By GFI board member, Randy Stahmer
This is October and of course, the month ends with Halloween. I do not want to draw much attention to the pagan holiday. Delving too much into the holiday and the history of the holiday is beyond the scope of this blog and is only presented as a cultural event that has an evil side, a side that can and has been identified with many practices that are and have been used to frighten people.
Halloween is the much celebrated, secular running around in costumes to “scare” others or just go get some candy from your neighbors. In this blog, my goal is not to “scare” you but to encourage you to consider that which might strike fear into your being. And then, of course, to suggest thought(s) to combat those fears. Common fears are spiders, heights, water, and needles. What about fear of a corrupt government, financial collapse, nuclear weapons, cyber-terrorism or not having enough money for the future?
I confess that I have two fears and two fears only. One is the fear of wasps. Fear of a wasp sting is actually a thing. It is called spheksophobia. I can’t even say that word, but I do know that when one of those little buzzers comes buzzing around, I run for the hills (or inside the house). Thank God I have a wife who is 5’-0’ tall and grew up on a farm. To her, they are nothing to fight. While I hide indoors, she is valiantly swatting them or chasing them off our porch. Whew!
The second thing that I am afraid of is public speaking (glossophobia). I might be speaking to a very wide audience on this topic. The thought of getting up in front of people can be paralyzing. I knew that I had anxiety in this area, so I joined Toastmasters and I was President of the local group for two years. I learned one thing. I really am not afraid of public speaking; I fear not being in control.
So, what are you afraid of? Or, perhaps more appropriately, what keeps you from moving or taking steps? What is it that can paralyze you with fear? Are you afraid of the unknown, the “C” diagnosis, dying, your future security, leadership or lack of time for yourself? To be honest, many of us do not want to give up precious time outside of our work and close family commitments.
I recently drove to Kearney, Nebraska, to pick up a van that was being donated to a ministry. The van owner had Lou Gehrig’s disease, otherwise known as ALS. The man was paralyzed in a bed in his living room on a ventilator. On the wall above a door, there was a verse from scripture that read, “Be still and know that I am God”. In view of the condition this man was in, no truer words have ever been spoken. At this moment in his life, he was indeed ‘still’. Still before God. But was there fear? I would argue that he was not afraid. As a Christian, he was ready to be with his Creator and leave the pain and suffering of this world.
On September 10, 2025, the great Charlie Kirk was assassinated while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was 31 years old. The assassination was sudden and tragic. Charlie, too, was a believer in his salvation won by the blood of Jesus. He was not afraid.
On September 25, 2025, the great Voddie Baucham, Jr. died after suffering an undisclosed medical emergency in Dallas, Texas. He was 56 years old. His death was unexpected. The Founders Ministry that Voddie helped lead announced, “that our dear brother, Voddie Baucham, Jr., has left the land of the dying and entered the land of the living”. He, too, knew Jesus and was not afraid.
From Joshua, Chapter 1, the Lord tells Joshua to enter the Promised Land. The Lord tells him that as He was with Moses, He will be with Joshua. He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. He goes on to say, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to your forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous”. I am sure that Joshua was emboldened to go into the new land by the Lord and his relationship toward God. So, it would seem that no matter what the thing is that you fear, the strength to endure and to withstand the paralyzing grip of that thing is rooted in faith. A faith in the One, Holy and Mighty King.
It has been said that “do not worry”, “do not be afraid” and “fear not” occur 365 times in the bible. One “fear not” for every day of the year. Fear is spoken of over 500 times in the King James Version (KJV) of the bible. Furthermore, in addition to the “fear nots,” many times the bible teaches us to fear God, which really means to have a reverence for God alone and to not fear anyone or anything else. To have reverence for God is to revere Him. To revere is simply to have a ‘healthy’ fear of God.
You see that without a healthy fear of God, it is in our “Adam” nature to stray from God. And when we stray from God is when we are most vulnerable to the wiles of satan. How easy it is. The bible is full of stories of straying and turning, of detestable practices, of witchcraft, of idolatry, of scary things and pagan rituals and perversion. All are presented to us to keep us away from such things that lead us into sin and the consequence of those sins, fear, eternal death and separation from God.
The early Jewish people strayed and worshiped false gods or idols. As a punishment for that, they were exiled. So, not only is God a great and mighty author of life, He is a jealous God. He is simply jealous of how we (His creation) go about without a care or concern for Him. The Father sent His Son, Jesus, to live a sinless life. Born of a virgin, Jesus lived, changed water into wine, healed the sick, brought the dead back to life and then took the punishment of the entire world on himself by being obedient to the cross. But then, Jesus did not remain in the tomb. He rose again and is seated at the right hand of His Father.
As Jesus began His ministry, the first thing He said (as recorded in the book of Matthew, Chapter 4) is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near”. He then begins His ministry to the world by preaching what is known as The Beatitudes (Matthew, chapter 5) and calls together His followers, His disciples. He chose twelve and sent them out. He tells them in Matthew, chapter 10:
The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. He tells them that He is sending them out like sheep among wolves. That is a scary thought. But He says to be shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. He says that on His account the disciples will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Men will hate you because of Jesus, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. It is time to stand firm in the Lord Jesus. Be courageous and very strong to the end and do not fear. The Crown of Glory is our reward and is just around the corner.
Excellent!!!!!