Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, Invitation to the Jesus Life

Do you know what the most frequent command in the Bible is?  Fear Not! Don’t be afraid!
Don’t be afraid speaks to our anxiety that drives much of our waywardness. When we’re afraid, we often use anger to protect ourselves. In fear we may try to manage others.  We may deceive others to get our needs met because we don’t trust God to meet our needs.
Part of what Jesus did routinely was to help people move from a place of fear to trust.  This a journey each of us takes every day. Will I trust Jesus today with this task that’s too big for me?
As we grow in Christlikeness, we let go of fear and learn to trust Him.

Jesus never refused anyone’s invitation of hospitality, even when it meant going to the house of his enemy. He was not intimidated but peaceful.

He can overpower our fear and chaos and quiet us with His peace, like HE quieted the storm.

We can offer the prayer of Eph 3:16-21 in which we ask him (1) to strengthen us with power through the Spirit in our inner being; (2). To give us power to grasp His love and (3) to help us acknowledge that because God’s power works in us, God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.

I memorized Ps. 27 some time ago and it is a great one for facing our fears.  Example “though_____encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though_____rise up against me, yet I will be confident”