How To Be Strong In a Country Ruled By Fear

Man on shore coronavirus blog post

Today, one word dominates the news- Coronavirus. As I write this, my little brother and best friend Noah is on a plane back to the USA for a family wedding. Already, he has told me that over 70% of all passengers, workers, pilots, stewardesses, and all other people found in an airport are wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus. Racism, in ways we could never have foreseen, is on the rise. Asians are commonly being prejudiced against simply because of their race, along with the fact that the virus originated in (and has stayed focused on) China.

The Coronavirus has brought more than a deadly disease- it has brought fear. From Buddhists to Atheists, Christians to Mormons, every single religion has harbingers and doomsdayers writing dozens of posts or articles declaring the end of time. Fear has entered the heart of almost every person within a four-hundred mile radius of the disease and its carriers.

People are terrified of this virus. In some ways, the terror has spread even further than the horror inspired by Ebola. Ebola, at least, was curable (and would eventually receive a cure). Being a virus, the coronavirus can’t be cured. . . it can only be immunized against. At this point, the only thing that can cure it would be to constantly quarantine those hit and hope that a vaccine is developed soon.

The fear caused by this virus has taken ahold of the United States. People are buying food in bulk, the Chinese stock market is crashing, airline prices are dirt cheap, flights are being canceled altogether, and face masks to guard against germs have long since been bought from Amazon.

We, as Christians, are called to be peacemakers in a time of crisis. While others hide in their homes, we are called to be brave and fearless, protected by the Lord and thus spreading His name. Believers, let’s rise and be strong witnesses in this time of darkness. There’s no need to be afraid! Christ is in control (see Romans 8:28), He has a plan, and it is good.

Christ is in control (see Romans 8:28), He has a plan, and it is good.

Finally, we are also called to pray. Pray for Asia, that the terrible virus rampaging through it would be destroyed. Pray for the United States, that they will have wisdom in dealing with the recent outbreaks. And pray for the rest of the world, that God’s hand of protection will be on His people, and that this disease would be vanquished at least. God bless you.

Alright, that’s all for today. This was a (rare) short post, but I hope you enjoyed it, and I thank you for reading it. If you did enjoy it, be sure to click that Follow button below (or to the side). That way, when I release a new post, you’ll get notified. Thanks again, and I hope you have a fantastic day!

Shoutout to Brianna Clay for requesting this post. Bri, you’re an awesome friend and a better reader. Thanks a ton.

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Destroying Terror: How to Confront and Defeat the Fear in Our Lives

Fear images how to beat fear Africa Boy

A few months ago, I published a post on spiritual warfare in Uganda. The post was fairly long (well over 1,000 words) but got to the point quickly- Hollywood has corrupted our definition of spirituality. Through different means, whether media or television, our opinions and beliefs on demonic warfare have been watered down. We do one of two things: either we laugh at demons and demonic warfare, or we fear them far more than is rational. This corruption can and will prove fatal to Western Christians who ignore the Bible’s teaching on the subject. When confronted for the first time with real, tangible spiritual warfare, a Christian’s first response is usually fear.

Fear is a natural response, something wired into us. No good warrior should enter a battle without feeling it to some degree. In the same sense, no good Christian should begin his journey without feeling fear. In some ways, fear can be healthy. Holy fear, for example, is something the Bible tells us is sacred, a natural response to a holy God. The fear of God and His power is something we all feel at some point or the other. The prophet Isaiah, when confronted by holy fear, wept at the feet of God, crying, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips.” This type of fear is natural and God-given.

Unhealthy fear, on the other hand, can be deadly to a Christian. This type of fear is one of Satan’s greatest tools, for it turns even the strongest men into blubbering maniacs, incapable of rational thought. I, personally, have seen the full effects of controlling terror, brought on simply by my own imagination.

Continue reading “Destroying Terror: How to Confront and Defeat the Fear in Our Lives”