Pastor's Corner

for Sunday March 14th
The Sword of Fear.
The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. 4 Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and run me through before these pagan Philistines come and humiliate me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
(1 Chron. 10:3-4) King Saul is afraid; afraid of humiliation; afraid that he is going to die a horrible death and his fear causes him to take his own life; to fall on his own sword. The arrows of the enemy wound us; they cut deep; they are painful but they do not kill because we have the shield of faith by which we can “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Eph 6:16) No, it’s not the arrows of the enemy that should cause us alarm, rather beware of the sword of fear in your hand. When things seem to be insurmountable; when the enemy is pressing down on you so hard you feel like you can’t breathe, don’t let fear destroy you. Fear and discouragement kills us because fear makes us give up. We give up on our marriage; we give up on our children; we give up on our friends; we give up on our church; we give up on...whatever it is that’s weighing heavy on you right now. You’ve given it all you got and it’s just not working, “I just can’t do this anymore!” “This man/woman I’m married to will never change!” The arrows of the enemy cut deep, we are discouraged; we doubt ourselves; we are in pain! And so we give up; we fall on our own sword. The apostle Paul says, “Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (Gal. 6:9) Don’t let fear rob you of the victory that God will give if you persevere. Lay aside the sword of fear and pick up the sword of truth and press into the battle and win.
Pastor Don.