They Might be Giants: Fear

Posted on February 27, 2019 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

So…I’m looking at verse 33, chapter 13, in the Book of Numbers and I can’t help thinking about a scene from the movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Don’t ask how I got there through here but since I’m here, I might as well go on. So, the boys happen upon an enchanter named “Tim” and seek his assistance in finding the Holy Grail. Tim tells them, after blowing up various bits of stone, they’ll find directions to it written in a cave. Tim is gonna show them the way to the cave but they are only to follow if they’re men of valor. However, he’ll tell them there’s a creature there, so foul, so cruel, that no man yet has fought with it and lived. Well it turned out to be a harmless little bunny, sorta…anyway.

Throughout the journey to the Promised Land, God’s chosen use of the phrase, “It was better for us back in Egypt” came up a lot when the people became afraid and unsure of what was next. YHVH tells Moses to send out twelve men to spy out the Promised Land. Apparently, all was good while they were picking fruit until they saw tall people in the land and by the time you get verse 33, chapter 13, of the Book of Numbers, they are huge beasts and death awaited them all with nasty, big, pointy teeth. Well, their response to this report that only 10 of the twelve spies gave is found in verse 4, chapter 14, of the Book of Numbers, “So they said to one another, ‘Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt” (wish I could put an eye roll emoji here).

One the things that uncertainty does to us is to cause questions to arise. I really don’t think that’s too unusual for us, after all, to have an idea of what lies ahead can be a comforting thing. That’s why it was a good idea for YHVH to have Moses send out twelve men to check out the Promised Land. For me, I would have wanted to know if there was ANYTHING else to eat besides this manna when we got there. (Manna-Bacon burgers?)

That question got answered, but as far as the rest of what God planned for His chosen people, well they were gonna have to rid the land of its inhabitants the way YHVH had told them…everything must go. Even with all the miracles that YHVH had shown His chosen, the challenge ahead was exaggerated and they allowed fear to take them over.

Dr. David Jeremiah once wrote, “When fear dominates our life, everything gets out of perspective; everything gets distorted.” 10 guys went into something God promised them and, out of fear, saw something way different. They came back, reported something way worse than what they’d really seen and scared everyone else. All it did was feed into the idea that YHVH was out to get them. We’re no different than the 10 spies when we let fear take control of things. God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s people, God’s promises, God’s principles for us get completely thrown outta whack and the next thing we want to do is to turn tail and go back to the way it used to be (sure there were ugly moments, but at least we were use to it).

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one fears is not perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18)

This wasn’t written to express your failure of faith if there is fear in you. Au Contraire…John wants his readers to understand that he who abides in God, God abides in him and in that abiding there is love…nothing to fear there.

The whole reason God’s chosen feared the way they did was that they hadn’t cultivated that closer relationship with YHVH. They didn’t understand that because He was busy getting Egypt, as an option, outta their way of thinking. Joshua and Caleb were the only two that said God’s chosen could handle what God promised them. Numbers 32:12 ends saying this of Joshua and Caleb, “for they followed the LORD fully.”

The apostle Paul knew full well that even he needed to not only cultivate a closer relationship with God but that he had to change his way of thinking. He would encourage the Colossians with these words, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16). If we were to keep ourselves busy in this way, there would be no room for fear in our lives and that perfect love of God would permeate to all those around us. Not a bad idea…Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) has been married for 25+ years (Kathy), has a married son (Kevin) and a daughter in college (Karen). He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 25-26, 2 Thessalonians 3| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “When fear grips our lives, it ultimately destroys everything God wants to do in and through us.” — Dr. David Jeremiah

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” – John 3:36