“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)
What were the first words the angels said after Jesus rose from the dead? “Don’t be afraid!”
What were the first words Jesus spoke after He rose from the dead? “Don’t be afraid!”
What were the first words the disciples heard Jesus say when he met them as a group? “Don’t be afraid!”
Friends, that’s the message of Easter: Don’t be afraid! Jesus is alive!
Fear has a lot of names. Worry, tension, anxiety and stress are a few nicknames for fear. Fear is no small thing. Too much stress caused by anxiety and worry can even be life-threatening.
Why would Jesus make a point to repeatedly tell us not to be afraid? I think He knew fear would be a natural part of being human.
1 John 4:18 says, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear…”
The Bible says that love and fear are opposites. They can’t operate together. When love comes in the front door of your life, fear goes out the back door. Love is the antidote.
Our most profound need in life is to feel completely, totally, unconditionally loved—not for something we could be or should be, but to be enjoyed and adored just as we are. Did you know that’s the way Jesus loves you?
You don’t have to be afraid, my friend, because not only does God love you, but Jesus died and rose again just for you. How powerful!
You may feel a loss of power or that your life is out of your control.
I often hear people say things like, “I feel powerless to change the situation… I feel powerless to break this bad habit… I feel powerless to save my relationship… I feel powerless to get out of debt… I feel powerless to manage my time and my schedule…”
The truth is, you were never meant to live this life on your own power. God longs to have a relationship with you, and His resurrection gives you the power you need to succeed in every area of your life. His resurrection power gives you the ability to fight back fear with the unconditional love of Christ.
Reflect and Respond:
1. What are you afraid of? Surrender your anxiety to Jesus.
2. In what areas of your life do you feel powerless? Ask God to give you His resurrection power in your weakness.
