I have become very alarmed by the fear pervading over churches. People have become so guarded, that to become a friend in some circles requires that you attend that church two years or more till they will decide you are not crazy. What is so concerning about this is fear is not of the LORD. There are 365 verses on Fear in the Holy Bible, one for each day of the year. The most famous is, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). It is key to note that the three in that verse: power, love, and sound mind are the weapons against fear because, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love,” (1 John 4:18), power of the Holy Spirit I have witnessed makes fast bonds with people when allowed to manifest, and a sound mind is one guarded in Christ, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).
Fear is potent these days. Church shootings, burnings, and vandalisms are up. Even Joel Osteen had a shooter last year try to kill him. Near me a Mission was attacked, and statues painted with graffiti, the verse, “they will consider nothing sacred,” (2 Timothy 3:2 NLT) coming to mind. In response many churches have become self protective, taking measure of suspicion of any new person. While caution is admirable, we do need to be wary of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, discernment is key for that, “to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones]/ alt He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Alt to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults],” (1 Corinthians 12:10, AMPC, NLT, AMP). However, C.S. Lewis warns that one of chief demons is “Self Protection.” Rather than trust The LORD Jesus to protect us, we build our own castle churches, and the result is fear not faith is on display. I am not saying we should be gullible, and not take precautons to protect children in Sunday School, and measures to make sure a congregation is safe from shooters. But what bother me is this whole treating people at arms length at service, Bible Study, and etc; like they have leprosy. They are at public church event, why be so guarded and closed that you won’t be their friend at least there? It’s exhausting to keep going to a church group and being treated as stranger for years.
There is a balance in Scripture, we are called to not fear (2 Timothy 1:7), and at same time Jesus told us to take up swords, “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!” (Luke 22:36). The problem is originally the Church service was only for believers, that everyone knew, them breaking bread with each other, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42). Now the model is having all these unknowns and unbelievers in the main service, and as a result we do not know who is sitting chair or pew next to us. The solution is house churches, and house groups, where those who know are brothers and sisters gather. But still the problem is fear, if we become so afraid that we will trust someone who is not safe, that we guard our hearts like steel, then Self Protection has possessed us and we no longer have love. Jesus said our greatest commands are, “To Love The Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and strength, this is the greatest commandment, the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus does not specify if that neighbor is a Christian. Even supposed brethern can not be safe, and betray you, Judas Iscariot was with Jesus three years, had the powers He have all Twelve Disciples, and still betrayed him. But if we spend our lives worried someone is going to get us, and destroy us; is that a life at all? If fear not faith is all you breath, are you really in tune with Christ? For remember what Jesus said,
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).
If we spend our time fearing the wolves all the time, do not be surperised if you morph into one. Fear like Faith has a power, fear can shut down the Holy Spirit’s work, much like Disbelief can. Fear is a darkness that infects the hearts of people. It is because of fear the Third Reich and Nazis rose to power. Fear has the power to turn good souls into monsters, lashing out at what they think is the threat, and in the end turning into something so much worse in self protection than if they had just had Faith and trusted God The Trinity.
We must have Faith Over Fear, and not allow ourselves to be trapped by Self Protection. If the Disciples had let fear stopped them, they would never have gone to Gentiles, and we would not have received the Gospel in our nations. If Jesus had allowed fear in Garden of Gethsemane to stop him, He would not have paid for all our sins, and reconciled to God and given us Eternal Life! My Pastor use to say, “Run to the Roar!” The idea was Male Lion roars, and is alone, and the goal is to make you run away into Lionesses to be devoured, if you run to the roar you have one lion to conquer, but if you give into fear, you will be eaten alive inside by the lionesses until you are walking and shaking soul.
As the Eccelsia in this world, we need to find a right balance between precautions to protect and giving into fear. To have our sword ready as Jesus said, but Trust Him and not become self protective and thus guard our own hearts to the point that we be the “Frozen Chosen.” The Pharisees had hardened hearts from their religious self protection and rules, and Jesus said they were hell bound (). Let us not give into fear, but instead have faith and do sensible, not excessive things, to protect our churches. Because if fear wins n our churches, then Faith is dead, and the Body of Christ is already in the tomb…
Amen.
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