Tomorrow is the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States at New York’s Twin Towers. The US has also suffered the loss by beheading of two journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, to the terrorist Islamic group ISIS. Ferguson, Missouri is the city that now epitomizes police brutality and excessive force on the predominately African-American residents there – provoking fear. African nations are fighting off the spread of the Ebola virus epidemic. Yesterday, Ray Rice was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violently assaulting his then fiancee in a domestic violence incident uncovered by TMZ. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 women has been severely physically assaulted by an intimate partner.
Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims; or the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism. To terrorize is to fill or overcome with terror; to dominate or coerce by intimidation; to produce widespread fear by acts of violence. Terror is an intense, sharp, overmastering or conquering fear or anxiety. It is paralyzing. Avoiding what you fear brings fatigue. A terrorized person is really prevented from LIVING and LOVING FREELY! and doing God’s will.
In Psalm 91, we are admonished to dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty God. We are to say that the Lord is our refuge and fortress and we trust in Him for deliverance.
“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you…no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” vs. 5-11 Great reassurances of God’s help are in Psalm 27, 34 and 46 as well.
At New Life Covenant, we have been teaching on the Kingdom of God and the Lord’s purpose to colonize earth with Heaven’s principles, morals and values through Kingdom citizens who are ambassadors of the ministry of reconciliation and couriers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 5: 11-21, Matthew 28:16-20) We are not ignorant of the fact that our adversary the devil uses: lies and deception, pride and lust, thievery, terrorism, death and disaster to depress, distract, and dissuade us from this purpose and make us bow to him. In the same way a religious extremist, a supremacist, or a misogynist (hater of women) uses terror to prevent the power of their perceived enemy (whether in physical presence or by influence of culture); Satan attempts to impede the forward progress of the ever-advancing Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us too afraid to do God’s will. He loves procrastination.
Paul told Timothy to ‘stir up the gift of God’ within him, for God has not given us a spirit of fear (cowardice, timidity), but of power (ability) and of love (agape) and of a sound mind (self-controlled, disciplined). (2 Timothy 1:6-7) Paul knew the stress and dangers involved in promoting and living out The Way of Jesus Christ. Throughout the Epistles, he speaks of imprisonments, shipwrecks, treacherous circumstances, and deathly enemies. It would have been easy for young Timothy to be overcome with fear, experience evil forebodings and insecurities in his mind, and allow his love to wax cold – particularly for enemies that sought to persecute or even kill him.
It has been said the Bible makes 365 admonitions not to fear – one for every day! There are times when the thing we are most afraid of doing, the place we are most afraid of going, the conversation we are most afraid of having, or the decision we are most afraid of making, is the very one that would establish the rule and reign of God in our lives. Sometimes the thing we fear most is territory that the Lord wants to conquer for His glory! Despite the danger we feel, we should run TOWARD it and not away!
Is there an issue or where the enemy is terrorizing you…yet God keeps pushing you to resist him and claim that ground? Terrorism is used when the enemy is desperate because his defeat is imminent. He knows if you are no longer afraid and begin to pursue God’s will, you will win. He will lose that territory in your life, and there’s a great probability many others will be won through your victory!
