When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. Rev 1:17 (NIV)
Fear Not – Fear Part 7
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The following is the introduction of a sermon preached by CH Spurgeon; delivered on March 9, 1880, at the Shoreditch Tabernacle.
“‘Fear not' is a plant which grows very plentifully in God’s garden. If you look through the lily beds of Scripture you will continually find, by the side of other flowers, the sweet, ‘fear nots' peering out from doctrines and precepts even as violets look up from their hiding among places of green leaves. ‘fear nots' bloomed in the old times at the feet of Abraham when he returned from fighting with the kings. Melchisedec blessed him, and the Lord comforted him. The Patriarch might have been half afraid that he would always lead a troubled life, now that he had once drawn the sword. But the Lord came to him in vision and said, “Fear not, Abram. I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward…”
A ‘fear not' was spoken to Isaac when he had dug wells, and the Philistines fought for them and he, like the meek soul that he was, gave them up, one by one, to avoid a conflict. At last he settled down at Beersheba, and there the Lord appeared to him and said, “Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you.” He was a feeble man and, therefore, the Lord dealt tenderly with him. If any of you are meek and quiet spirits and rather apt to tremble exceedingly, may the Lord often give you a blessed, “Fear not” to wear in your bosoms that its fragrance may comfort your hearts.
Then there was Jacob. You know how troubled his life was, but when he heard that his beloved son whom he thought was dead was alive in Egypt and was clothed with glory and that he had sent for him to go down to see him, he was afraid to go till the Lord said to him, “Fear not to go down into Egypt,” and gave him this encouraging promise, “I will go down with you into Egypt.” If any of you are making a great change in life and moving, perhaps, to the very ends of the earth, “fear not to go down into Egypt!” Should God command you to go to the utmost edge of the green earth, to rivers unknown to you, yet if He bids you go, fear not to go down into Egypt, for certainly He will be with you!
The Israelites at the Red Sea were afraid of Pharaoh and then the Lord said to them, “Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of God.” If you are brought to a pass tonight and know not what to do, take the advice of Holy Scripture and, “Fear not”—“stand still and see the salvation of God.” As we observe the Scriptures, we perceive that “Fear nots” are scattered throughout the Bible as the stars are sprinkled over the whole of the sky. But when we come to Isaiah, we find constellations of them…
Isaiah is richest in comfort to the people of God, and continually he is saying, “Fear not.” Here are a few of his antidotes for the fever of fear: “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not.” “Fear you not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.” “Fear not, I will help you.” “Fear not, I have redeemed you.” “Fear not, for you, shall not be ashamed; neither be you confounded, for you shall not be put to shame” and so on. I was going to say, “world without end.” So abundant are these, “Fear nots,” that they grow like the king-cups and the daisies and other sweet flowers of the meadows among which the little children in the springtime delight themselves. As to gathering them all, no one would attempt the task. The bank that is fullest of these beautiful flowers is that which Isaiah has cast up — go there and pluck them for yourselves.” – CH Spurgeon.
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