“Get yourself ready! Stand up
and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will
terrify you before them. Today I have made you a
fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole
land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of
the land. They will fight against you
but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the
Lord. Jeremiah 1:17-19
There are different kinds of fear. Some fear is good because it puts our body
into a state of preparedness, getting ready for what we’re going to face (like
being on high alert).
In the Bible, God told people not to be afraid because
that fear could cause them to run away and not finish the task God called them
to.
God wants us to know the consequences, face reality and
move ahead. As He told Jeremiah, God
doesn’t want our fear to “overcome” us.
Warriors like Moses and Joshua, prophets like Isaiah and
Jeremiah and even young mothers like Mary were all told to not be afraid and
the comfort from all of that was simply God saying “I will be with you.” God’s presence by our side means we are going
in a direction God is calling us. If
we’re straying from God and going our own way, we should be afraid.
If He’s not with us, we’re doomed.