There is plenty to fear in the world today. It seems there is also something new to worry about, be anxious about, or even be fearful about. Wars are breaking out, and great powers are taking sides. It seems like there is a new disease around every corner. Famine and drought affect many. There is corruption in government, educational systems, and media. Evil and the dark side of humanity seem to revel in the sunshine of acceptance, while goodness is seen as weak. In many corners of the world, darkness is winning. Powerless to change any of this, many hide in a corner somewhere.
Fear does that; it freezes us in place. But for Christ-followers, fear has a much different response. Consider this verse from Moses, “You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.” (Deuteronomy 6:13, NASB95) Just like our highest love is to be Jesus Christ, our deepest fear is toward God. But because of God’s love, this fear doesn’t create terror but reverence.
This verse shows up again in the Gospels. Jesus replied with this verse when He was tempted in the wilderness to worship Satan to gain all the kingdoms of the world. (Matthew 4:8-10) This small portion of Moses’ writing in Deuteronomy is to encourage the children of Israel to stay faithful at all times. An encouragement and warning they failed at over and over again.
Because our deepest fear is pleasing God, the other fears of life shouldn’t freeze us but call us to action. Most often, that action is prayer. And right now, our prayer bucket is overflowing. There are big things in the world to pray about. War, corruption, and injustice. Neither should we fear when people reveal their true colors. The enemy has tipped their hand when those who oppose God (knowingly or in ignorance) show themselves. Now we know who to pray for!
The other day, I had lunch at a nearby fast-food restaurant. Given that it is late October, there were Halloween decorations everywhere. While most Halloween decorations are innocuous, some can get ghoulish and dark. However, the decorations in this restaurant were occultist with tarot cards, ouija board candles, and a large black wall hanging with a pentagram woven into it. This is different; this is Satan’s (witting or unwitting) followers saying, “Here I am!” Cool! (Not the response you were anticipating?)
Our job, our calling, as Christ-followers, is made easy when the enemy is revealed. We put on God’s armor and pray. Not in fear that their display will somehow wreck or challenge our faith. But in love, knowing that the one thing they need most in life is to know God, the real God, the most powerful God, the God who died on the cross to save them. They are declaring themselves as lost. Not someone to be feared but someone to claim.
The prayer I most often lean on when praying for the lost is this – “For my inheritance, Lord, give me the lost, specifically these lost ones.” It is a paraphrase of Psalms 2:8. “‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.” (Psalm 2:8, NASB95) Nations in this verse are specifically the Gentiles, those outside the Kingdom – in other words, the lost. It is a prayer that I picked up from a Vineyard song called Show Your Power.
I’ll leave you today with one final point and the song’s second verse. By praying over this world’s fearful things, we are fulfilling Deuteronomy 6:13 and only fearing the Lord.
Your gospel, Oh Lord is the hope of our nation (You are the Lord)
It’s the power of God for our salvation (You are the Lord)
We ask not for riches but look to the cross (You are the Lord)
And for our inheritance, give us the lost (You are the Lord)
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