I am not Afraid

“In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” - Psalm 56:11

As we approach September 11th, 2022, the 21st anniversary of the devastating attack on American soil, we are reminded to reflect on God's Word, not the world around us.

We cannot and should not live our lives afraid. We must remember that although these terrible things happen in the fallen world around us, the ones doing these works of iniquity are not our enemies, merely pawns of our true enemy, Satan.

Ephesians 6 tells us that the daily battle we as believers face is not of "flesh and blood" or "of this world." Instead, it is a spiritual battle. An invisible force drives people who come against us in this world, a "ruler" who uses his soldiers wisely to cause as much havoc and fear as possible.

He focuses his attacks on those who would be influential in spreading his evil fires and on those who truly serve our Lord in hopes of them turning, and he preys on our ignorance.

See, Satan has no real power over believers. When we belong to the Lord, God frees us from the bondage of sin and all the evils that come with it. So Satan's only real power is lying. He proved this in the beginning with Eve, which is still true today.

How are lies a power? He uses lies to influence, convince, manipulate, and control. However, unlike the old comic Flip Wilson's famous saying, "the devil made me do it," in all actuality, the devil cannot "make" you do anything. Someone has to choose to do it.

It is essential to read the Word of God and fill our hearts and minds with His truth, removing what little power Satan has.

A sad truth about religion and faith in America is that every time we read about a cult, abuse, or deception within a church, regardless of proclaimed denomination, we have to ask ourselves, how were these people deceived? Unfortunately, the answer is the same every time. They did not read the Word of God for themselves and, in most cases, allowed those in authority to "tell them" what the Word says and means.

So what does all of this have to do with the anniversary of September 11th?

Instead of living in fear and confusion of the times created by powers unseen, we need to fill our hearts and heads with the Word of God, wherein we find peace, security, and the truth of what God has planned for the future, which no lie, man, beast or power will overcome, and that is a promise of God.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7