Fear has always been the believer's enemy. Even the disciples faced fear.
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Same lie, different time, that's all. People all over the world are behind closed doors for fear. I didn't say be stupid, I said this kind of fear is from the devil and needs to be faced honestly for what it is. If you decide to self-quarantine for good reasons, fine.
BUT, if you do and you sit around talking about Coronavirus watching the news and social media, you are deceived and only hurting yourself.
Your life has been gripped by the lies and the fear that God can't and won't provide for you.
He parted the red sea, fed His people with manna from heaven, delivered them from Egypt, gave them water from a rock, raised Christ from the dead, created the universe, heals all thy sickness, will never leave or forsake you, has blessed you with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Nothing can separate you from His love. You can do all things, with Him; all things are possible. He is your strength and shield, your buckler, protector and provider. He has given you his holy spirit and eternal life. I ask you, is there anything He can't or won't do for His beloved children?
Psalm 23:1-6 1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Did you know that believers and missionaries in different countries around the world every day speak the Word of God in the face of danger? When was the last time you worried about being carted off to prison or worse for speaking God's Word?
Did you know that it's illegal to talk about Christianity in some countries? Did you know that close to a million Christians have been martyred for their faith in the last ten years? And we quake at the word Coronavirus? Something went wrong somewhere. Somewhere along the line, someone has talked you out of the Word of God.
Would you be silent if the government told you don't talk about Jesus or else? The government belongs on the outside of the church door, not on the inside. I'm not telling you to disobey the government, as long as the government stays outside the church.
You don't need to know all the answers, you know the One who does.
2 Chronicles 20:3-5 3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 5And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
Jehoshaphat was afraid, but, he did something about his fear. There is nothing wrong with being afraid, but, to live in fear and to allow fear to dominate your life is wrong. Jehoshaphat gathered the church together and sought the Lord.
2 Chronicles 20:6-9 6And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 7Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 8And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 9If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
No power can stand against God. Note verse 9, judgment or PESTILENCE, including Coronavirus.
This is not about Coronavirus, it's about the devil exercising his power and influence in and over the world, using his ministers in the media to spread fear.
Why not take a stand and come back to the Word? Dare to believe that our God will protect and provide and that He can be trusted above the government and the media.
1 Kings 8:37-39 37If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; 38What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: 39Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; Since when do we go to the government instead of going to God? Since when do we trust in the media? Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Daniel 3:4-6 4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must have looked like a bunch of idiots to everyone else.
The majority bowed to the orders from the king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bowed to their God.
Daniel 3:15-18 15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Matthew 22:21b Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
You should never let anything or anyone come between you and God.
So what should we do?
It is not my intention to be harsh. It is my intention to encourage you to trust in the Lord.
Our Heavenly Father will never leave or forsake you, not now, not ever.
Proverbs 3:5-8 3Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Trusting God will only produce health and wholeness. We love and pray for you. We will continue to have fellowship and believe God to protect and provide as He promised.
Psalm 91:9-10 9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
You can rest assured that our Heavenly Father will provide for all his children. Stop listening to the fear the news is pushing and put your head in the book, you will not be disappointed.
Note: All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. NIV indicates The New International Version, NKJV indicates the New King James Version, ASV means the American Standard Version, BBE means the Bible in Basic English, DBY means the Darby translation, NAU means the American Standard Version, 1995 Edition, and NAB means the New American Bible translation. For more information, go to the Works Cited page.