Jeremiah 42:11
Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand.
We read in Jeremiah where the Lord said to His people to not be afraid of the king of Babylon. Who is the king of Babylon in our day and age? It is the antichrist spirit in the world that operates through men and women who stand in high leadership positions and holds places of authority in this world. You find these men and women in every sphere of life. His goal is to control our lives by creating fear. He works behind the scenes to further his agenda and his end goal is surely not for the good of mankind. What he is doing behind the scenes manifests in the world around us and we can see it all around in every city and in every nation across the world. In the times that we are living in it is very difficult to not become afraid and be anxious about what the future holds. When we switch on the news all we see and hear about is disaster upon disaster, and it is ever increasing in our day and age. We live in fear daily. It seems that there is just nothing to feel positive about. There is no sign of relief or hope in sight. A dark cloud has come up upon the horizon and it is clear proof of a storm that is coming. It seems that the world as we know it is like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Scripture very clearly warns that in the last days these things will happen and as the end draws near it will be ever-increasing and a daily occurrence. Jesus Himself warned against all these things that will take place in the last days and he prepared us for these things saying in this world you will have many tribulations. Jesus knew that these things would come to pass and that they would be ever increasing in the world so much so that men's hearts would fail them because of fear.
Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
The antichrist spirit operating through men in this world wants to create fear in the hearts of men so as to lay a snare before them that when all hope is gone he will appear as the answer to all their problems, their long-awaited savior, only to destroy them in the end, but those who trust in the Lord will not be deceived and they will not be caught up in his snare to destroy them. The Lord Jesus will save you from the hand of the prince that rules this world.
Jesus made it very clear what was to come, therefore, all these things, diseases that keep us locked in, famines, wars, earthquakes, floods, unemployment, senseless killings, and deaths, suffering, heartache, and pain, all these things ought not to surprise us. We are living in a fallen world filled with sin and controlled by the antichrist spirit. Jesus encouraged all of us saying that in the midst of all these things we should not be afraid. He promised that He is with us and that He has already overcome the world and knowing this we should have peace.
Acts 1:7-8
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
In these Scriptures we clearly see Jesus telling His disciples that they ought not to worry about the times and the seasons which God has placed in His own hand. God has power over everything for He is Elohim. He urged them to take their mind off all these things and to not be concerned but to focus on only one thing which is most important, they were to be witnesses of Him and the hope that is to be found in only Him in the midst of the chaos, fear, and hopelessness around them. He encouraged all of us saying that God has not left any of us alone in this time of distress and trouble that is coming upon the earth. Certainly not! He has given us a helper. The precious Holy Spirit is the very person of the unlimited power of God. If we who have the message of hope live in fear ourselves how can we convince anyone else that they need not fear because there is hope in Christ? We must stand strong and courageous and trust in the power and ability and provision the Holy Spirit gives. We ought not to be affected by circumstances around us for our destinies and futures are not determined by what is happening in the world because greater is He that dwells in us than he that is in the world!
I encourage you with this promise given to us who believe in Christ.
Deuteronomy 31:8
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be dismayed.
Thereze Catherine Barnard
Editor-in-Chief
Voice of Hope Blog