Real Life, Real Fear, Real Faith
My father lay dying. In a sweat-soaked bed in the emergency room of a Brooklyn, New York, hospital, he lay gasping for air desperately trying not to panic as his heart beat erratically.
As I watched my father’s life seemingly ebb away due to chronic heart stress, strands of a familiar hymn floated through my clinched teeth. Tasting the salty tears that were cascading down my cheeks, I quietly sang the first verse of Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and salvation–whom shall I fear?”
As I stood nervously by his side, inwardly praying for a miracle, I understood the meaning of fear: a “feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc.; timidity; dread; terror; fright; apprehension.”
If we’re honest, few people can say they’ve never experienced fear. Christians and unbelievers alike can attest to circumstances like I encountered where anxiety, agitation or apprehension prevails. Things like international terrorism and war; reports of violent crimes; impending unemployment or bankruptcy; devastating weather conditions; and family traumas(divorce, domestic violence) all can contribute to feelings of fear.
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Watching my father fight for his life was one of the most fearful times in my adult life. That unforgettable experience taught me a lot about fear and how it hinders our service to God and those He has called us to serve.
While my dad was used to me being a spiritual giant, the day he needed me most, all I could offer was a mustard seed of faith through my impromptu song. Alone in the room with him, I tried to appear a tower of strength. I failed. I was 29-years-old, but I felt like two. It hurt too much to see my dad suffer without me being able to help.
In the grip of the emergency, I was being held bondage by destructive fear. At its worst, such fear can totally incapacitate, rendering a person unable to work, leave home or perform simple tasks. In milder doses, destructive fear can cause restlessness, sleeplessness, illnesses, weight challenges, and persistent worry.
Constructive fear, on the other hand, is beneficial. Such fear spurs a person to move out of the way of an advancing automobile or run out of a burning building. Reverential fear, a type of constructive fear, inspires our healthy respect of the deity and power of Jesus Christ.
From Genesis to Revelation, God exhorts his people to be of good courage, and to fear not. In Joshua 1, He even commands Joshua not to be fearful as he embarks on a mission to take the Israelites to the Promised Land. After twice instructing Joshua to be fearless, God says, ” Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).
Winning over fear
As Christians, we mentally know God never intended His children to walk in destructive fear. While me may understand that, it is sometimes difficult to be fearless.
Acknowledging the Lord’s presence is a key to winning the battle of fear. That’s the essence of John 14 in which Jesus says, “Do not let you hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
As believers, we have access to the person, presence, power and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the demonstration of these attributes on earth. Collectively, these enable us to serve God and others without living in ever-present fear.
An ER nurse taught me that the day my father was fighting a heart attack and the related pain and fear. Although we did not know her, she burst into the ER and began to pray. She spoke words of healing and prayed that “our faith would not falter.” With a final “amen,” she walked out. Within minutes, I witnessed a miracle in the making. My father’s color returned and his breathing improved. And, although he was hospitalized for nearly a week, he completely recovered.
That nurse was a servant of God who had come by simply to say hello after associating our name with my brother who worked on the hospital’s security team. Seeing my father’s dilemma, she opted for prayer instead. I’m glad she did. By doing so, she helped by father and me to conquer fear, and especially the fear of death. More so, she assisted a lot of other people she will never meet. That’s because over the years, I have been able to serve others by helping them to conquer their real life, real fear issues.
I will never forget her. I know my father never did. For several more years he waged a valiant fight against heart disease. When he died in 1995, it was in peace, not in fear. I know because until his death, he would often gratefully recall the day a bold, obedient nurse prayed for his health. In turn, she helped us both conquer the fear of death.
What about you? Are you feeling bound by destructive fear? You don’t have to be!
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you live life according to His perfect plan. By faith, we experience God’s power through the Holy Spirit. As Ephesians 3:16-17 says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
Why not pray this simple prayer right now and by faith invite God to fill you with His Spirit:
Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you by directing my own life. I thank you that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
