Everyone deals with fear at some point in their lives.  I have picked five main facts about fear.  Join me as we dig into those five facts over the next couple weeks. 

NUMBER 1:  GOD SAYS DON’T 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. 
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD 
your God will be with you wherever you go.” 
~~Joshua 1:9~~

The Hebrew word used here for afraid (`arats) means to dread, hence to be harassed.  Think that definition through.  If I dread something, I fear it greatly and feel extreme reluctance to meet or face it.  And what results from that fear and reluctance to face something?  Harassing thoughts that annoy and worry me persistently.  Now if that doesn’t sum up what goes on in our heads, I don’t know what does.  

Notice here that God is commanding two things in this verse.   Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  These two things are polar opposites, which indicate that we can’t do both of these at the same time.  It’s one, or it’s the other.  When I choose to dwell on what makes me afraid, it automatically makes me disobedient to God’s command to be strong and courageous.  How’s that for an ouch?! 

I MUST CHOOSE OBEDIENCE

As we look at the remainder of this verse, we see that God doesn’t just give us the commands to “be strong and courageous” and “do not be afraid or discouraged”, but He also provides the means to our obedience – the promise that “…the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.  Think about that!  The Lord (Yĕhovah), the self-existent, eternal One is with me always.  God (‘Elohiym), the true God, the Supreme God, surpassing all others is with me always.  

Because God is “self-existent”, there is nothing He can lose that could change who He is—there is nothing He “needs” to continue to be all that He is. He is Self-existent. He is the Eternal One. No beginning. No end. He is I Am and He never changes. And He is with me wherever I go!  Can you even think of a better promise than God’s presence with me wherever I go?!!  

GOD SAYS “DON’T”.  WILL YOU OBEY?