Fear and Faith - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

And [Adam] said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I feared, because I am naked; and I hid myself.

But to the fearful and unbelieving their part is in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.
Genesis 3:10; Revelation 21:8

Fear and Faith
Fear is the enemy of faith. All through the Scriptures this is shown to be the case. When sin entered the world through disobedience, fear entered with it. As a result, Adam and Eve hid when they heard God's voice. Guilt, shame, and fear—the unholy trinity of sin's effects—always conspire to keep us distant from God, even when He clearly calls us to come near. In that Revelation scene of final judgment, the sinners who were enslaved by fear had remained unbelieving and distant all their lives, though the entire message of the Bible is that God is not far from any one of us.

For believers, fear cannot drive us into hell, yet it still keeps us distant from the Lord. As one Christian songwriter of modern times put it, "Fear is a liar." The apostle Peter was afraid of what one group of Christians would think if he associated with another group; the result was a practical denial of God's truth that all believers are united in Christ . Timothy feared the difficulties of service and became less active in his work for the Lord; thus he had to be reminded to stir up God's gift and serve with power, love, and sound reasoning (2 Tim. 1:6-7). Fear is always the enemy of faith.

Conversely, faith is the antidote for fear! The New Testament emphasizes this from its opening pages. "Fear not!" was the word to Mary and Joseph as the coming Savior was announced; and when He arrived, the shepherds in the field heard it again. When we trust the God of power who keeps His promises, fear is displaced by faith. As the Lord Jesus Himself said, "Fear not: only believe" (Lk. 8:50).

Stephen Campbell