Never Fear... Jesus Is Always There!

When a man is defeated by life it is always due, ultimately, to the fact the his is suffering from a spirit of fear...The spirit of fear is the real, ultimate cause of all failure in life, and of all unhappiness.   -Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Greek word Phobos means: fear, dread, terror, that which strikes terror. In John, it's always used in reference to the Jewish leaders. The definition I use to describe fear is: a god given emotion and reaction for the purpose of alerting, preserving and preparing a person for a upcoming situation or problem.

It’s important to note here that fear is not given to paralyze, but to prepare. But, how does this all relate to trials in our lives? A great question, because trials just happens to be the topic of my message today!

Trials come in many shapes and sizes some times even little ones. Since faith overcomes fear, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials. Why do we fear?

We fear because: a) we feel out of control; b) we feel alone; c) we feel powerless in the face of our trials. Jesus in Mark 4:40 rebukes his disciples for being shaken by the storm. Jesus here is telling his disciples that there faith would have over come their fear of the storm.

In other words; it's not the stilling of the storm that determines my peace; but really whom I have in the boat of my life. But I know that I can over come fear since Jesus is in control. Yes, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials. Trials are the result of living in a fallen world. This basically means that everyone will have trials. And if you haven't experienced any yet, it is only a matter of time.

However, I know that Jesus uses the trials of life for my good, and I must trust his character. For example, the disciples questioned his character, and that is what we tend to do when we are in the same situation. But, Jesus lead them out into the storm . In similar ways,  Jesus leads us out into the storms of life so that we will come to know him in the midst of life’s trials.

John Bunyan said, “God never intended that troubles would destroy His people, but that it would be for their glory, to make them shine ant the brighter when they pass through the valley of the shadow of death.” You see, having peace in the midst to trails means we must accept Jesus' purpose in allowing the trial. I know that may be hard to swallow for some, but this is where your, and my faith kicks into gear.

We must quit struggling against the trial and seek to learn the lesson of the trial. We must ask, "What do you want me to learn about you?" We must learn to quit struggling and lean on Jesus. Jesus will not let any trials confront you that he will not give you the grace to handle.

Fear comes because we fail to recognize who is with us. So what happens? We feel alone and helpless. We feel like our lives are about to be swamped. But dear friends, Jesus is never far away when we are in a trial. Even though Jesus is not physically present, he is always with us.

And the what is the best way to communicate with Him, when going through a rough time? You got it... prayer! Sure, some might think prayer is "old-school," but it's still the most direct way from your heart, to His.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:10; James 1:12;  Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:6-7; Exodus 14:14; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 23:4

Prayer: Blessed are You, oh Lord my God. Lord, I am weak and scarcely have the strength to go on. This situation, this trial, is more than I can bear.

Lord, You promised that You would never leave me or forsake me! It is when I am weak that You are strong. Lord, strengthen my heart. Be with me in the midst of my trials. Give me the peace that surpasses all understanding. Surround me, oh Lord, with Your love, in Jesus' Name!

I thank You, Lord, for Your wisdom and for Your tender mercy. You are God, and there is no one else like You. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, now and forever.
Amen

-special thanks to Steven Wenner

Have a blessed day!

Trish