“It is I; be not afraid. It is I; be not afraid.” The little boy kept repeating his line for the Easter play, making sure he had it down perfectly. On the day of the program, his stomach churned with nerves. It was just one line, but his teacher had stressed its importance. So, over and over, he recited: “It is I; be not afraid.” When his big moment came, the boy stepped into the glaring spotlights, peering out at the silhouettes of dozens of faces. He panicked, and his mind went blank. After what felt like an eternity of silence, he finally blurted out, “It’s me, and I’m scared to death!”
Fear has a way of paralyzing most of us at one point or another. Someone once suggested that we are born with only two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Every other fear we experience is learned, and most of those fears come straight from Satan. But not all fear is evil. The Bible instructs us to “…Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13b). Scripture also tells us that the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), God’s provision (Psalm 34:9), and avoidance of evil (Proverbs 16:6). Healthy fear can be a powerful motivator. The fear of disease keeps some sexually pure. The fear of addiction keeps some off drugs. The fear of penalties motivates us to pay our taxes. The fear of failure pushes the procrastinator to prepare.
However, most fears are harmful, and many are irrational. There are over 300 phobias listed in the dictionary, and they are all negative: acrophobia (fear of heights), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), pathophobia (fear of disease), and photophobia (fear of light). The longest name is paraskavedekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th). And there’s another phobia that affects many of us—boraphobia (fear of boring sermons). Okay, “boraphobia” isn’t in the dictionary, but maybe it should be!
On the night of Jesus’ arrest, the fear of persecution caused all the disciples to abandon Him in His hour of greatest need. Just days before, these same men had bravely accompanied Him to Jerusalem. Thomas had said, “Let’s go up to Jerusalem and die with Him.” Peter even declared, “I will never deny you.” For days, they stood by Jesus through every menacing challenge. But when the authorities seized Him, they lost their resolve and panicked. “Then everyone deserted Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).
Peter was the first to stop in his tracks and make an about-face. He followed Jesus at a distance, courageously tracking Him into the courtyard of the High Priest. While warming himself by the enemy’s fire, Peter was recognized, and his cover was blown. Fear once again overcame him, and he denied knowing Jesus.
Who among us could fault the disciples? Many of us have run from confrontation with Christ’s enemies out of fear of ridicule. “What if they think I’m ignorant for believing that God created the world?” Fear of rejection has led many of us to flee from evangelistic opportunities. “What if they think I’m a fanatic for speaking about their need for Christ?” Fear of financial pressure has caused us to run from our commitment to tithe. “What if the stock market continues to be volatile, and I lose my savings?” Fear of discomfort has led some to run from chances to advance the gospel. “What if they have a contagious virus?”
While we are instructed to fear God, He is the antidote to all other fears.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18).
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
“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” (Psalm 46:1-2).
Although they initially panicked, the disciples learned a powerful lesson about fear the night Jesus was arrested. They felt so guilty about deserting Him that they must have vowed never to do so again. Once they witnessed the resurrected Christ and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, their resolve to proclaim Christ boldly was unshakable. A few months later, these same disciples, when threatened by the authorities, prayed, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:29-31).
Scott Peck, Ph.D., once wrote, “Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the making of action in spite of fear.” Indeed, with God, we need not be afraid. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
