“Fear thou not, for I am with thee” (Isa. xli. 10).
Satan is always trying to weaken our faith by fear. He is a great
metaphysician and knows the paralyzing effect of fear, that it is the
great enemy of faith, and that faith is the great secret of help. If he
can get us fearing he will stop our trusting and hinder the very blessing
we need. Job found the peril of fear and gives us the sorrowful testimony,
“I feared a fear and it came upon me.”
Fear is born of Satan, and if we would only take time to think a moment we
would see that everything Satan says is founded upon a falsehood. He is
the father of lies. Even his fears are falsehoods and his terrors ought
rather be to us encouragements.
When Satan tells you, therefore, that some ill is going to come, you may
quietly look in his face and tell him he is a liar, that instead of ill,
goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life, and then
turn to your blessed Lord and say, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in
Thee.” Every fear is distrust and trust is the remedy for fear. “What time
I am afraid I will _trust_ in thee.”