BBD 05.16.08 Fear Not
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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05.16.08
Fear Not
But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be
preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from
every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory
forever and ever. Amen! - 2 Timothy 4:17.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous
right hand. - Isaiah 41:10.
So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man
do to me?" - Hebrews 13:6.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7.
On June 8, 2004, Anne Hjelle came very close to dying when a mountain lion
attacked her. Earlier, on the same day, the same lion had killed another
biker near to where Anne was attacked. Debi Nichols riding with Anne tried
to help her friend during the attack. Debi threw her bike at the lion and
then grabbed hold of Anne's leg trying to hold onto her while the lion was
trying to drag Anne away. Three more bikers arrived and they threw rocks at
the lion driving it away.
Anne suffered 40 bites and wounds which included severe trauma to the left
side of her face. Six surgeries have repaired some things but one side of
her face is still disfigured. In spite of this terrible thing Anne continues
on and her faith is very strong. A week after the attack with 200 stitches
and staples holding her together she hiked back to where the attack occurred
with family and friends. Today she continues to ride her bike in the same
area and even has a painting of a mountain lion hanging in her bedroom. She
speaks often about her attack and her faith which has sustained her and
continues to sustain her because she knows that the Lord is beside her still
as He was on that day in 2004 when the lion attacked.
The apostle Peter tells us to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1
Peter 5:8)." Our enemy, the devil, delights in seeing our fear. That old
devil wants us to become so fearful that we will become paralyzed with fear
and unable to do or say anything for the Lord. It is a stark contrast
between the enemy seeking to bring fear into our lives and that of the Lord
who ".has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind."
God would have His children to be confident warriors marching forward to
enlarge His kingdom. What can man or even a lion do to you? The apostle Paul
knew that the very worst that could happen to him here on this earth was
death. He had no fear of death because he knew that if he were to die he
would then be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). There is no
need for you to live in fear because the Lord will "uphold you with My
righteous right hand." Jesus says, "And do not fear those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not
one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:28-30)."
Copyright © 2008. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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