God Produces Fearlessness in His People

Introduction: Fear Revealed in Prince Caspian

In C.S. Lewis's book Prince Caspian, the children return to Narnia. Lucy is confronted by a wild bear that attacks her, Susan, and the dwarf Trumpkin. Susan has her bow ready, and Trumpkin does too, but Susan hesitates. When asked why, she admits she was too afraid—she didn't know if it was a good bear or a bad bear.

Her fear reveals two truths: fear is immobilizing, and fear is revealing. It exposes something true about us, often our relationship with God. It shows the nature of dire situations and where our trust lies.

Trumpkin acted because his knowledge of the situation—its snarl and growl—gave him confidence to respond appropriately. Fear reveals where our confidence and trust reside.

We could analyze every possible situation, but Psalm 91 equips us to respond fearlessly to any circumstance, even unprecedented ones, for God's glory.

The purpose of this psalm: fearlessness does not depend on the nature of the situation, but on the nature of God. Fearlessness depends on who God is and what God can do.

To see how God's nature produces fearlessness, we focus on three things.

1. Put On Trust

Children instinctively fear—turn off the lights, and monsters appear under beds or in closets. No one teaches them; they know the world is unsafe. Susan learned this in Narnia.

We know difficulties, pain, anxiety—financial instability, death, pandemics. Focusing on situations spirals us into fear. Viewing God through situations makes Him seem small.

Psalm 91 reorients our vision: view situations through the lens of God, who is infinitely big.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

These verses describe who God is: shelter, refuge, fortress. And what He does: delivers from snares and pestilence, covers with pinions, provides refuge. Knowing who God is produces trust. Knowing what He does proves His faithfulness.

We don't need to strategize every scenario; God is our fortress who protects and instills trust.

Two dangers: the snare of the fowler (traps, temptations to sin) and deadly pestilence.

Hosea 9:8 describes snares linked to hatred, iniquity, sin. 1 Timothy 3:7 warns leaders of falling into the devil's snare without good reputation among unbelievers. 2 Timothy 2:26 speaks of snatching unbelievers from the snare. 1 Timothy 6:9 warns of the snare of riches—the love of money.

We've all fallen into snares this week. Does this mean the promise fails? No—trust God's faithfulness, not ours.

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.

Romans 3:3-4

Jesus pulls us from snares, having resisted temptation perfectly in Matthew 4 at the temple—God's shelter. United to Him, we receive His resisting life. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises God's faithfulness in temptation, providing escape.

Put on trust: even in failings, God is faithful.

2. Put Off Fear

The Bible's most frequent command: "Do not fear." We fear God instead—reverence with caution. It's terrifying to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). Proverbs 3 urges not fearing even when God judges the wicked.

Psalm 91 promises fearlessness from trust:

You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

God deals with it all. But pestilence has struck—COVID-19. Has God's word failed?

In Luke 5:17-26, friends bring a paralytic to Jesus, who heals. Yet Jesus first forgives sins, healing physically to prove authority. In John 11, Lazarus dies despite Jesus' power; Martha says, "If you had been here..." Jesus replies, "Your brother will rise."

God can heal—people recover by His pleasure. When He doesn't, it's not unfaithfulness. Christ's work redeems eternally: new bodies free from pestilence, pain, tears. He exchanges present pains for eternal pleasures.

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods.

Daniel 3:17-18

Even if deliverance is resurrection, God delivers. Take COVID seriously, act responsibly—but do not fear. John Calvin: Tribulations train us to despise the present and aspire to the future, shaking off worldly lethargy.

3. Persevere

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
... Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.

Satan quotes verses 11-12 in Matthew 4 to tempt Jesus—proving Sonship by jumping from the temple. Irony: Jesus crushes the serpent (Genesis 3:15) at the cross. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16: do not test God. He is Yahweh in the wilderness, dwelling in God's shelter.

Augustine: Imitating Christ, enduring troubles with hope in God, dwells under His defense.

Jesus wasn't overtaken by disease or assassin; He slept in storms, bound for the cross. He rose, securing deliverance. Be resurrection-minded: tethered to God's sanctuary (Hebrews).

When we know who God is and what He does, we persevere fearlessly. He promises: "I will be with him in trouble... With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

For I am sure that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

As a child, lights out brought terrifying monsters; brothers offered no comfort. But Dad's presence made me fearless. God promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you... Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Even evil works for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28-30). Trust God, put off fear, persevere.