Fear Not, Neither Be Dismayed

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

It is written: “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)

These are some of the last words of Moses as he passes the leadership of the nation of Israel to God’s appointed man Joshua. Within this statement are four crucial reminders given that are critical for every God appointed leader, and for every servant that is obedient unto the LORD. They are: 1--God will always “go before thee”; 2-- God will always “be with thee”; 3--God will never “fail thee”; 4--God will never “forsake thee.” They express the very sovereignty of the Almighty God over all His creation. There is nothing that is not under His control. This truth ought to be a blessed comfort for every child of the living God. God will always overshadow every aspect of our existence. Not only are the saints saved to the uttermost, but they are also secured in His hands to the uttermost. When God sends his people, He goes before them. Wherever the saints are, God is with them. Whatever situation confronts His children, God never fails them. When they are forsaken by all, God will never abandon them.

Now, all these things being true, what have the saints of God to fear, or to be dismayed about? Is it not written: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (II Tim. 1:7) If God has not given us the spirit of fear, from whence does it come? The weakness of the flesh! When we fall out of step with the Holy Spirit, we become prey to the unsoundness of fleshly thinking and become conquered by our own vain imaginations. Many of the saints’ battles are won or lost by the extent of their faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The courage of the saints is anchored in the absolute trust of the four promises of which Moses reminded Joshua. If God is indeed for us, what is there to fear?

The godly steadfastness and courage imperative to the work of the saints cannot be self-generated. They are blessed gifts of God through faith in His sovereignty. We must come to the assurance that we are His and He is ours and He will never leave us or forsake us. The sovereignty of God has not diminished since the days of Joshua. “Fear not, neither be dismayed,” for our God is sovereign over all!