“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,”
Acts 9:17-18 NIV
http://bible.com/111/act.9.17-18.niv
What are you afraid of?
Being a “macho man” I’m going to say I’m not afraid of anything!
I’m not afraid of spiders, snakes, heights, confined spaces, fighting, and I’m not afraid to proclaim the name of Jesus,.............or am I?
The easiest thing we can say is “We are not afraid!” But, how does this lack of fear show up in our lives. If I say I’m not afraid, but act like I am, which is correct? When was the last time you shared the gospel with a stranger? When was the last time you publicly proclaimed the power of the Lord? How safe is your ministry?
I can’t imagine being Ananias! He was challenged by the Lord to seek out Saul! He questioned God, but pursued the greatest threat to Christianity that ever walked the earth. I wish I could claim that kind of bold, fearless, faith.
As I get older, my fear is fading. I have never felt more bold for the Lord. I still have a long way to go. My powerful, loving, creator of all things, Lord, is using me and I feel his presence deep inside me. I have an ever increasing desire to serve him. This world is not a friendly place. As a Christ follower the chance of persecution is growing. We can not cower in fear, we still need to obey the calling of the Lord and go into dark places. We need to stand against oppression and persecution. We need to share the gospel message without shame and with the boldness of Ananias. The Lord is with us, we have nothing to fear.
Dear Lord, we need your power and strength . We need your fearless love and wisdom to share the gospel message. Fuel us with boldness and faith to obey your call! Amen!
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