Table of Contents
Conquering Fear And Death
Heroes And Cowards
Bravely Conquering Fear And Death: What differentiates between a “hero” and a “coward”? It is NOT the “fear” they have had to face! It is their response to that fear! A hero or heroine is willing to die to protect someone they love! So it is their love that makes the difference!
"16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us".
1 John 4:16-19 KJV
In The Beginning
When did fear first appear on this Earth? Yes, right after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and then heard God calling to them! So what created the fear? The fact that they no longer trusted in God’s Word or God’s Goodness!
The next question is “How can I get true love into my heart”? But this is not the right question. First, you need to understand the “nature of love.” It is only by receiving true love from someone else that love is inspired in your own heart! In this sinful world, this is truly a very rare occurrence! So what hope do we have of developing any real love? Many people try to find it “within,” but this is a mistake!
The Only Source Of Love!
God is the ONLY real source of true and deep love! Here’s what one of my favorite writers has to say about this:
The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God, Satan’s deceptive power was to be broken. This could not be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known. Upon the world’s dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, “with healing in His wings.” Malachi 4:2. Desire Of Ages, page 22, by Ellen G. White
Did you catch the most important phrase? “Only by love is love awakened”! So, the ONLY WAY you can develop ANY real love in your own heart is to receive some of that love from God!
And how do we receive God’s love? By reading God’s Word, the Bible, for ourselves and understanding how much He has demonstrated His love for us!
Reading the whole book Desire of Ages will also help. The link will allow you to read the entire book online without spending a dime, and it’s a long book!
Reading the Bible and Desire Of Ages will get you pretty well started on the path to “Conquering Fear And Death” for yourself.
Are You Afraid?
Are you afraid right now? What’s the worst that could happen? Yes, you could die! Is there anyone in your life right now that you would lay down your life for? If the answer is yes, then think about how much you love them and not about the fear you feel! Think about how you’ll tell them how much you love them when you see them tonight or tomorrow morning!
My Cat Gracie
We have a black cat named Gracie. When we first met her, she was living in a boat in someone’s driveway, along with about eight of her kittens! Gracie was very feral and fearful! But each morning and evening, we fed both her and her kittens! After about a week, one night, I decided to pet Gracie as she was eating. From that moment on, Gracie fell completely in love with me. She was never afraid of me again!
Of course we adopted Gracie, spayed her, and paid for all her shots. And she became part of our family!
Gracie Is Still Feral!
Although she still refuses to be nice to any of our other five cats, she never shows any fear of her “daddy”! As soon as I sit down in front of my computer, she hops onto my lap for her morning dose of petting! For Gracie, my petting is far better than any drug! She loves it much more than her food! In fact, there have been many times when she refused to eat her meal until I pet her!
Our Heavenly Father
This is exactly how we all should relate to our Heavenly Father! And when we have that kind of relationship with Him, our fears, when they occasionally arise, will not rule over us!
Everyone Dies
Yes, everyone dies. The only question is whether it will be from “old age” or something else! But knowing God frees us from the fear of death! God wants to set you free from the fear of death so that you can live an abundant and trusting life in Him! When you let God’s love flow into your mind and heart, then your fears will become unimportant. And you will want to give some love away to other people!
An Important Song
There’s an old song from the movie “The Sound Of Music” called “A Bell Is No Bell.” Here are the words to that very short yet important song:
A bell is no bell 'til you ring it!
A song is no song 'til you sing it!
And love in your heart was not put there to stay!
Love isn't love 'til you give it away!
Death is just a part of life for the moment. But death is doomed! After the second coming of Jesus and the 1,000 years of our “honeymoon” with Jesus Christ, then Death will be completely destroyed for the rest of eternity! How do we know this?
"1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years".
Revelation 20:1-6 KJV
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire".
Revelation 20:7-15 KJV
Obviously, this event marks the end of ALL DEATH! I’m sorry if you believe in the “Yin and Yang” theory. The fact is that there is no need for both good and evil to exist “in balance” with each other! There was a time when no evil existed in the entire infinite expanse of our Universe! And very soon, the Universe will be restored to that condition and rid of ALL evil once again!
So, if you plan to be in Heaven, my friend, you can look forward to a bright future! A future where there is no more fear, death, or evil of any kind to worry about in the entire Universe!
In other words, fear and death are only going to keep bothering you in this very brief life! Fear controls the behavior of most people! But Jesus came to help you live a blessed and happy life that is free from the controlling influence of fear!
The ideas put forth by modern movies and TV series (such as Star Trek and others) are completely wrong! Sin does not exist anywhere in the entire Universe except for THIS planet! There is no “advanced race” from another world that will conquer the Earth by force! Yes, God will put an end to sin (very soon), but there’s no reason to fear that event unless you reject His love!
Happiness does not depend on having a “good life”, but upon having a close relationship with your Heavenly Father! Then, regardless of your circumstances, you can be confident that you’re on the winning side! Soon, this life will be over, sin will be eradicated, money won’t exist, your travel will not be limited in ANY WAY, and you will have eternal life!
This means that you can start conquering fear and death, right now…TODAY!
Please check out our other Articles!