Fear of Death

[Jerusalem Blade]

Hello Ryan, @Ryan&Amber2013 ,

It was 58 years ago, due to various psychedelic (sorcerous) drugs I'd been taking, inwardly I was nearing spiritual & physical death, and knew it. It was at that moment a woman preached to me about the Lord Jesus dying for my sins on the cross, and the Holy Spirit made real to me the presence of Jesus' glory and His love for me.

Now, almost six decades later, I have aggressive prostate cancer, CAD (coronary artery disease), had one heart attack where I almost died, and vertebrae compression fractures which have resulted in extreme pain and spinal cord nerve damage. Because I am so near death I've given away my library (it would have been too much for my wife to deal with that).

That initial experience with Christ appearing to me, followed by six more over these almost 60 years since – when I was near physical and spiritual death (I've written about all these things) – have remained a lodestar on my path.

The heart of it all is that I knew Him (know Him), and was united to Him, and His righteousness was imputed to me, so I was clothed in His righteousness, having none of my own.

Even now, in furnaces of pain, and His presence no longer with me as in a recent and extreme furnace, yet He has given me His word to sustain me:

Fear not, for I am with you;​

be not dismayed, for I am your God.​

I will strengthen you,​

yes, I will help you, yes,​

I will uphold you with the right hand​

of My righteousness​

​

Isaiah 41:10​

Please note: you are commanded not to fear, for He is with you.

It is all we have – His word – and yet, although almost swallowed up in death, His promises are sufficient to sustain me. If you do not actually know Him, you must seek His face – His presence – and ask for that mercy, which is regeneration. He has promised, " . . . the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37 ff)

I leave you with 2 brief papers:



I'll be praying for you, Ryan.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

A further note, Ryan, from Jeremiah 31:3:

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,​

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:​

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.​

As you have immersed yourself in His word, and amongst His people, it is clear this verse applies to you, with this one correction: you have said it was fear that drew you to Him. That might have been conviction of sin, but the reality of His heart to you is in the above verse. Your Jesus has loved you with an everlasting love (that is, from eternity past, as one of His elect; Eph 1:4-5), and He has / is drawing you, not with fear, but with His lovingkindness. And even now His heart of love is near you.

Psa 119:105. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." This is the spiritual reality of your life. You will have a great testimony to pass on to others, of His goodness to you.

 

[Morgan]

My view on death has changed drastically in the last several years. The thought of death by suffocation brings fear to me and during covid I thought of this a lot. I started to go overboard with disinfecting everything I might touch. Then one day a thought crossed my mind - if I am a Christian as I proclaim, then why do I fear death? Allowing myself to be consumed by the thought of dying from covid does not paint a picture of a Christian. I was a poor witness in the way I was acting.

We live in a society that fears death and does all it can to avoid speaking about it, as if that would change the outcome. But shouldn’t we desire to see Christ as He is? Shouldn’t we look forward to being away from this body of sin?

I started to read what scripture states about death without the bias of the secular fear of death. Look at what we gain by death. I long to worship in a state free from sin. I long to see the day when I no longer succumb to the bodies desire to sin. I long to see the Christ that redeemed me.

Society tells us to fear death, for the redeemed, we should not fear the day of our reward. The Spirit is our earnest of what we will one day have in full.

Sproul stated something to the effect that he did not fear death, just the process of dying. I cannot say that I have no fear of what means by which I might possibly die, but I can agree with him that I do not fear death. My view has changed over time as I think yours will too.

 

[De Jager]

I don't fear death but I do fear pain, and pain is often associated with death. I also fear dying and finding out that Jesus "never knew me". However, this fear is not grounded, because I see the work of God in my life, he has planted his seed of regeneration, and once he's begun this work, he will complete it.

I understand the "not being 100% sure" thing, because I also have OCD. This kind of obsessive focusing of "what ifs" is a hallmark of that condition. But God does not call us to God-like knowledge. Such is too wonderful for us. He calls us to take him at his word. So when these "what ifs" come in to our mind, our response ought to be "this is what God has said, and that's enough for me". And then when a subsequent "what if" arises, you say "I've already dealt with this, I'm not going to answer it again". This is my advice as someone who also has OCD.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I think you're feeling what anyone would feel, you have a wife and kids after all.

I think this hits the bullseye right there. I love my family so much and my kids are so precious to me, I want to be around as long as possible, so that I might invest as much time as possible in their lives, provide for them, lead them in truth and goodness, and give them the best childhood they could possibly have. A family really is such a precious thing that I truly hope God never takes me away from prematurely.

