I REMEMBER BEING THIRTEEN and still afraid of the dark; more specifically – what I perceived to be in the dark. I had done myself a disservice by watching multiple scary movies with my friends (it was a "sleepover standard" for us) but I was also once told a story - in children’s church - about a demon that the teacher had encountered.
I heard this story before I knew who I was in Christ and before I knew how to stand on the Word of God, and it created a lot of fear in me as a kid. I don’t believe the teacher meant to hurt us (he has long since left the church that I once belonged to) but untimely information falling on immature ears (irrespective of age) can be very harmful. And his story didn’t even have a bad ending: they rebuked the evil spirit that had ‘followed them home’ and it left! But the negative impression didn’t leave me.
So why am I telling you this?
It is to remind us that, as Believers, we need to speak the Truth – but we need to speak it IN LOVE.
It is to remind us that the devil is a toothless liar and he has already been defeated.
It is to remind us that fear is a hollow substanceless thing and when the dread rises within you and threatens your breath– you can and should rebuke it in the name of Jesus because IT HAS NO AUTHORITY IN YOUR LIFE.
It is to remind us that people can make mistakes; that we as humans can be disappointing; that we are not infallible. But the Word of God is infallible. It can always be trusted. Always be relied upon.
It is to remind and exhort us to SEEK OUT WHO GOD IS, and in doing so, let Him show us WHO WE ARE and the TRUTH OF THE AUTHORITY WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN in the Word of God.
It is to remind us that the love of God is what casts out fear, and the love of God is what we need to be preaching and singing and declaring and shouting - not only in this season with a global pandemic at hand - but in every season of life. Always.
Psalm 91 1When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,
Safe and Secure (Psalm 91:1-6)
you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.
2 He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me,
the only God for me, and my great confidence.
3 He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,
and he will protect you from false accusation
and any deadly curse.
4 His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.
You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.
His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.
5 You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night
nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.
6 Don’t fear a thing!
Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you,
nor will the powers of evil launched against you.