Standing Firm Against Fear

While on a business trip to San Antonio, Texas recently, I found myself with some free time and decided to visit the Alamo. For Texans, the Alamo is a symbol of the fight for freedom. It serves as a reminder to be brave and not let fear of an enemy stop the pursuit of freedom at any cost. It was there that a small band of brave men fought against terrible odds and gave their lives in order to live independently of Mexico. In fact, Juan Seguin, a Colonel in the Texas army and one of only a handful of survivors, said the men of the Alamo preferred to die rather then live in fear and under a rule of tyranny. And die they did.

I pondered what would give these men the courage to leave their families, their wives and children, for something that they knew would result in never seeing them again. I believe part of it must have been that they had simply had enough. They were tired of living in fear and it was that which motivated them to desire something better for their loved ones. Their willingness to give their lives left a legacy that said, “I refuse to live in fear anymore.”

This caused me to reflect on what it would take for many of us to come to a point where we have had enough. By this I mean, the tyranny that is often caused by the enemy of our souls. Aren’t we also guilty of allowing him to intimidate us and cause us to be afraid? We so often go through our lives being pushed around by a tyrant never stopping to think, what are we afraid of?

Well to be honest – you name it and we’ve probably been afraid of it at some point or another. The fear of losing our health, the fear of something happening to our kids, the fear of the future, the fear of losing our jobs and the big one…the fear of living an insignificant life. The list goes on and on. It occurred to me after my visit to the Alamo that I for one have had enough! The word of God says that He does not give us a spirit of fear but of confidence and of a sound mind. As such, we, like the men at the Alamo, must refuse to live another day of our lives being afraid. We must believe what God says about us and bravely face our tomorrows without fear and no longer accepting intimidation. We may not know what the future holds but we do know who holds the future and can be confident that He can carry us safely through.

When you are tempted to be afraid, remind yourself of what we in Texas are known to say, “Remember the Alamo!” Because our days of fear are over. Thank God!