… most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
Summary: Confidence in the Lord is something every true believer desires. In this life, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Our primary weapon is to proclaim the Gospel without fear.
Paul’s chains were made of iron. They were heavy, they bruised and chaffed the skin, and they could not be ignored. There are other chains in this life that are not as obvious. One of them is fear.
The online dictionary defines “fear” this way:
(noun) … an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.*
Everyone knows what fear is, but not everyone experiences it the same way. Some fear can be good. A common example is teaching a child not to touch a hot stove. A healthy fear of pain can keep us from serious injury.
Unfortunately, unreasonable fears can also keep us from trying something new or achieving what God has planned for us to accomplish.
Unreasonable fears sneak into our consciousness in a variety of ways. Well-meaning parents, instead of teaching a useful fear, might inadvertently convey a personal fear that has no rational foundation. Suppose, for example, a woman who was traumatized by excessive fear as a child has a child of her own. Every time her fears surface, they are communicated to the child. Some children might shrug this off, but others might be burdened by a parent’s fears their entire lives.
Proclaiming the Gospel shouldn’t be a cause for fear, yet it often is.
Why?
Paul explains:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil…” (Ephesians 6: 12a)
There is a battle raging, and we are in the middle of it. The enemy does not seem concerned with those too timid to fight. He is interested in those who, freed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, are willing to stand up against evil.
Simply speaking out about the Kingdom of God is enough to make you a target, but the people of God are not afraid. Just as a parent’s fear can be contagious and infect the child, Paul’s courage and faith in Jesus are also contagious.
Application: Jesus provides us with the courage to proclaim God’s Word.
Food for Thought: How does Satan discourage us from proclaiming the Gospel?
*The dictionary also adds this definition: archaic — a mixed feeling of dread and reverence: the love and fear of God. — This is a different kind of fear and one entirely appropriate when in the presence of the living God.
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