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GOOD NEWS Letters & SERIES Teachings>
BE NOT AFRAID of SUDDEN TERROR By: Rev. A. Bascon
November 4, 2009
Proverbs 3:25-"BE NOT AFRAID of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked,WHEN it cometh." Notice: that God says "WHEN" it comes; and NOT "if." No one is exempt from trials! We have ALL experienced and do experience troubles in our lives. We can ALL say amen to that! Often times, we are well aware of the possiblity of such troubles occuring. However, what about the troubles that we are NOT aware of? Unexpected troubles that come upon us SUDDENLY? What does God tell us to do? Let's take a look at God's Word..I recently, shared about Jezebel, who was a harlot, and the queen of Witchcraft. She was the wife of King Ahab who went the way of Baal(false gods)and abandoned God. In 2CHRON.20:1, we read of Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah.(Judah means: praise). There is Power in Praise!
And, the Word of God tells us in Romans 1:17 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Anyone can "praise" and not mean it.Anyone can just mouth the words. But, when you Praise God by 'faith,' great, even miraculous things take place!
As we read about King Jehoshaphat, we read that he 'feared' God.
He cleaned up many of the altars used for the worship of false gods. However, he was unable to take down all the Pagan images and altars in high places. He was not able to convince all the inhabitants of Judah to abandon strange gods. But, God was with him because he 'feared' (respected) God.
In 2CHRON.20:2,we read that King Jehoshaphat was given a very bad report that, a great multitude was coming against him! He was about to be confronted with three nations: the Ammonites, the Moabites and others from beyond the sea, from Syria. They were coming to take Judah and to kill Jehoshaphat. (Now, be reminded, that King Jehoshaphat respected God, and that God was with him. And, prior to this bad report, Jehoshaphat was able to taste the victory of many past battles!) However, in verse 3,
we read that Jehoshaphat now faced a "great" multitude and he was fearful! Be reminded: "fear" is an enemy of "faith!" Fear will nullify faith! In PROV. 3:25-26, God tells us NOT to fear sudden terror! In verse 26, God tells us that HE WILL be our CONFIDENCE! HE WILL keep our foot from being caught! HE WILL be our stability! King Jehoshaphat's fear here, was a great fear!
A 'league of three nations' was coming against him! What did he do? 2 CHRONICLES 20:3 tells us that he FEARED, and SET himself to SEEK the LORD, and proclaimed a FAST throughout all of Judah. Jehoshaphat sought the LORD. He felt that as God had given him favor on the battlefield in the past, that God would give him victory here also! Jehoshaphat IMMEDIATELY sought the LORD! Then, he proclaimed a fast. Depriving oneself, for the sake of showing God the sincerity of your heart; and, that you are TOTALLY DEPENDANT upon HIM! God's Word tells us: in Romans 8:31-"What shall we then say to these things? If GOD be for US, WHO can be against us? "NO ONE!For He is God Almighty! He is Creator of ALL things!
HE is OUR CONFIDENCE!
You DO NOT need ANYONE or ANYTHING else!
When King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast, he was determined to show God how sincere he was! He wanted to show God that HE was the ANSWER to his problem! In verse 4, King Jehoshaphat gathered
together the inhabitants from ALL the cities of Judah to SEEK help from the LORD!
We too, must SEEK the LORD, with clean hands and a pure heart. In all reverence, holiness and in FAITH, SEEK the LORD!Heb.11:6 says:"But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Seek God by FAITH!
Be TOTALLY DEPENDANT upon HIM! Remember: Fear will always nullify the miraculous!
Fear is a terrible enemy!
In JOHN 10:10- Jesus tells us that the thief comes to rob, kill and destroy!
In MATTHEW 14:22, when Jesus appeared to His disciples at sea.
We read that Jesus had just got through feeding thousands with just a few loaves and fish. He went up the mountain to pray. He told His disciples to get on the boat and go to the other side. While on the sea, they saw someone walking on the water. They were terrified! They were afraid, thinking that it was
a ghost! Jesus, identified Himself, and told them to "Fear NOT!"
They cried out for fear, and in MATTHEW 14:26-27, Jesus called out to them. "But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Peter calls out to the Lord, saying: "If it be You Lord, bid me to come!" And Jesus tells Peter: "Come!" Peter begins to go out to meet Jesus; and, he is literally walking on the water! Until, Peter noticed the boisterous wind about him! The wind was very strong, and Peter was afraid and began to sink! And, as Peter was beginning to sink, he cries out to the Lord:"Lord, save Me!" And, IMMEDIATELY Jesus reached out His hand to lift Peter! And, as we read on, we see that Jesus asks the question: "O' ye of little faith, why did you doubt?" Notice, that the Word says that Peter was BEGINNING to sink because of his fear. Yet, IMMEDIATELY Jesus reaches out His hand, and catches hold of Peter! Fear will nullify the miraculous! Fear will even bring on its "kissin' cousin," doubt!! Peter would probably have said: "O' Lord, The wind is too strong, too boisterous; and, I'm afraid that I will drown!" But, Peter's CONFIDENCE was standing on the water! Peter's CONFIDENCE was saying: "Come, stand on the water!" But as Peter started to step out of the boat and literally began walking on the water, upon hearing the sound of the strong, boiterous winds, he became FEARFUL!
