There is a day of which believers do not have to fear. It is a privilege from the Lord to them. On that day many things take place, but the one thing that will not take place is the decimation of His people. Sometimes I think if Christians really consider how privileged they are to live forever. Their consideration of it reflects the race they are running. Many are often engulfed by the view to live life on earth and thus, become susceptible to the worries of this life. But, as believers we ought to constantly dwell on the truth God placed in us, i.e. there is no death to us, and nothing will separate us eternally from God. Though we may die in the body, our spirit never dies and goes to God. By this the idea of joy, peace and comfort revels in us much more than we anticipate. Being a Christian is not always for the now, but much more for the hope about the future. In this life is fulfilled. The world does not understand this. We run the race by the hope given to us, but they run the race of the flesh. Hence, on a certain day they will face the fear of certain death. For it is written, “And the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind” (Rev. 6:13).
There will appear signs of certain death. But, before they appear we will have been with the Lord. This is God’s ultimate desire for us. Knowing this should give us immeasurable assurance and joy. If, as believers, we do not dwell on this knowledge, we are missing a great life with God now. Everything God does to us hinges on it. Pause and think of it with a clear mind – why does He love us more than the world and even the angels? Is it not because He separated us from the world to Himself? Then, everything He does and intends to do for us is by the ultimate desire He had toward us. It is utterly important to dwell on this knowledge. Because, one of the basic factors that pulls a believer away from trusting God and makes him lose confidence in himself as His child is fear. Fear can run into all areas of our life and unsettle us, and at times even cause destruction in some. It is the root of all anxiety and unwise decisions that lead to wrongful acts. Yet, it is removed by dwelling on the knowledge of God’s ultimate desire for us.
There are good reasons to kick fear out of our life. These have been given to us. We need to muse on them. The first of them is seen in the following. “In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Heb. 1:2). By this we understand that God never had the mind to forsake us. In the past He spoke in many ways to His people to have a people to Himself. But now He upgraded His way to speak to us, i.e. to speak in Jesus. Do not be ruffled by the syntax of the verse. It simply means He speaks and hence, “has spoken.” It means that which He began He does not cease to do. It is a reminder to continue considering His new way to us. Imagine if He no longer speaks – we would never have guidance, counsel and ultimately we never understand Him from the Word nor obtain His ways. So, most importantly, it gives us the confidence that He has spoken to us. Such confidence plays a vital role in kicking fear out of us. It teaches that if He has spoken to us, He would do so again to relieve us. Jesus is the perfection to everything, to the Law and to the ways God used to communicate with man. Once He appeared as man He became the way.
The second reason lies in us, i.e. what we do and how we represent ourselves for God. Paul was very adamant of it and so, was able to serve God with a clear conscience. He said, “Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present” (2 Cor. 10:11). Where we live does not matter, but what matters is how we live. It means in every place, situation and way our persona should be without hypocrisy and dubiousness. It is easy to fall prey to them when we fear what might happen. With the first reason firmly in our heart we can courageously carry out the second. So, wherever we are, we always have a positive witness of us for the Lord. We do not have to worry of what people might say of us, because we are the same in the Lord. This does not mean we are exempted from being wrongly accused, but when we are accused, we know the outcome is victory in God’s time. As for us, we do not lose our fellowship with Him.
The third reason is found in the way God will deal with us. It is a way of His to help us overcome fear. “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways” (Acts 14:16). Once we become His children, He does not permit us to go by our own ways. Now, this does not mean we become robots. Yet, it means He gives consequences to our ways. Through them we learn to stand, move and breathe only in Him. As an example, we can consider the parable of the prodigal son. Because, He has given us Christ, His Son, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, He does not allow us to desecrate Him. This is a good thing, for we know He never wants to annul His ultimate desire for us. There will also be times when He quickly interferes to stop us from executing our ways so that His will is fulfilled. He did it with Jonah, Balaam and Peter to whom Jesus told to set his mind on God’s interest. Again, He interferes with our ways, because we are obedient to Him. This is His goodness to us as was to Paul when he intended to go to Asia. The Spirit forbade him from doing it.
So, as those who are destined to live eternally, we can be sure of three things.
1. God will send good news our way. Let us tarry on Him by letting Him work out all things for His glory and not ours. “The angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news’” (Luke 1:19). Zacharias and Elizabeth had to wait, but did not miss God’s blessing. It is only because He has chosen us to escape death through Christ that through Him He gives us good news in this life.
2. God’s promise from desire cannot fail. He will neither annul it nor will it somehow find ways to fail. And He gave His Word long ago so that we will only live on forever. “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity” (Zech. 13:1).
3. God will leave us out. By the above two conditions we will be left unharmed. “For thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be completely acquitted? You will not be acquitted, but you will certainly drink it’” (Jer. 49:12). Hallelujah!