 

[jwright82]

I think this hits the bullseye right there. I love my family so much and my kids are so precious to me, I want to be around as long as possible, so that I might invest as much time as possible in their lives, provide for them, lead them in truth and goodness, and give them the best childhood they could possibly have. A family really is such a precious thing that I truly hope God never takes me away from prematurely.

I know what you mean. My personal situation is different from your's but I was where you are at one time. That's the "rubber hitting the road" part of this.

 

[Andres]

A family really is such a precious thing that I truly hope God never takes me away from prematurely.

Would that the Lord took your family from you (or vice versa), it could never be prematurely. This is how man rationalizes things, but how many years do you think God owes you, either for their lives or your own? You must understand and view your family in a proper, biblical context.

 

[cthorn14]

You must understand and view your family in a proper, biblical context.

I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
Ps. 102:24

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Phil. 2:27

 

[Grant Van Leuven]

I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
Ps. 102:24

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Phil. 2:27

This brings to mind the following I have referenced for myself and counseling others.

2 Kings 20:1-6: In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. (See also Isaiah 38:5).

2 Samuel 12:15-24: And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
1Kings 17:8-24: And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

2 Kings 4:8-37: And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

Acts 20:9-10: And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

John 11:32-44: Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC) Q. 135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment?
A. The duties required in the sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just defense thereof against violence, patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit; a sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor, and recreations; by charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness; peaceable, mild and courteous speeches and behavior; forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil; comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.

WLC Q. 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life; sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge; all excessive passions, distracting cares; immoderate use of meat, drink, labor, and recreations; provoking words, oppression, quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any.

 

[The Oscillator]

Hey Ryan, just wanted to share my own experience.

For whatever reason, the only time I feel this extreme dread of death - this feeling that I'm inevitably going to cease to exist, is when I'm falling half asleep or just waking up in the morning. During the day when my rational mind and Spirit-illumined mind is running I feel just fine. For me it's more than just a lack of faith I believe.

My theory is that, while there may certainly be a lack of faith in me, my actual brain patterns, hormones (and maybe disorders like OCD?) have a huge part to play in this. I think my cortisol levels rising in the morning to wake me up could be to blame and ensuing nightmares when asleep may as well.

I know this likely isn't how your fear looks but my point is this: make sure you don't overlook the mental health/general health aspect to fear and anxiety and treating those deficiencies as well. Watch your sleep, diet, energy levels, habits and untreated mental ailments too. God bless.

 

[Andres]

Would that the Lord took your family from you (or vice versa), it could never be prematurely. This is how man rationalizes things, but how many years do you think God owes you, either for their lives or your own? You must understand and view your family in a proper, biblical context.

It seems my previous post was misunderstood, so I apologize for not being more clear in what I was attempting to convey. I am not advocating not praying for our life or anyone's lives to be extended. I regularly pray for those who are afflicted in body that the Lord would heal them and grant them recovery. I also do not believe we can be careless with our lives. I completely affirm the 6th commandment, including it's inverse command to preserve life.
Instead, what I believe is, that no matter what age a person dies, none of us can charge God with taking that person's life prematurely. If I get cancer tomorrow and am given a month to live, I cannot shake my fist at God and say He owes me 25 more years. I can of course pray and ask the Lord to be gracious and grant me healing and length of days (just as Hezekiah did). God may answer that prayer by graciously granting me more than a month to live or He may call me home to Him. Either way He would be right. Having that mindset gives me comfort in this life, because it means I do not fear getting a cancer diagnosis next week. I don't want one, but should I be given one I can face that news with the comfort God is sovereign and Romans 8:28 would apply even in that difficult providence.

 

[SolaScriptura]

It’s not just about fear of death, though, is it? It’s fear of everything…. Fear of the unknown, fear of sickness, fear of car breaking down, fear of “something” happening, etc., isn’t it?

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

There's something I've really come to realize after almost 20 years of being a Christian, and with this I can only speak for myself and experience.

Basically from the moment of my conversion, I have found that behaviors have been super easy to control. The sins that I used to live in, basically overnight I just completely stopped and never looked back. Controlling my body, my actions, my tongue, all this is no problem.