You might have heard a bad report from the doctor; and, perhaps fear and doubt began to come upon you. Fear and doubt is NOT from God1 In JOHN 10:10, Jesus Himself tells us: "The thief comes not, but for to STEAL, KILL and DESTROY. But, I have come that you may have LIFE and have LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!" The thief (the enemy) comes to destroy you. Jesus has come to give you LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY! To give you an ADVANTAGEOUS LIFE! A life where YOU will have the ADVANTAGE over your enemies, your troubles in this world! And, it is ALL possible, because of what Jesus has done for us (believers), at the Cross! By His death on the Cross, Jesus literally stripped the devil of ALL power to harm us! Jesus paid the price in full, for our every sin: past, present and future! No matter how big or how small! By the shedding of His Precious Blood, we (believers of the Lord Jesus Christ)have received forgiveness for our sins; and, by God's Power, we have been made sons and daughters of the
Living God! Thank You Jesus! 2Co 5:7 "For we (believers) walk by faith, NOT by sight:" God commands us to walk by FAITH and NOT by our emotions, feelings or per chance; for, our emotions or feelings can betray us at times! Our feelings are always changing!
In 2 CHRON. 20, King Jehoshaphat was afraid of a huge mountain, an evil report. But what did he do?? IMMEDIATELY, he sought the LORD! He called for a fast, and all of JUDAH gathered together
to SEEK the face of the LORD! In 2 CHRON.20:6, Jehoshaphat began
to PRAY. He began to remind God that it is He (God) that rules over ALL! He began to remind God that all the Power and might is in God's hand; so that NONE could stand against Him!(God).
Jehoshaphat began to remind God of how King Solomon had built the temple, a place where God could put His Name! In v.9, he reminded God that when evil came upon them, as the sword,(war)
judgement, or pestilence, or famine, that they stood before this house, and cried unto God in their affliction, THEN God WOULD HEAR and HELP! He prays out to God that they themselves,
had NO MIGHT against this great company that was coming against them; neither did they know what to do! But, Jehoshaphat tells God: "Our eyes are upon YOU!" For, NO ONE can withstand God!
We are to PRAISE GOD for WHO HE IS! He is the LORD God ALMIGHTY!
He is the First and the Last! He is the Creator of ALL things!
There is NOTHING---NO sickness or disease; NO financial problem,
NO spiritual, NO emotional problem ---just NO PROBLEM, no matter
how BIG or how small, can come against our God!! Our God is Soverign!! Honor God! Praise God! Jehoshaphat reminded the LORD that King Solomon built the temple for a place for God to put His name. So that if God's people, who are called by His name,
(when they sinned against God), that they would HUMBLE themselves and PRAY, and SEEK GOD'S face, and TURN from their wicked ways; THEN will GOD HEAR from heaven, and WILL FORGIVE their sin, and WILL HEAL their land." 2 CHRON.7:14
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature, old things are passed away; behold, ALL things are become NEW." Every believer of the Lord Jesus Christ, is a NEW creation in Christ! Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit! God Almight dwells in US!
If God heard and granted King Jehoshaphat's prayer, what will He do for US??? REMEMBER: "It is IMPOSSIBLE for God to lie!" Heb 6:18 says: "That by two immutable things, in which it was IMPOSSIBLE for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:"
IMMEDIATELY Jesus stretched out His hand to help Peter as he was beginning to sink. And, because God LOVES YOU and I, enough that He would send His Only Begotten Son, JESUS (who willingly left His heavenly home to come to earth for us), and suffer and die upon the Cross at Calvary, payment in full for OUR every sin; because of GOD'S GREAT LOVE for US.... HE WILL DO IT!!
GOD will HELP US in our time of need! HE is our CONFIDENCE!!
GOD will meet our EVERY NEED! (NOT your every GREED; but, your EVERY NEED!) For Philippians 4:19 God tells us very clearly: But my God SHALL supply ALL YOUR NEED according to HIS riches in glory BY Christ Jesus. YOU must NOT doubt! But walk by FAITH!
REMEMBER:
GOD is OUR CONFIDENCE! HE is OUR VERY LIFE!
Thank You LORD for ALL Your GREAT LOVE towards US!!
To YOU be ALL the GLORY!!
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