New & Old Treasure. Julie Teariki-Tautea
not fear Abram. I am a shield for you. Your reward will be very great. Abram replied: “Sovereign Lord Jehovah, what will you give me, seeing that I continue childless and the one who will inherit my house is a man of Damascus, Eliezer: Abram added: “You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household is succeeding me as heir. Genesis. 15: 1-3.
How Jesus reaffirms his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Exercise faith in God; exercise faith also in me. In the house of my, Father is many dwelling places. Otherwise, I would have told you for I am going my way to prepare a place for you. John. 14. 1-2. “On this account, I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing? Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span? Also, why are you anxious about clothing?
Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field that is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? So never be anxious and say, “What are we to wear? For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Keep on then seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things will be added to you. So never be anxious.
Each day has enough of its troubles. Matthew. 6. 25-34. “And said: “Truly I say to you unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of the heavens. Matthew. 18. 3. Paul reassures Christians to rejoice and have a proper mindset and not to be anxious for anything. “Not that I am saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be self-sufficient regardless of my circumstances. I now know how to be low on provisions and how to have an abundance, everything, and in all circumstances, I have learned the secret of both how to be full and how to be hungry, both how to have an abundance and how to do without. Philippians. 4: 11-12. The bible also gives us insight with the LORD’s promises against fear and anxiety: “Though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear no harm, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me. Psalm, 23:4. Out of our life anxiety, we should learn to listen to others who want to help us, and importantly the LORD’ through his words and other sources in our communities. Proverbs says: “But the one listening to me will dwell in security and be undisturbed by the dread of calamity.” Proverbs. 1: 33.
The Prophet Haggai also had a message to Zerubbabel, reaffirming him not to be afraid: “Remember what I promised you when you came out of Egypt and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid.” Haggai, 2, 5,
Peter also encourages us to know that even if we suffer, we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we are happy and that we don’t have to fear what others fear. “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy. However, do not fear what they fear nor be disturbed. 1. Peter. 3.14.
Testing and inspiring statement for us not to fear in love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts fear out because fear restrains us. Indeed, the fearful one has not been made perfect in love. We love because our Heavenly Father through his son ‘Jesus Christ’ first loved us. 1 John. 4. 18-19.
From all the above scriptures it teaches us that fear and anxiety are very common, but the Lord reassures and reaffirms his people through his words of promises not to fear. Anxiety: symptoms include apprehension, worry, insomnia, jilters, tension, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and hyper-vigilance. And, it may come with panic attacks. God is interested in freeing us from such undesirable experiences if we surrender all to him and trust him.
Indeed fear and anxiety are very common, fear can bring a person not to speak up about somethings from the past and fear makes a person to keep silent, fear can be a major contributor to telling a big lie or even worse cases scenario something terrible might happen to oneself or others, fear is indeed a major factor to emotional anxiety.
The bible teaches us to humble ourselves to our father in prayer “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time, while you throw all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1. Peter. 5. 6-7.
Our God is good he says to Abraham; Do not fear: After this, the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision saying: “Do not fear, Abram. I am a shield for you. Your reward will be very great.” Abram replied: “Sovereign Lord Jehovah what will you give me, seeing that I continue childless and the one who will inherit my house is a man of Damascus, Eliezer? Abram added: “You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household is succeeding me as heir. Genesis. 15:1-3. God chooses and called Abram to be the father of all nations, but Abram had an issue that concerns him so much worry and fear’ who will inherit his estate? How did Jehovah God respond to Abram's concern? God’s response to Abram was: “Do not fear Abram. I am your shield your very great reward.
God knows that freedom from anxiety is one of the greatest needs. The LORD always reassures his people through his words. “Jehovah is the on marching before you and he will continue with you. He will neither desert you nor abandon you. Do not be afraid or be terrified. Deuteronomy, 31, 8, Most times we see things with our human perspective view and it becomes an issue or a worrying matter that concerns us so deeply. We should not forget that all our worries and battles are not our own, but it belongs to the LORD if we put our trust in him. “You will not need to fight this battle. Take your position stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah in your behalf. Tomorrow goes out against them and Jehovah will be with you.” 2: Chronicles. 20: 17.
Jesus answered his disciple's question about the due time and he warns them not to be misled by hearing about the wars, disturbances, and rumors, all this will take place, but he also reaffirms them and said: “do not be terrified.” Luke. 21. 9. Again, he walked and talked with his disciples showing them how much he loved them and if they love him they will observe his words: and he advises them about his time to go to his father in heaven: and what other things he has made mention with them while he was with them. He promised that he will remind them again with the helper, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in his name, to teach them all things and bring back to their minds all the things he promised them. “I leave you peace; I give you my peace. I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear.” John. 14. 23-27.
What an amazing and awesome love that is from Jesus to his disciples to see how much he loved his followers and he kept reassuring them time and time again; that there will be anxiety manifested through distress and uncertainty of his departure from this earth so he spoke to them with so much love and about who he is and where he will be going and also a promise that his father will be sending a helper in his name to those who love him and observe his words. This is a great reminder for us that in every situation we go through we should know that the Savior has promised to send us a helper, a reminder that we should not be troubled and allow fear to shrink us out of our lives but pray and ask for that special help the promise of our savior to help us in Jesus Christ our Savior Kings name.
Trust against Anxiety:
The bible teaches us that Jesus had loved his disciples who were with him in his ministry and loved them to the end. He knew about his painful death and how they would have observed and witness his harsh and cruel treatment of dying and yet, he continued to teach them, warn them and encourage them about who was, and what is, and who was to come; during the time it was the festival of the Passover in the evening meal, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going back to the father. John. 13. 3. Do you feel how much pain that is to be sitting with Jesus and having the evening meal and there he is telling us about his departure from this wicked world and going home to his Heavenly Fathers dwelling place? Jesus knew that it was going to be so much pain for them to bear.
So, he reaffirms and reassures them against anxiety, way before he suffers death: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Exercise faith in God: