Taking Terror out of Terrorism
Terrorism is a much talked about topic of our day thanks especially to what happened on 9/11. Is there a way of taking Terror out of Terrorism for the ordinary person? I think so.
If an enemy can make you fear him, he's won. We shouldn't cooperate with terrorists no matter the level whether it be politically, socially or physically including the bully on the playground. God did not give us the spirit of fear. Fear does not come from God.
While God gives us fear, he doesn't give us the spirit of fear. There is a difference. Fear can be productive and protective along with reverential. Jesus said himself,
"And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
To fear God is the spirit of worship. The one who fears God the most loves God the most. Pastor Rogers said "Fear is love on our knees." To fear God is to hate pride, arrogancy and evil.
So what is the spirit of fear? It is a dark, dreadful, awful heavy fog that takes the stars out of our skies. It lingers heavy and dark upon our souls as we dwell there.
So how do we escape this dark, oppressive fog that so envelopes us? We go to where the light is. We go to God himself. He energizes us with power, his power. King David understood this as truth when he said:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid?"
So why panic? Where is your confidence? Is it in a warehouse full of stale bread or a father who owns a bakery?
Not only does he energize us with power he also enriches us with his love. Love is a mighty force in overcoming terror. If a terrorist can make you hate him, he has won. Christ said to love even our enemies. If a terrorist cannot make us hate and fear him he has lost. Love conquers all.
The terrorists are but tools in the hands of someone else. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but of spirits and principalities. The question is not "am I brave enough?" Instead it's "do I love enough?" When we love instead of fear the terrorist we disarm them. The difference between love and fear is this:
Love looks for opportunities to give
Fear is self protecting
Love thinks no evil
Fear sees nothing else
Love focuses on today
Fear focuses on tomorrow
Love causes us to move towards others
Fear causes us to withdraw from others
Love is a sign of a trusting Christian
Fear is a sign of doubt and lack of love
So does this mean we move towards Muslims in love? Yes. Scripture says perfect love casts out fear. I don't have perfect love. It's hard for me to love the unloveable sometimes, but I do it. When I do love the unloveable, I know it's not my love but God loving me perfectly. It's His love working thru me.
So what about justice? How does that fit in? God will take care of it using our government to do so. We must let them do their job while we do ours.
Some may say they don't have what it takes to replace fear with love. That's just the beginning. God is spirit and it's He who enriches us. Paul said in Romans:
"And Hope mkes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given tto us."
God also enlightens us with a sound mind. He wants us to gird up the loins of our minds. When we have the spirit of fear, we are afraid of everything. Our minds are awhirl. Think about it. What were Adam's first words after he sinned?
"I was afraid."
God wasn't pursing him to punish him as he feared. God was calling out to him. Proverbs 28:1 says:
The wicked flee when no man purses but the righteous are bold as a lion.
We need to have a sound mind. The Spirit of fear is unfounded. How many times do we wake up in the middle of the night fearful? But my how the light of day has a way of chasing those same fears away. It's the same with the light of the world. He can chase the spirit of fear from our lives for good if we allow him to.
Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived said:
"It is impossible that any ills happen to any man who is loved of the Lord. The most crushing calamity can only shorten his journey and hasten his reward."
Death is gain, and he is secure where others are in peril. He lives while others die. In the strictest sense no evil can happen to him because everything is overruled for good by God who loves those who love him.