Joshua 1:9Don’t fear, because I am with you; don’t be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (CEB)
Every October, elaborate Halloween decorations begin popping up in my parents' neighborhood. Some of them are just "ok", but a lot of them are designed to look as scary as possible. One yard features a larger-than-life, gigantic skeleton that sits in a front yard. another yard has larger than life spiders that looks as if they're about to take over the entire house, climbing on what is thought to be white stretched out spider webs. It looks really creepy and the goal to scare was attained. At another home, there were graveyards and tombstones placed throughout the front yard. Skeletons and other scary figures were rightly placed in position to cause what would be known as a scene of death, My parents did not disappoint, they too had decorated their home to entice a mood of fear. I joined in on the fun as well to add another level of fear by just being myself if you can imagine. Pretending to be a zombie, just with my own self, no tricks, no elaborate costume. It amazes me that so many people spend so much money on those decorations, and so much time setting them up, simply to scare people.
In our world, often fear "fun thing" during October. From haunted house decorations to scary movies, people celebrate fear in all its forms as Halloween approaches. It can seem entertaining to seek out experiences that make us feel afraid. But all the spooky darkness around us in this fallen world isn’t worth our attention. As believers, our focus should not be on fear but on God. God’s light is much more powerful than any darkness we encounter. The world may try to draw us into a mindset of fear, but Psalm 27:1 offers a powerful reminder that we don’t need to fear anything or anyone, because God is our stronghold. David, who wrote those words while inspired by the Holy Spirit, was no stranger to scary situations. He faced real dangers from enemies who sought to harm him, yet his response was not to dwell on those fears but to declare his confidence in God’s protection. David declared: “The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?” This declaration is a call to shift our focus from the things that frighten us to the One who is greater than all our fears. If we're just riding in our cars, or watching the news, even scrolling our cell phones, it seems that fear mongers are all around. There are those that want to instill fear in our minds as this election nears. Let me remind you as I remind myself that the one true God is not a God that desires us to be afraid. In fact, he demands that we do not be afraid, knowing that He, God is with us and will be with us forever. Just as he was with David and several others before him. Don't allow your mind to be focused on the fear and anxieties, instead focus on the God that has all power. The God who is the beginning and the end. The one True God that Loves and does not hate. During October, and in the months ahead, when society encourages us to be entertained by fear, we have the opportunity to choose a different path. Instead of allowing fear to take root and plant in our hearts, we can focus on the truth that God is our strength. Whom shall we fear. That means we can trust our all-powerful God to give us strength in all situations and to protect us from all that scares us – Yes, this includes everything! Whether it's that new career you're about to start or a new business you've been waiting to start. Everything! The political elections, everything! The darkness that casts scary shadows of doubt and worry in our minds. It WILL NOT overpower the light of God’s presence in our lives. Remember that fear is a powerful emotion, but it’s not stronger than the powerful and almighty God! When we allow fear to dominate our thoughts, it can paralyze us and keep us from living the thriving lives God intended for us to live. However, when we focus on God, we remember that God is in control, that God is with us, and that God is for us. No matter what circumstances we face, we can be confident in the assurance the Bible gives us in Psalm 27:1. God is our light, guiding us through even the darkest circumstances. God is our salvation, delivering us from all that threatens to harm us. He is our Hope, our everything!
Don't be scared, God got it!
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