Fear seems to be what makes the world go around these days.  Have you ever noticed how many businesses play upon your fears?  They sell health insurance after showing you how you can lose all your money paying a doctor or hospital bill.  Car insurance people get your money because you’re afraid you’ll have a wreck and won’t be able to pay for it.  You buy an extended warranty on your car because you’re afraid it will break before it’s paid for. You buy insurance on your cell phone because you’re afraid you’ll lose it or break it.  And of course, motor clubs sell you emergency road service insurance because statistics show 4 out of 5 drivers will need a tow this year. (I haven’t needed a tow in 40 years.)  Not to mention dental insurance and now the latest, insurance on your underground water lines going into your home.  All because we’re afraid of “WHAT IF?”  One certainty, you will serve what you fear.
So then, because of the fear of “what if”, we shell out our money faster than it’s coming in, and the insurance industry is eating it up, literally!  Think about it, you lose if you pay, and you POSSIBLY COULD lose if you don’t. Fear says don’t be caught without insurance. One thing though is certain, if you play the fear game, you WILL lose.  How many kinds of insurance are YOU paying right now?  Count them up and then count up how much money you are spending yearly on all of them.  Many people never have a claim, yet I guess the “peace of mind” that comes with insurance makes it worth to cost to them, or they wouldn’t be buying it.  But think of it this way, your fears cost you, because you’re betting against yourself that you will lose.  Now, some types of insurance are required, like if you want to drive or if you have a mortgage on your home.  But others? It’s just plain fear of “what if?”. Hmmmmm,  I wonder what kind of insurance you need if you’re afraid of going to hell when you die?  We need to look into that…..
The Bible gives us some free advice in 1 John 4:18; There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Now, exactly what is meant by “not made perfect in love”?  Well, it means, not made mature in, or well seasoned in, or settled by having experience in the love of God.  It means your trust in God’s love toward YOU is not settled yet, for you’re constantly listening to the devil whispering “what it?” in your ear, and getting into fear.
I had a conversation with a man today and explained how our enemy, Satan, works against us.  The simplest way I can explain it to you is like this: Satan will do to you whatever it takes to make you doubt the integrity of God’s Word.  We will say for example, you believe very strongly in the fact the Bible says we were and are healed by the stripes of Jesus, as it is written in Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24.  So the devil says to you, THINK SO, HUH? And then he puts painful symptoms on your body.  What happens?  Well, if you aren’t rooted and grounded in the Word of God, your mind will start telling you, God’s Word says I’m healed, but I guess I’m not after all. And then?  You start getting into fear.  And, like I said before, what you fear, you will serve, and it’s off to the doctor you go.  Oh, and you’d better take your money, too.  Because, obviously, if your body tells you that you’re sick, then God must be a liar, right?
Once the devil gets you to nibble on his bait, before long you will swallow the hook too.  And then you’ll be looking everywhere for other hooks to swallow, as well.  When the devil wants to get your attention, he usually uses fear to do it.  Fear really messes people up, and some lose their mind over it eventually.  And the devil doesn’t do it all at once, no, he does it over time, a little here, a little there, and before long, you’re a babbling idiot, so tied up in fear that you’re afraid of every little sound that goes “bump” in the night.  And if it misses a night and doesn’t go “bump”, you’re afraid of that, too.  He’s been working on YOU, hasn’t he?
Some are afraid of losing their job, which could result in losing their possessions.  Some are afraid of losing the approval of friends.  Others are afraid of world events, wars, and rumors of wars, disasters, earthquakes, etc., and others are afraid of the stock market crashing.  Whatever they are afraid of is ruling their life.  But that isn’t what God wants for them.
Enough about THEM, let’s concentrate on YOU.  Are you afraid of what’s on the “other side” if you should die right now?  Well, if you don’t know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, then that’s one you NEED be afraid of.  But all the insurance policies in the world won’t help you with that one.  However, though the risk is very great, the solution is very simple.  Right now, without delay, you can settle where you’re going to spend eternity, and never fear ANYTHING again!  Call upon Christ Jesus and be saved!
Yes, that’s right, I said you NEVER NEED FEAR ANYTHING AGAIN!  That was not an error in typing.  You see, like it says in 1 John 4:18, fear has torment, and Jesus doesn’t want you to be tormented, now, not ever.  And so, He paid the full price to redeem you and give you peace, HIS PEACE, mind you, not the flimsy, sometimes on, sometimes off peace the world has to offer.  His peace will settle your heart and mind that there is no problem you will ever face that is too big for God to handle. His peace will settle your heart when something goes “bump” in the night, and when the doctor says, “Well, it COULD be….(you fill in the blank)”
I spent many years living in constant fear of this or that, so I know what it’s like, and it isn’t good.  As they say, Been there, done that. And now I’m DONE with that.  I’m through with serving fear, and laying awake nights wondering “what if such and such happens?”  My God is bigger than any “WHAT IF?” the devil can come up with.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is GOOD NEWS!  I’d like to share Matthew 11:28-30 with you, and invite you to come to Jesus Christ and unload all your fears onto Him.  He will relieve you of them and tell the devil where he can shove them. (WHERE THE SUN DOESN’T SHINE)
Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
How about it?  Isn’t it time for you to enjoy life for a change?  Jesus said in John 10:10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
If YOUR life cannot be described as “life more abundantly”, then you’ve come to the right place, and you’re here at exactly the right time.  Life more abundantly can start for you RIGHT NOW.  Stop serving FEAR and WORRY, and start serving CHRIST JESUS, and you’ll never have to fear or worry about anything else again.  Everything you will ever need is in Christ Jesus, and He isn’t stingy with what you need.  And if He doesn’t have it, He will CREATE it, so no worries!