A women living in China heard shouts. Not long later she was summoned by the governor to the prison. Why? What was going on? The governor quickly explained. There was a riot in the men’s prison, somehow they’d gotten a hold of weapons, and no one could go in there without being killed. The governor wanted her to go in and stop it. Her?! Why would he send a small women when he could send in lots of armed guards? The governor explained, “You said your God will protect you from anything!”. Right….
Gladys Aylward was a missionary in China, known for the inn she ran where she would tell nightly bible stories to the travelers who stayed there, and for her care of many, many orphans. In this particular instance, however, she did go into the prison full of bloodshed, and commanded that they men stop and surrender their weapons. And they did. She trusted God even in the overwhelming fear she surely must have felt!
So often our human fears stem from our not trusting God’s power and supremacy. Do we really trust that He will provide for us, protect us, and equip us? We say we do, but would you have gone into that prison? Perhaps Gladys Aylward’s actions seem foolish, but if God were telling her to go, surely they weren’t! God clearly blessed them! If God is on our side, and we are doing what is right and what is His will, surely nothing can touch us, and nothing will stop us! How dare we doubt God’s power? Read and pray through the following Scriptures and their context, surrendering any fears that you are holding on to. Choose to trust God’s power and not doubt it any longer!
- Matthew 14:27 (NIV) – But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
- Acts 4:13 (NIV) – When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
- Acts 27:25 (NIV) – So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
- Proverbs 28:1 (NIV) – The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
- Romans 13:3 (NIV) – For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
- Joshua 2:11 (NIV) – When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
- Deuteronomy 31
I challenge you, actually print out this page and read through these Scriptures and their context in the Bible! You can read all about our ideas and experiences of defeating fear, and living in courage, but in the end it is you who must make the choice to do this on your own, to seek the truth for yourself, and to make this topic yours. I had learned so much about this topic over the years, but as I sat down to research and write for this month’s magazine, there was so, so much more truth that God had laid out. We couldn’t fit it all in this magazine! Whether you are battling fear now, or not, fears will come, and the only way to defeat them is if you know God’s truth and His power when they come. For they will come!
*Note: We do not post the full magazine on this blog every month, to read the full magazine monthly for free, email us at thinkauthors@gmail.com
Th!nk Magazine 