I was grading tests turned in for a seminary course I was teaching. In his essay a student wrote, “The only thing I fear is zombies.” I wrote back, “Zombies? You fear zombies? There is no such thing. They are the figment of someone’s imagination!”
I’ve laughed about that ever since. This guy is going to be a minister of the gospel and he fears zombies.
“No fear allowed.” That should be the sign across every believer’s doorway. Anyone doing even a cursory reading of Scripture has stumbled across text after text informing God’s children–reminding them, teaching them, again and again–that we are not to fear.
God is insulted by His children fearing. It’s as though we believe the enemy and not Him.
Here are some of our favorite texts on “No Fear Allowed” that come to mind…
“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Elisha’s words to his panicky servant who had just seen the enemy encircling the city are good for us today. Don’t be afraid: We outnumber them.
“Do not be afraid of (those to whom I send you), for I am with you to deliver you,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:8). Later, same chapter, God said, “Do not be dismayed before them, lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you today as a fortified city, as a pillar of iron, as walls of bronze against the whole land….” (1:17-18). Don’t be afraid: The Lord is with you. And, do not fear because you are invincible.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not look anxiously about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you by my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Don’t be afraid: Your Heavenly Father is on the job!
“God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Don’t be afraid: Not of the enemy because we’ve been given power; not of people because we love them; and not of the unknown future because He has given us a sound mind.
“Why did you fear? Where is your faith?” (Mark 4:40) The apostles awakened the Lord who had been napping in the bottom of the boat. The storm was about to swamp the boat and drown them! The Savior rose up and rebuked the winds, rebuked the waves, then rebuked the disciples. Don’t be afraid: The Lord is with us. As many have said, with Him on board, the boat will not sink and the storm will not last forever.
At least four times in Matthew 10’s instructions to the dispersing disciples the Lord told them not to fear…
–When put on trial for your obedience, do not worry about what you are to speak, for it shall be given to you in that hour. After all, it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (10:19-20) Don’t be afraid: The Lord is in charge here.
–Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. (10:26) Don’t be afraid: What they do will come out at the appropriate time. They’ll get theirs.
–Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear HIm who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (10:28) Don’t be afraid: The worst they can do is kill you. After that, you’re out of their reach. Clearly, the Lord does not see the end of this life as the end of anything!
–Therefore, do not fear; you are of much more value than many sparrows. (10:31) Don’t be afraid: The Father treasures you.
Hebrews 13:6 says, “The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?” That is a quote, mostly, from Psalm 118:6.
The Psalms, of course, are filled with reminders not to fear. Here are several of our favorites…
–“You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon….For you have made the Lord my refuge; even the Most High your dwelling place….” (Psalm 91:5ff.)
–“What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3). When a woman told Evangelist Dwight L. Moody that was her favorite verse, he is said to have responded, “I prefer the next verse: ‘In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid.'” (56:4)
–“I will fear no evil for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4). Everyone’s favorite.
–“For Thou dost save an afflicted people…For by Thee I can run upon a troop; and by my God I can leap over a wall!” (Psalm 18:29)
So much more…
Those are some of my favorites which say “no fear allowed!” And the fun thing about this is those are just texts telling us not to fear. Think of all the places in Scripture where those words are not found, but the point is the same. Here are a couple to get us started…
–“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works” (Psalm 73:28).
–“I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hands. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).
No fear allowed, Christian.
Fear is a vote of no confidence in Christ. Fear says we believe the enemy’s rants more than the Savior’s assurances. Fear paralyzes. It “hath torment,” as one Scripture writer put it.
So, Christian, live boldly. Confidently. Take your stand and be strong. Speak up. Give boldly and generously. Preach with power. You have been made “more than a conqueror through Him who loves us!”
Now, go act like you are what He said you are!