Franklin Delano Roosevelt was first inaugurated President of the United States in March of 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, when unemployment was an unprecedented 25%, thousands upon thousands of banks had failed wiping out millions of Americans’ whole life savings and leaving many literally, penniless. It was a time of great instability for our country, folks were scared. It was in his acceptance speech that one of his infamous quotes emerged and is frankly, quite relevant today.
I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our people impel. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Although not a theologian, Roosevelt had some major wisdom going on. In his speech he didn’t tick off the list of severe overwhelming challenges our country was facing at the time. He didn’t fearmonger. He didn’t mention how he was going to address all the failures and problems of the country. He just stated what was at the heart of the Country’s turmoil and angst — fear. He then went on to define what fear is and the consequences thereof.
We fear so many things in life today, we’re not unlike those folks of the 30s. Our country is a mess — politically and morally, and evil lurks around every corner. Our lives are a mess — politics, violence, health, jobs, sin situations, frenzied schedules and many days it really does seem like evil will prevail. Many fears we are unable to place a name on (unlike MRI machines and snakes), it’s more of a current, a movement, an unseen wave that seems ever present and when we add that to all of our life’s happenings, fear does cause unjustified terror, fear does absolutely paralyze us, fear does encourage us to run away from our problems in panic instead of running to the solution to our problems. It really does look like we have good grounds for the fear we experience in our lives.
Now, I’m sure many of you out there, just like me are saying you have no fears. I feel pretty fearless most of the time, even rebellious towards fear, but sometimes fear settles in and engulfs me. I’m like a child running scared, eyes closed, hands over my ears. When those moments hit and I’m simply beyond myself, physically and mentally exhausted from the churning fears that eat away, I run screaming to the only place I know to go, my only hope, my only refuge, The Word of the Lord.
Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” Genesis 15:1
Bam! This is what my Bible reads: “Do not be afraid, Beth, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” Wow! That’s exactly what He says to you too! It’s in your Bible, look and see! Does it get any better than that? A hard no, it doesn’t. The God of the Universe, the Creator of All Things, tells me by name, not to be afraid. Now this might be the first time in the Bible he says it, but definitely not the last. God tells us in His Word over 365 times not to be afraid, one for each day of the year, and more than any other command in the Bible. One would think God would mention love, service, repentance, salvation, all majorly important, and actually the character of God, but the most oft repeated directive in the Word is do not be afraid — something that is the exact opposite of who God is.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer… Revelation 2:10
From beginning to end, do not fear. Why so much about fear in the Bible? Because the Lord knew there would be so much to fear here on earth. He knew what the fall would bring about. He knew we would be faced with awful circumstances, with calamity, with horrific things that just go hand-in-hand with living in a fallen world, a godforsook land. He knew the trials, the perils, the fires each of us would walk through , even before time began. And right off the bat, He gave instruction — do not fear.
But how in the world are we to look at our lives, the lives of others, our Country, our World, and not be fearful? ONLY, let me repeat that ONLY, by knowing the God who is able to take away all our fears. Do you know God? Do you believe that Jesus came to save us from our sins by dying on a cross so we wouldn’t have to? Do you believe that He rose three days later to perfect that? Have you repented of those sins that He died for so you wouldn’t have to? Have you accepted the free gift of salvation in Christ? Have you been reborn? Are you a new man?
If you cannot answer all of these questions affirmatively, you will ALWAYS, let me repeat that ALWAYS, live in abject fear, maybe even terror. What kind of life is that? That’s not living. Living only comes when we fear not.
So, that’s nice, you say. I agree, you say. How do you get there, you say. Well, trust me, I’m no expert on it. But here are a couple of things I have learned:
First, we need to realize that when we live in fear, we will have much less of God in our life. Fear overtakes all the space in our minds and our hearts that could be inhabited by Jesus. Do I think more about the things that may or may not happen or are happening around me or do I think more in my day about God? Ouch! That’s the litmus test. Fear will dictate our every move, our every word, our every thought, our every action. It becomes this animal inside of us we choose not to control that imposes its will on every aspect of our life. Fear becomes our God (yes, it does) and truly we allow it to be more powerful in our lives than the God who gave us life (yes, we do).
Second, I cannot force myself not to fear. I cannot be determined enough, willful enough, get it out of my head enough, not to be fearful, I mean look at our world, it’s a scary place. But, I do know the Only One who is powerful enough to take my fears away and I can choose to follow Him rather than feed my fear.
Third, the Only One has given us His Holy Word and in it it speaks to every single thing we go through in life, every single thing we fear in life. We have to use it. Remember, at least 365 verses on fearing not. Dig them out Write them over and over. Pray His promises back to Him.
And fourth, we need to get on our knees, confess our sin of fear and our fear of sin, and cry out to the Only One who can instill in us the desire to be fearless, the comfort, the peace, the balm in Gilead.
And fifth, we need to confess our fears to other believers. It’s freeing to not have to hide our fears from others. Other believers can help us put our fears in perspective, talk us off the ledge, and hold us accountable to choose faith over fear and not feed the monster. Even more important, friends will pray for your courage, your boldness, guide you to scripture, and encourage you to go to the Only One who can handle all your fears and all you fear, Our Precious Lord and Savior, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ! To Him be all glory and power forevermore. Amen.
…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Do not be afraid, only believe. Mark 5:36