But brain chemistry, emotions and thoughts are different. Thoughts will come and go as they please, with the brain auto-generating what it wants, and at best I find I can only take these things captive and fight against them, like fearful or anxious thoughts. From my experience there is really no way to truly stop what the brain is going to generate. There are ways of life and certain skills that can be applied to help keep what the brain generates as godly as possible, but at the end of the day, I am convinced that brain chemistry, hereditary things, environmental and home factors, and things like these make it basically impossible to control what the brain is going to generate. It's more of how we are going to respond to what the brain gives.

 

[MyCrows]

There's something I've really come to realize after almost 20 years of being a Christian, and with this I can only speak for myself and experience.

Basically from the moment of my conversion, I have found that behaviors have been super easy to control. The sins that I used to live in, basically overnight I just completely stopped and never looked back. Controlling my body, my actions, my tongue, all this is no problem.

But brain chemistry, emotions and thoughts are different. Thoughts will come and go as they please, with the brain auto-generating what it wants, and at best I find I can only take these things captive and fight against them, like fearful or anxious thoughts. From my experience there is really no way to truly stop what the brain is going to generate. There are ways of life and certain skills that can be applied to help keep what the brain generates as godly as possible, but at the end of the day, I am convinced that brain chemistry, hereditary things, environmental and home factors, and things like these make it basically impossible to control what the brain is going to generate. It's more of how we are going to respond to what the brain gives.

What does this mean for your sanctification as far as the sinful thoughts and desires go? This sounds like a recipe for disaster. We are called to identify and put to death sin both inwardly and outwardly.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

What does this mean for your sanctification as far as the sinful thoughts and desires go? This sounds like a recipe for disaster. We are called to identify and put to death sin both inwardly and outwardly.

I wholeheartedly agree. We have to use all the means possible to live righteously both inwardly and outwardly. My point is that we have certain predispositions towards things whether good or bad that the brain will generate. For example, do you ever have dreams where you are doing something sinful in your mind? Is that something you had control over? That's your brain at work apart from you being able to master it. Maybe somebody has tendencies of anxiety because they lived through battle in Vietnam. I don't blame them at all. Yes for sure they should use all means possible to overcome that, but I can't fault them after going through the trauma they went through and that having a real effect on their brain.

 

[MyCrows]

I wholeheartedly agree. We have to use all the means possible to live righteously both inwardly and outwardly. My point is that we have certain predispositions towards things whether good or bad that the brain will generate. For example, do you ever have dreams where you are doing something sinful in your mind? Is that something you had control over? That's your brain at work apart from you being able to master it.

Yes I've had those kind of thoughts, both asleep and awake. I just don't think the thoughts themselves are generated by chemicals in the brain, but rather are the product of my own sinful nature.

If they were just the result of brain chemistry, they would not be something for which we are morally accountable for.

Chemical compounds are not moral beings. So who would be accountable for dispositions, imaginings, and desires that manifest themselves in our minds?

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Yes I've had those kind of thoughts, both asleep and awake. I just don't think the thoughts themselves are generated by chemicals in the brain, but rather are the product of my own sinful nature.

If they were just the result of brain chemistry, they would not be something for which we are morally accountable for.

Chemical compounds are not moral beings. So who would be accountable for dispositions, imaginings, and desires that manifest themselves in our minds?

Yeah that's interesting. Don't you think fear is something natural as well though? Even by observing the animal kingdom, many animals live by fear. And we would say they're not morally accountable.

 

[MyCrows]

Yeah that's interesting. Don't you think fear is something natural as well though? Even by observing the animal kingdom, many animals live by fear. And we would say they're not morally accountable.

Fear is unnatural in the sense that it is the result of the fall.

As fallen men, we are still separated from the beasts in that we possess reason. Animals are driven by instinct, and ungodly men are compared to beasts when they are carried about by their lusts.

Men are different from the animals in that we are created in the image of God. We have immortal souls.

There are certain times where fear is good, such as in times of danger or self-preservation. And yet we're called by God not to fear those who can kill the body. If we fear being killed by man (a "natural" fear) more than fearing God in a particular instance, that is a thing of which we would incur guilt.

 

[cthorn14]

Remember Jonah who himself asks to be cast into the sea. And then from the 'belly of hell', he cries out to be brought up from corruption. There is a real dread of the last enemy that the child of grace must reckon with. Stoicism is a sorry comforter. And yet, this dread must lead us to offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him who is able to deliver us from its bondage.

