Disarming the Fear Pandemic - A Vital Message for the Church in this hour - Part 2

17th March, 2020, Jason Carter

What is the root cause of fear? Simply put, it is the fear of dying.

I know a Christian man whose wife was having a panic attack. He quipped; “What’s the worse that could happen? You die, and go home to be with the Lord!” His comment immediately arrested her anxiety as she realised what would follow.

Some Christians fear death. This is evidenced by their panicked reaction to external threats in our world. Some believers are fearful of catching the Coronavirus. Yes, we must be wise to protect ourselves, just as we would the common cold or flu, but we must not let the fear of death be the driving force.

Jesus expressly told us to not be afraid of those who can kill the body but after that can do no more. (Luke 12:4)

You see, there is an ‘after that’. For the believer, their lives gloriously continue the moment they die.

Death is but an exciting gateway into a continuation of the journey with their Heavenly Father in the bright presence of the Son for all eternity. It is where they are rejoined with their believing loved ones, amid the throngs of angels in heavenly chorus.

In light of this biblical reality, what on earth is there to fear?

Unfortunately the word ‘death’ doesn’t really help to convey a positive experience. The term itself evokes finality - a fearful expectation of the unknown or an outer darkness.

However, the Apostle Paul knew differently. He described death as sleep. Paul referred to the believers who ‘sleep in death’, and ‘who have fallen asleep.’ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:18).

Jesus also described the dead girls condition as that of sleeping. Of the dead and entombed Lazarus, Jesus declared he was sleeping and would wake him up.

To understand that for the believer, sleep is merely occurring, changes everything. Sleep doesn’t evoke feelings of fear, but rather the opposite - PEACE!

The Psalmist wrote; “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)

For Stephen, who met a violent end by stoning, the bible records that he saw Jesus welcome him and then he fell asleep. For the believer, even a painful end can be a peaceful one with Jesus.

For the Christian, death is not to be feared, even in the slightest. The apostle Paul had no fear of death. He said, ‘to be absent from the body was to be at home with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:8). He should know. Paul was no stranger to heaven and was caught up there during his life. That is why he could confidently declare; “Where oh death is your sting?” Indeed. For the Christian, where is it?

Fear is being used right now as a weapon, deployed through the mainstream media, in an unprecedented global control of the masses. But it can only work on those who are afraid to die.

Once we come to understand that death is merely sleeping and awakening in the bright presence of Jesus, then there can be no fear! As we sing in church, ‘death was arrested’.

Knowing this, we walk through the valley of the shadow of death fearlessly (Psalm 23:4). With this understanding we become free. Fear has thus been disarmed.

We are no longer under fears control and the peace of Christ rules in our hearts. (Colossians 3:15)

We are enabled to clearly hear Jesus personally tell us; “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27)