FEAR NOT! OUR LORD IS OUR HELPER!
FEAR NOT! OUR LORD IS OUR HELPER!
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!” —Psalm 30:10
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” —Acts 21:10-14
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 21:1
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” —Hebrews 13:6
In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side; He is my helper. Therefore I will look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. —Psalm 118:5-9
Who is your help? Who are you relying on? Do you rely on yourself? Do you rely on another person? Or, do you truly rely on our Lord? The Psalmist looked to the Lord’s mercy and help. Why would we look anywhere else for our help? He said that He would “be with us until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) and that “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5). Truly, when we have the right perspective we understand that “The Lord is the strength of my life.” Wow, what better strength is there? Let us rely on His strength and not the strength of our own or another.
This is why Paul could say, “For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Surely Paul trusted completely in the Lord’s strength to bring Him through anything He would experience… even death. Oh, may that be the attitude of our hearts. Death… the last enemy… and it can only bring us into the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As it is said in The Lord of the Rings—“That’s not so bad!”— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_FmqI7QKck
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Dear Father may I not only say this with confidence, but may I live this with confidence in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BElOl0m2tHY