Fear can dominate and immobilize us. Internet images of brutal deaths of the oppressed and persecuted stoke the fires of fear in our hearts. Two of the greatest fears with which we deal are: The fear of man and the fear of death. Those who trust in the resurrected and reigning Lord Jesus Christ must constantly remind ourselves of the words of Hebrews 13:6 – “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Well, man can do a lot to me. He can inflict physical and emotional pain. He can belittle, slander, abuse, torture, maim, and kill me.

A straight-forward reading of Jesus’ teaching reveals that there is only one way to banish and conquer these fears: Possess and cultivate a greater fear –  the fear (the reverential awe) of the living God.

Jesus sets forth His teaching on this matter in the two verses below:

Luke 12:4-5: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Prayer: Fill us with such an overwhelming sense of awe of Your majestic holiness that we fear You more than we fear anything or anyone else, AMEN.