How can I be fearless?

There is a song that I love. Within is the following verse.

I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side. (Whom Shall I Fear)

Understanding that God is in complete control of everything is the first step to relinquishing fear. God is omnipotent, which means he is all-powerful.

Thus says the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. (Isaiah 66:1)

First of all, God is on the throne of heaven, which shows that he rules over all the hosts of heaven and its inhabitants. God considers the earth to be His footstool. I’m presently sitting on my couch using an ottoman as a footstool to rest my feet. It would take me little to no effort to get up and shift my ottoman to a different location in my room. So to think that God considers our world as His footstool would mean that He has complete control over it. A footstool is also beneath whoever is using it. To grasp this metaphor in its fullness is to grasp that God is SUPERIOR over all and is in CONTROL of all things both in heaven and on earth.

Next, it is important to grasp that God is on my side. He is on my team. I recently was in prayer and the Lord showed me a vision that was encouraging to me. In the image I was playing hockey and Jesus was on my team. More specifically, Jesus and I were playing on the same line together. We had perfect chemistry and he knew exactly where I was going to be on the ice at all times. Jesus was making me an exponentially better player than I ever could have been on my own. This image was powerful because it showed that not only was Jesus on my team, but he was personally involved and invested in helping me succeed. The promise that God will be with us always is seen in multiple places in scripture.

I have chosen you and not cast you off; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isiah 41:9-10)

Similar encouragement is found in the book of Joshua.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

These are just two examples from a vast array of scripture passages that tell the Lord’s people to FEAR NOT! I know that God is with me wherever I go, there is no place that is hidden from his sight and He has power to work miraculously in any situation at any given moment! If I can go into places and situations grounded in the truth that God is on my side and is powerful and capable of moving at any moment then I should theoretically be able to move forward without fear.

Unfortunately, there can be a pitfall that I have been guilty of falling into on multiple occasions. It is the stumbling block of sin, and specifically, the fear of punishment that often follows a mistake. If I am afraid that God is trying to punish me then I am falling into a mindset that views God as more of a referee than a teammate. If I did not have Jesus as my savior, I would have every reason to be terrified because I would be accountable for every sin I ever committed and would have to face the punishment for it all. However, because I have placed my hope in Jesus, and because Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for my sin, God does not see my sin when he looks at me. Rather, He sees Jesus blood covering all of my imperfections which makes me blameless in His sight.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

Since I have believed in Jesus I have been welcomed into God’s family, which is the beloved. Being a part of the beloved means that I do not need to fear judgment from God. Being a part of the beloved means I can receive the exact same promise that was given to Joshua all those years ago.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

God is not out to get me. He is on my side. He is on my team. He my line mate who knows me inside and out and wants to help me succeed. Even if I should come up against the walls of Jericho like Joshua faced so many years ago I can still walk forward in confidence, knowing that I serve the God who is capable of bringing the walls down with a snap of his fingers.

Yes. I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side.

Whom shall I fear.