Faith is one of the most important attributes of being a child of God! Without our faith in God, there is no way for us to live a life that is purposeful and effective as believers in Christ our Lord. According to Heb 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Fear, on the other hand, is an emotional response that we as humans may experience when we perceive any untoward peril to our physical, emotional, or mental stability. And with fear, it’s so important that we remember that our faith prevails fear.
Looking closer at Matthew 14:22-31, we find that after the disciples witnessed Jesus’ miracle of feeding more than 5000 people with two fishes and five loaves of bread in a desert place, they entered a ship to travel to the other side of the sea. Amid the sea, they encountered tumultuous winds and waves right about the fourth watch of the night (between 3am and 6am), and Jesus appeared walking on water. Not knowing it was Jesus and thinking it were a spirit, the disciples cried out because of fear. But, Jesus calmed them saying “it is I, be of good cheer; and be not afraid (v. 27).” And, because of Peter’s act of faith in Jesus, he proposed to Jesus to let him come unto him on the sea. According to Matthew 14:29, Jesus said to him, Come; and when Peter went out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
When you’re experiencing life at the crossroads where it takes a turn and changes course, or during challenging or tumultuous circumstances that causes us to question and cry out to the Lord, we must keep the faith and know that He will help us get through it as we allow Him to guide us with what decisions and how to make them. And, most of all, we need to know that God is our refuge and fortress and in Him we will trust (Psalm 91:2). As we surrender life’s chaos, changes, and challenges to the Lord our God, His Spirit will give us the faith as needed to dwell beneath His wings in place of peace, rest and assurance to allow our faith prevail fear. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). Keep trusting and seeking the Lord’s guidance for every single situation. Just as Jesus bid Peter to Come (Matt 14:29), in the same manner as we seek the Lord, let your faith prevail fear and receive His loving grace that will support you, and His endless mercies that will protect you, and His trusted compassions that will bring you comfort.
TIPS for Faith to Prevail Fear:
- Have Faith in God
- Pray daily to God, as often as you can
- Read God’s word daily
- Meditate on the Word of God
- Seek the Lord for Godly wisdom
- Ask God to remove doubt and/or fear from your heart
Courtesy of Dr. Karen Powell