The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 8
A Heart Free of Worry and Fear!
… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
– John 14:27
In yesterday’s devotion I looked at the first part of John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you…”, and I shared with you a testimony of how God’s supernatural eirene and Shalom (“peace”) kept my heart, mind and emotions in a difficult situation.
Today’s devotion delves into the second part of John 14:27, where Jesus continues His encouragement by saying “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.
Jesus knows that life often times presents us with catastrophes and wars that cause us to worry and fear as though we have no peace. Therefore, He has made provision for us to have His “peace” even before time memorial. Hence, the reason He encourages, “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.
The word “troubled” is the Greek word taresso, which is used in numerous places in the New Testament to mean to shake, to trouble, to disquiet, to unsettle, to perplex, to cause anxiety, or even to cause feelings of grief. It is the picture of someone feeling inwardly shaken, unsettled, confused, and upset. Have you ever felt that way? Then, you know precisely what I mean (Renner, 2016)!
These disquieting emotions usually lead to fear. I personally can attest to this fact because I have had this experience over and over again. Being on a roller-coaster ride with emotions that were out of control had become my way of life. That is why I believe Jesus went on to say “neither let it be afraid”.
The word “afraid” is from the word deilos, and gives a picture of a gripping fear or dread that produces a shrinking back or cowardice. In essence, it saps your ability to look at the problem head-on and causes you to retreat into your own mode of self-preservation – which, in effect, is cowardice or lack of courage to face what is before you (Renner, 2016).
It is encouraging to know that we are not the only ones who deal with these troubling emotions that alter our moods and cause us to experience the disorders of anxiety and depression. The Bible is full of accounts of men and women who were used mightily by God and had such great faith to perform signs and wonders, yet they too have “been there, done that”.
Mark 4:35-41 records the experience of Jesus and His disciples in a boat on the See of Galilee when there arose a great storm of wind that caused the waves to beat into the boat so that it was full with water. Jesus was asleep in the hinder part of the boat, and His disciples became so worried and afraid that they all thought they were going to die in the storm. So they woke Jesus and said unto Him, “Master, don’t you care that we are going to perish?” Jesus got up, rebuked the storm by saying to the sea, “Peace, be still”, then the wind and the waves ceased and there was a great calm. After the calm, Jesus asked His disciples, “Why are you so fearful? Where is your faith?” Yet they were still exceedingly afraid and questioned what kind of man is Jesus for the wind and sea to obey Him.
It didn’t matter that those men were the disciples of Jesus and that Jesus was in the boat with them. At that moment, they didn’t remember all the sings, wonders, and miracles that they had seen in Jesus’ ministry. The thought of death overwhelmed them by the sight of the wind and waves and they became greatly afraid.
How many times have you experienced a distressing situation that caused you to forget that God had previously delivered you from several distressing situations in the past and you were so afraid and worried? I know that I have been there and done that many times. And that was the scenario with Jesus’ disciples in Mark 4:35-41.
The word “afraid” – deilos is the same Greek word that Paul used in Second Timothy 1:7 when he told Timothy, “God has not given his a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.
Therefore, instead of a spirit of fear, God has given you the spirit of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Hence, even in the gravest of circumstances, you don’t have to experience worry and be fearful. Instead, you can tap into the supernatural eirene and Shalom (“peace”) of God that exceeds all understanding.
It therefore, behoves you friends, according to (Renner, 2016) to “not let your heart be torn up by things that unsettle you, neither let it be taken with fear that causes you to shrink back into cowardice”.
May your heart be free from distressing emotions such as worry and fear, and may you continually experience God’s supernatural eirene and Shalom (“peace”).
Shalom!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father I give You praise for You alone are worthy of my praise. I thank you for giving me a spirit of power, love and a sound mind instead of a spirit of fear. I rebuke, bind and cast the spirits of fear and anxiety and I loose God’s supernatural peace in my heart and mind. I declare today that I will not let my heart be anxious nor afraid in times of great troubles but I will allow the supernatural (shalom) peace of God to guard my soul at all times. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ name. Amen!
