"... and release those who through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
Hebrews 2:15
A man said to his pastor, "I hate to admit it, but I have a fear of death. It's really hard for me to talk about it." The pastor said to him, "The Bible describes death as sleep as far as the body is concerned. I'm sure you are not afraid to fall asleep after a day's work. You believe that you will awake in the morning. When we fall asleep in Jesus, we wake up in His presence." Jesus died and is risen from the dead, that we may be released from the fear of death.
A minister said in a sermon, "When we look at the death of Christ, we can look past it to an empty tomb. When we think of our own death, we can look past it to life everlasting." In the same worship service, a soloist sang, "Because He Lives." In that song are these words: "And because He lives all fear is gone." That includes the fear of death.
Is the fear of death defeated in your life? When you came into this world, you did not find yourself alone. There was an expecting mother to receive you in arms of love. There were family and friends who rejoiced at your arrival. When you come into God's new world, there will be the arms of a loving Savior to receive you. There will also be loved ones gathered who have gone before you.
The fear of death is defeated through the love of Christ and the victory of His resurrection. You don't have to be a fearful person. God's love defeats the fear of death. He sets us free from the bondage of fear.
Father, fill us with Your love to defeat our fear.
