Our Many Fears
Fear of anyone but God is not acceptable to God. Down through history many rulers have enslaved people by using fear. It is a method of control. God has a different way of using fear. Fear of God brings about wisdom and blessings. “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.” Psalms 25:12-13.
No other fear can bring about those blessings.
Today we have the fear of climate change that many are using to push their economic policies. Should we be afraid? The Bible tells us no. I believe human welfare is more important than decreasing the temperature of the earth by one or two degrees. The debate rages, but the important thing to remember is that God does not want us to be afraid. I believe the kingdom of Jesus Christ is almost here, and if there is something wrong with the earth’s climate, He will fix it.
Another fear put upon us is the approach of a nuclear war, growing from the Ukraine conflict. The solution is Psalm 91. “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” Psalms 91:5-6. The arrow that flies by day is the missile and the destruction that wastes at noon is the nuclear explosion. Don’t be afraid of them.
Psalm 91 also covers pandemics (pestilence). When Covid-19 was raging I chose to not be afraid. I chose not to take what I believed to be an experimental injection, and when I caught the virus, I did not suffer much. I could not get out of bed for one day, but after four days I was feeling better and was up and around and eating normally again. There was one day when I had a splitting headache, but my wife got some Christians to pray for me and the headache stopped. God is good, and He answers prayer. If you had a different experience with Covid-19 I am not discounting your experience. I am only sharing what I went through.
There is fear of another great depression. When people lose their money some of them commit suicide. Don’t be afraid. God will provide. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” 1 Timothy 6:7-8. The important thing is to thank God for what we have.
Some fears are bizarre, such as fear of the supernatural or fear of aliens from U.F.O.s. Evil spirits cannot hurt Christians, and if there are people on other planets, I believe they would not be evil. I believe what C.S. Lewis believed, that this planet is the dark planet. This planet is the one besieged by Satan.
Recently another fear has emerged in the tech industry. It is the fear that a supercomputer will become sentient. The theory is that a computer will gain consciousness and think on its own without human guidance. Then it will take over governments and the finances of the world and decide what to do with people. I do not believe this will happen because it would mean a thing of wires, electronic impulses, and micro-chips would suddenly come alive. This type of thinking is in league with the theory of evolution: that a mixture of chemicals suddenly came alive, and a living cell occurred. The truth is, only God can create life and is the author of all life. If someone tells you a computer is alive, he is lying. The computer is controlled by programs created by people.
Even without a computer coming to life, artificial intelligence is being used to monitor people and direct people to propaganda by means of internet search engines. We are told to be afraid of computers gathering mountains of information about us to be used against us one day.
There seems to be no end to the fear being pushed at us. Usually, it is to get us to buy something or to do something. The Bible says we have an alternative to fear. “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28. The Kingdom age is coming. “And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” Micah 4:3-4.
David had the right attitude toward the fear of man. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalms 27:1-4.
The Lord delivered David from death, but what if He does not deliver us? Jesus warned us not to place too much emphasis on our mortal life. “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Luke 12:4-5.
