subject: Do Not Be Afraid, Christian - A Story Giving Perspective [print this page] Copyright (c) 2010 Peter RubelAre you living with anxiety? Do certain things push your "fear buttons," even though you are a Christian? You are not alone. Here is a story we need to hear.Imagine yourself in these people's position! King Saul was with an army of two thousand foot soldiers, and his son Jonathan commanded an army of a thousand. Trouble was brewing, so Saul summoned more men from all Israel. Then a Philistine army of six thousand charioteers (two per chariot) and foot soldiers "as numerous as the sand on the seashore" marched forth and camped not far from Saul and Jonathan. Saul and the Philistines were enemies. A battle was inevitable.But the odds were actually worse. The Philistines had previously conquered Israel and taken away all their swords and spears (1 Samuel 13:22). Only Saul and Jonathan had swords.How do you think you'd feel as an Israelite soldier, maybe armed only with sticks and stones? Most deserted or hid until about six hundred remained, and these were "quaking with fear" (1 Samuel 13:7). Even if there had been only six thousand Philistine foot soldiers, there would have been twenty armed Philistines for every unarmed Israelite soldier.It was under these conditions that the indomitable Jonathan knew "nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6). After receiving a requested sign from the Lord to proceed, he and his armor bearer (two people with one sword between them) attacked a small Philistine outpost, impressively killing twenty of the enemy (v. 14).Jonathan was not afraid because he knew God could deliver and he acted under the belief that God would deliver, at least in regards to the Philistine outpost.The odd thing is what happened next. The Philistine army panicked, partly because the earth shook at that point (v. 15)--God's doing. And the panic led to Israel's deliverance that day from the oppression of the Philistines. The Philistines fled because of their fear while the once-fearful Israelite army returned from hiding to engage their enemies. Philistines even fought each other in the confusion (v. 20).Thus the story is written to imply that the Lord saved "by few," that is by the hand of Jonathan and his armor bearer. The Philistine terror was a test of faith in the God who delivers by many or by few.Thus the story prods us in honesty to admit that we are obliged to rise above our fears and to act in faith as Jonathan did.Of course, had Jonathan gone ahead with his skirmish at the Philistine outpost without and contrary to the Lord's authority, it would not have been an act of faith, but of foolishness. In that case it would have been an act of vigilantism. King Saul's response had been to offer sacrifice, but in a way contrary to what the Lord had said (1 Samuel 13:7-14). If we exercise our religion contrary to what the Lord says, it does not please God, and God will not bless.Fear can make us do foolish things. We may not face life-threatening tests of faith like Saul and Jonathan, but in principle, when a Christian is afraid, the solution is to believe and act upon what God says despite the army of problems we may see around us. And if we can trust God with our very lives, we can also trust God to care and provide for us when financial worries, job problems, health challenges, trials and difficulties march against us. God can deliver by many or by few, and when He delivers a Christian, that Christian has trusted and obeyed God.
Do Not Be Afraid, Christian - A Story Giving Perspective
