Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me...

Psalms 23:4, KJV

One of the things that has continually amazed me through the years is how often people will turn away from a good purpose for no other reason than that they fear evil. They are afraid of what wicked men will think of them. They are afraid of the opposition they will have to endure. They are afraid of ridicule and persecution and death.

And so they do nothing.

They don't stand up for innocent children when they are threatened. They don't bring the Good News of Jesus and of God's saving grace to a lost world. They don't speak up against wicked men and their wicked ideas. They simply are too afraid to do so. But what are they afraid of?

Satan has done a good job of making us afraid. He puts us in fear of being sued. He puts us in fear of being arrested. He puts us in fear of having our children taken away from us. He puts us in fear of losing our prestige or our positions or our jobs. And he has had an army of wicked men who have served his purposes very well throughout history who have perpetuated and enforced these fears.

We have given up a lot, I think, because of our fears and I for one believe it is time to stop! It is time for those who profess to follow God and for those who wear the name of Christ to begin to trust in Them for a change.

There is an undeniable truth found throughout the pages of the Bible that we need to understand. It is a truth that will set us free from all of these unreasoned fears that dominate so many of our lives. What is this truth? It is simply this: If one fears God, they will not have to fear anything else. In the absence of a fear of God, they will end up being afraid of everything.

So, a decision is required of each one of God's precious children: Will we fear Him and walk boldly through this life? Or will we just be afraid and slink silently through the few miserable years that remain and hope nobody takes notice of us?

Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV

Too many people live their whole lives in fear because they are fearing the wrong one. By doing so, they fail in their duty before God and man. When we fear God, we have no need of fearing the evil one or his followers. Then and only then can we walk through the very valley of the shadow of death without having to fear evil.

Jesus told a parable of a man who was given a talent to use for his master, but who buried that talent because he said he was afraid. Jesus said he was wicked and lazy In the Psalms we read of a king who was not afraid even of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. God called him a man after His own heart. One man feared men. One man feared only God. Which man are you?