Fear

An emotional response to a perceived threat… Fear.

I have a confession to make; I still wake up some nights with an incredible fear of death. Just recently as me and one of the guys in The Group were talking about fear he made a very profound point that I had never really thought of; we fear usually when deep down we know what we are doing is not right. I can remember when I first realized that we will all die, that I and the people I love will have that moment of death that will take them from this world. I was about 12 or so when this revelation came over me; I’m 31 now and still sometimes feel like that 12 year old kid scared of death. Working with teenage guys and young adults has revealed some things about death… Ask this question, what do we actually fear?

When I was in my early 20’s I had a really intense fear of death, but oddly I didn’t care whether I died or lived and my lifestyle reflected that. I wasn’t sure about who God was or what exactly heaven or hell was but I was having very intense dreams and fears of going to hell. I had these fears because I was living the lifestyle that Jesus and the apostles spoke of as immoral. In 2 Peter 2:9 says “…the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trails and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment;” so the Lord will keep the unrighteous under punishment? I interpreted this verse as God is not punishing us through our immorality because God is not tempted by evil and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone (James 1:13); however, He will keep the unrighteous under punishment. When I was “under punishment” I was in an active lifestyle that was a product of the world and I was fulfilling all my selfish desires; I had placed myself in my situation with my choices but God was going to keep me there. Why? Why would he keep me in a place of fear and loneness? I needed to learn love…

God is love and this love is perfect with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment (1 John 4:17). As I look back at the fear that I experienced throughout my childhood I realized that I had no understanding of God’ love; even throughout my earlier 20’s. In 1 John he goes on to tell us that “there is no fear in love and the perfect love drives out fear” (verse 18); the fear that I was experiencing was kind of a barometer that measure my relationship with God. John goes on in verse 18 to say that “the one who fears has not reached perfection in love;” basically our fear demonstrates our relationship with God.

When Peter writes that God will keep the unrighteous under punishment he is just explaining that we have to make a choice to follow God. I take verse 10 in 2 Peter chapter 2 personally because Peter says “especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority” and this labels my life before my acceptance of Jesus Christ. I truly believe that God will allow us to make our choices because honestly God unfortunately is not acknowledged until that desperate moment in our lives; when there’s no other place, person or sin to turn to.

Fear in my life usually occurs when I am challenged, when change occurs or when sin has crept back in my life; these are the times I really become aware of the level intimacy and dependence I have in God. It can scare the “hell” out of me… The positive aspect of fear is that fear is an emotion and when we feel fear we are acknowledging that our relationship with God is not where it should be. Fear motivates me to learn more of His word and promises; to allow God’s love to flush out the fear in my life.

No matter where you are at in your life, God can restore. Every person on this earth has a purpose and divine appointments that God is just waiting to reveal to you. Isaiah 54:7-8 – ““I deserted you for a brief moment, but I will take you back with great compassion. In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment but I will have compassion on you with everlasting love,” says the LORD your Redeemer.”

I encourage everyone to check out the Jesus Culture video on YouTube “Your Love Never Fails… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoezWBPGRAc