new outreach. He lives in constant fear and never accomplishes what God has called him to do.

Because Jesus is with us, we are to live lives that are fearless  

As believers we are called to be risk-takers. We are called to be innovators, pioneers and pathfinders. We are called be bold with the gospel in our communities. We are called to take the gospel to our neighbours, our friends, the people we walk by in there supermarket. We are called to reach unreached, the bound, the broken and bruised. We are called to plunge into the unknown. To be light bearers in a world that is shrouded in deathly darkness. This takes boldness, which is something we do not naturally carry within ourselves.But here his the good news:  Jesus us is with us, we can live lives that are fearless  

Thankfully we are not called to this mission alone. Jesus Christ our commander, the chief shepherd of the sheep is with us. Do you remember what he said? “And lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” The Holy Spirit dwells within us. He is the eternal God, who knows the beginning from the end. He holds the universe in the palm of his hand. There is no unknowns to him. Everything, every scheme of man, every trap, every snare, every ambush, every evil intention, He is aware of them all and only allows that which accomplishes his perfect will. This is our God. He is in perfect control, and only has our best interests at heart. He is calling us to trust Him. Because Jesus is with us we are to live lives that are fearless  

I want you to consider for a moment the example of Christ. He was called to accomplish something that was full of risk. It was the most hazardous mission that had ever been done. It was full of the worst kind of pain, rejection and death. Yet Jesus Christ committed himself to trust in the perfect wisdom of the Father. He willingly exposed himself to ultimate danger, to the greatest risk of all time. Some would call it recklessness. Jesus called it faith. It was faith, not in Himself or in His own plan, but in the ultimate plan of the God the Father. “Not my will but thine be done.” In saying this , Jesus committed to paying the ultimate price and as a result purchased full salvation. Because of that sacrifice there is enough grace available for every human that has ever lived, or will ever live. He risked it all and obtained His reward. You as a believer are His reward. Christ was willing to risk give up everything for you. Without His choice of faith you would not be saved today. Are you willing to give up yourself for him? Because Jesus is with us should live lives that are fearless Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant.  

In Romans 12:1 Paul makes the statement. “I beseech you,” or I earnestly call on you,  “brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul is calling Christians to a life of death, to a life of  risky, self sacrificial devotion to Jesus Christ. We are not our own. We have no rights to ourselves. We are owned by Him. This is what Christianity is all about! Dying daily for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Presenting yourself, without regard for your own personal safety, as living sacrifice to Jesus Christ. Are you living that way today?  Because Jesus is with us, we should lives that are fearless  

As believers we have every reason to risk. No matter what happens we have the promise of eternal life. The apostle Paul said “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Unlike the world around us which has no hope and is obsessed with making their short time on earth as long, and as comfortable, and risk-free as possible, we have the promise of eternal life. No matter what we do, no matter what tribulation befalls us, we have the promise of a better life awaiting us. Compelled then, by the example of self sacrifice emulated by Jesus, and cheered on by a great cloud of faithful witnesses, we should live a life of fearless self-sacrifice for the cause of Christ and his kingdom. Because Jesus is with us should live lives that are fearless  

We are held in hands of Him who holds eternity. He is for us, not against us. Because He created us with a specific purpose in mind, He believes in our calling, more than we do. As our heavenly Father, He is personally invested in our spiritual success. Everything He allows in our life, both good and bad from our perspective, is ultimately for our good and His glory. He wants us to succeed in our calling. He wants us to live victoriously and bring souls to Christ. In Him, we have all the power we need to fulfill the Great Commission. With all the authority of heaven behind us, and the very presence of God within in us, we are chosen and empowered for this specific moment. We must go boldly to a paralyzed, fear-filled and hell-bound world, as lights in a dark place and liberators in the midst of captives. Jesus is with us, Let us live lives that are fearless!