Take Courage In The Face of Fear
When I was young, I was afraid of the dark, unfamiliar noises and heights. As I grew up, so did my fears. As an adult, I have struggled with fear related to personal safety, missing out, not having enough money, and heights (I guess I never grew out of that one). How about you, what are you most afraid of?
Psalm 27:1 says, “the Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Just a few verses later, David reminds us that in the face of any fear, our response should be to “wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your (our) heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 28:14 ESV)
Fast forward from the Old Testament to chapters 9 and 10 in the book of Acts, where we read about three followers of Jesus who each displayed great courage in the face of their own unique fear. Each of them overcame their fear, allowing them to step into the mission that God had called them to.
First, Ananias, a devout disciple of the Lord, displays extraordinary courage as he steps out in faith into a moment filled with fear for his own personal safety. The Lord speaks to him in a vision calling him to “rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.” (Acts 9:11 ESV) Ananias responds like most of us would have - Lord, are you sure you have the instructions right? He had heard all about Saul, the evil he had done in Jerusalem, and his plans to kill any follower of Jesus he found in Damascus. The Lord graciously responds to Ananias’s concerns with more details about the mission He is calling him to. Ananias would soon play a critical role in the life of Paul, laying hands on him that he might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).
Next, Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph (Acts 4:36), shows great courage when he is the first to stand up for Paul in front of all of the other disciples, overcoming his fear of rejection. After roughly three years in Damascus (Galatians 1:18), Paul narrowly escapes the Jews plan to kill him. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, “he (Paul) attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26 ESV). Barnabas, a man full of encouragement and generosity, took Paul to Peter and James and vouched for how he had valiantly preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in Damascus.
Finally, Peter shows courage by agreeing to meet with Cornelius, overcoming his fear of breaking Jewish tradition. The events surrounding Peter and Cornelius represent a third step in validating that the gospel message must come to the Gentiles also. Cornelius, a God-fearing, generous man, was waiting on the Lord in prayer when an angel came to him in a vision giving him instructions to send for Peter, who was staying in Joppa. The next day, while he was praying, Peter receives his own set of instructions from the Lord about the three men sent by Cornelius, who were now standing at his door. “And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”” (Acts 10:15 ESV) Peter now knows that even though it is unlawful, he has received divine instructions to go with these men to the house of Cornelius, where he is to share the gospel message of Jesus Christ, resulting in the Holy Spirit falling on all who heard the word.
Like Ananias, Paul, and Peter, God is calling you and me to lay our fears at His feet in prayer. As we wait upon the Lord, He promises to fill us with courage to step into the next mission He has for us. Today, spend time asking the Lord what fear in your life is preventing you from stepping into the divine calling He has placed on your life.
About the Author
Nathan Miller
You may know me as a husband, father, son, brother, friend, mentor, ultra marathoner runner, NBA basketball enthusiast, fan of all things tech, music lover and writer. However, the life blood that flows through everything that I strive to be comes from a desire for greater intimacy with Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Provider, my Lord and most of all my best friend.