 

[Ploutos]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The Bible doesn't categorically rule out all types of fear of all things. At a broad level, fear connotes inferiority and finiteness. It implies that there is something bigger and more powerful than we are - or, at the very least, implies that we are capable of imagining that there is. It implies an awareness of our fragility and our transient nature in terms of time, space, and power; correlatively, it implies an awareness of the bigness of what surrounds us - the forces of nature, the universe, the spiritual world, and ultimately God.

Isaiah 8:12-13, emphasis mine: Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Matthew 10:26-28, emphasis mine: So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

So not all types of fear are wrong - there is servile, craven fear; and there is reverent, humble fear. And not all objects of fear are misplaced. So instead of saying "how can I stop being afraid?"... perhaps you should ask "how should I channel and direct my fear?"

Set your mind on things above, there Christ sits at the right hand of God. If you want something to be afraid of, tremble at the thought of his mercy, offered to you through his blood poured out on your behalf, and tremble at the thought of being apart from him.

 

[Christodulus]

And let's be honest, no matter how much we believe the gospel, at the end of the day, it remains a belief that we could either be right or wrong about.

No, brother, this is not a fallible hope, but an infallible hope grounded on infallible promises. This is doubt, and I advise you to pray for the Lord to increase your faith. I will pray for you too.

As for the fear of death specifically, meditate on this scripture: Matthew 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”

 

[Andres]

I read this this morning and thought of this thread: Ecc. 8:12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

 

[SolaScriptura]

Some people spend so much time fearing that they fail to live.

 

[John Nyberg]

 

[Elizabeth]

Fear is such quicksand.

I was a fearful person for most of my life. I learned fear growing up with an alcoholic mama. I steeped myself in fear throughout much of my young and adult life: was I doing this right, what happens if, etc.. I transferred some of that fear to my children, which is really very sad. I was truly hypervigilant at all times, basically. Call it brain chemistry, call it upbringing, call it what ever you like, but what it really was was sin. Our Lord tells us not to fear. I thumbed my nose at that command for decades. If I didn't fear, if I didn't watch, who would?! It was all on me. I was 'god'.

So the Lord, in his chastising, loving fashion, brought me through some heartbreaking times and some dangerous situations and some harsh afflictions. Best medicine for fear. I basically was brought face to face with all my 'dreads' and was walked through them, trembling, heart racing and tears sometimes flowing. And here I stand, without fear, as the Lord scoured it out of me, almost completely. I still do fear a good wind storm, ha.

So my dear, take this advice from an old woman. There is nothing in this life you need to hold onto more than your good Lord. Not your family (even those precious children), not your job, not your hobbies, not your studies, not your home, not your wealth and certainly not your fears and your feelings surrounding them. Hold all of that loosely, and even with a touch of.......insouciance. We make idols of much. Above all, DON'T take your fears so seriously. Laugh about them. Laugh them to scorn if you can. Do not allow the evil one to keep gripping you like this. When fears assail, say a quick prayer and get up and do. Scrub a floor. Take a brisk walk. Anything. Get your eyes off of yourself.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Let's not normalize being afraid. Let's normalize conquering fear by the power of the Spirit!

 

[Grant Van Leuven]

I would suggest it simply is normal and the call to conquer it inherently and intuitively actually recognizes this: thus so may times in the OT and NT we are called upon not to fear or be afraid, recognizing it is very normal to have that experience. Just as David regularly recognizes depression in the Psalms and goes to God with it (rather than risking not going to God by feeling one cannot talk about it or needs to pretend it is abnormal). Acknowledging such to be the case (naming it) turns one to the call to faith away from fear. Especially facing death. I encourage these scriptures to be carefully considered: https://puritanboard.com/threads/fear-of-death.118758/post-1422922.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Fear not; for I am with you:
be not dismayed; for I am your God:
I will strengthen you;
yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you
with the right hand of My righteousness.
Isa 41:10

One can live by the reality of this word!

 

[SolaScriptura]

I would suggest it simply is normal and the call to conquer it inherently and intuitively actually recognizes this: thus so may times in the OT and NT we are called upon not to fear or be afraid, recognizing it is very normal to have that experience. Just as David regularly recognizes depression in the Psalms and goes to God with it (rather than risking not going to God by feeling one cannot talk about it or needs to pretend it is abnormal). Acknowledging such to be the case (naming it) turns one to the call to faith away from fear. Especially facing death. I encourage these scriptures to be carefully considered: https://puritanboard.com/threads/fear-of-death.118758/post-1422922.

Yeah, but it's been named. So let's move on to overcoming. There's acknowledging the reality of an emotional response, and there's living there. Ie., Ps 56:3.