No Fear for 2017

Submitted by David Miller

God's Word brings us a comforting promise, along with an insightful command as we face a new year: "⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”⁶ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me (Hebrews 13:5-6).

In the midst of life, we can find ourselves becoming afraid of what tomorrow holds as it relates to the economy, world turmoil, ISIS, and our families.  However, we can live this coming year without fear if we apply three incredible truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts.  Here they are. 

The Contentment of His Provision

Contentment is not getting what you want, but it is wanting what you already have. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content." If you know Jesus Christ, you have contentment. If you've got clothes on your back, something to eat, and Jesus Christ in your heart, you're rich!

Do you know why we have fear? Because we think our needs or the needs of someone we love are not going to be met. Or we fear that the things we think are meeting our needs are going to be taken away from us. The deepest need of your heart can only be met in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Companionship of His Presence

I don’t know what the future holds but I do know Who holds the future.  I don't know what I'm going to face next year. But there's one thing I know, He will never leave me. 

When God's Word promises that God will never forsake you, it literally means that He will never abandon you. He will not give up on you. We need to practice the presence of the Lord this coming year. When the devil comes and knocks at our mind's door, you can simply say, "Jesus, please go answer the door."

The Confidence of His Promise

It is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God that we can have complete confidence in this upcoming year. In the coming year, when you say, "God, I just don't have the strength." The omnipotent God will answer, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." When you say, "God, I'm afraid of what is going to happen." The omnipresent God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And when you say, "God, I don't know what to do." The omniscient God will respond, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." He himself hath said it.

Hebrews 13:6 promises, "So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Like I said earlier, I don't know what you're going to go through this coming year. But I know you can boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”  When you find your contentment, companionship, and confidence in Jesus. Then, you'll find your comfort, your strength and your courage in Jesus.