DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH

DAY:  SIX.

DATE:  MARCH 12, 2019.

THEME: DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH.

TEXT: HEBREWS 2:15.

“Death is the last enemy to be destroyed.”. 1 Cor. 15:26.

Death is the seizure or terminator of life.

Death is a matter of appointment Heb 9:27.

Death is common to man –  both rich and old – as exemplified in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Lk 16:22.

 The devil is out to kill, steal and destroy (Jh 10:10). This is an agenda that the devil pursues on a daily basis .Fear is the opposite of faith and it has torment (1Jh 4:18). Going by the Psalmist in Chapter 23, we daily walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

David affirmed that there is only one step between life and death.

To every Christian, death is not an end but a means to an end. To every Christian, death is a gain not a loss. Living in the fear of death is therefore not the agenda of God for us. To overcome the fear of death, a renowned preacher had to sleep in a coffin. Another woman, in the fear of dying by road accident, decided never to enter a vehicle. Unfortunately, she was in her house when a vehicle veered off the main road, crashed into her house and killed her.

There is also a difference between dying and being killed. Christ is the conqueror of death. To have Jesus Christ is to share in His grace of overcoming the fear of death while alive and ultimately having victory over death in eternity.

HOW THEN CAN ONE OVERCOME THE FEAR OF DEATH?

1. Give your life to Jesus Christ and tap into the authority He gained by His resurrection and victory over death – Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:24-26; Rev. 1:18.
2. Live each day as if it is the last day, being conscious of the second coming of Jesus Christ while remaining at the centre of God’s will.
3. Have faith in God.
4. Meditate on God’s word and promises on life.
5. Make the Lord your Shepherd. Like the Psalmist in Ps. 23, gIve Him full control of your life.
6. Remember that you can face tomorrow and all your fear will be gone because He lives.
7. Three times Jesus entered the realms of death and rescued victims (Mat..9:25; Luke 7:14-15;John 11:43:44. He is able to also rescue you from forces planning your death before the appointed time.

I see Christ annulling every covenant and appointment with death and the grave, satisfying us with long life and grace to fulfil our purposes and destinies in life.( Is. 28:18, 38:18;  Hos.13:14; Ezek .37:12-13).