Numbers 14:3. Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
There’s a pattern that we see over and over in the Bible: people see the faithfulness of God, and they hear the promises of God, but then they forget God’s faithfulness, and they reject those promises, and choose instead to try to control their own lives. But why? Because of fear.
In Numbers 14 the Hebrew people have made it to the edge of the promised land. But the report from the spies who went into the land ahead of them to scope it out is less than promising. There’s too many tall giants and too many high walls. Fear grabs hold and everything that God has ever done or ever promised suddenly disappears from their minds.
What are you afraid of? Where do you fear losing control? What fears are keeping you up at night? Professional fears? Family fears? Relational fears? Ministry fears? Fear of change? Fear of uncertainty? Fear of the future?
The truth is that all of us are constantly living in fear. Fear of losing control or fear that God is not really for us. These fears keep us from moving forward in faith. They make us want to go back to Egypt where we know what to expect. In Egypt, at least there was some level of control. And so we return to the same thought patterns and behavior patterns that offer comfort but are actually just slavery. The slavery of trying to control our own lives.
And sadly, Christianity tends to promote this fear based living. In fact, for many Christians fear is the primary way to relate to God. Obedience is not from faith and love, but from fear that God will smite us if we don’t obey him. “Holiness” becomes just another way to avoid God. Rather than trusting God with every fear in our hearts, we cover up with good behavior. Maybe if we’re good enough God will move on to the “bad” Christians. Before long, like the Hebrews in Numbers 14, we believe that God has stopped caring or, even worse, that he is actively opposing us.
But the truth is that God’s entire message to us in the Bible is “don’t be afraid.” Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the Hebrews, Joshua, Gideon, Esther, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, the disciples, you, me, we’ve all heard the same message – “Fear not!” Everything God has ever said and done is meant to dispel our fear of losing control and our fear that he is against us.
But how do we know? How do we know that God is for us? That he is a good father? That he is in control even when our lives seem out of control? How do we know that he loves us, and that he will bring us into his forever home?
Our union with Christ.
Our greatest fear is that God will be against us. That he will or already has abandoned us. But that is something that in Christ we never have to fear. Why? Because on the cross Christ has already experienced the opposition and abandonment that we deserved. We never have to question like the Hebrews, “why is the Lord bringing us here?” And we never have to question like Jesus, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
“To live is Christ” means no more fear of losing control and no more fear of being forsaken. Jesus is God’s “perfect love that casts out all fear.” Look forward to him. Run to his open arms. Fix your eyes ahead on Christ, not backwards on Egypt.
You
What are you afraid of? Where do you feel like you’ve lost control? Where does it feel like God has abandoned you?
You in Christ
How does knowing that in Christ you have perfect love remove these fears?
Christ in you
Where can you move forward today in the love of Christ?
***
Playlist: No Fear.
Click Here to listen to this playlist on Spotify!
***
To see today’s post from the TLIC Family blog –> Click Here
To Live is Christ 
Quite an important teaching, Brady. God bless.
LikeLike