Devotions

Nothing more effectively hinders our spiritual usefulness than fear and discouragement. As long as we live above these we can withstand every furious assault of the world and of the devil. When we are fearful, it matters little whether it is a fear of man, or of suffering, or of deathand our hearts are downcast, we are easily overcome.

Are you living under the clouds of fear and discouragement? What is it that you fear? Why are you discouraged? Do you feel forsaken by God? Are you labouring under some great grief? Is your soul cast down because of some failure or sin? Are you paralysed by the fear of man? The causes of fear and discouragement are myriad. The cure is the same in every case.

David speaks of that cure in Psalms 42 and 43. Hope thou in God is his remedy. The solution to our problems with fear and discouragement is in the Lord. This is what Moses was teaching the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapter 1, and it is what the Holy Spirit is teaching us today.

The Lord, Jehovah, is our God (Deut. 1:21); so why need we fear any mere man or, indeed, any power of hell? As our God, the Lord is faithful to all His covenant promises. He has purchased us for Himself; He has pardoned us; He has made a full and rich provision for our every need. He assures us of His presence. He is with us in every path of life, however dark or difficult it may be. He will uphold us in every trial and will make us triumph over every foe. And despite the devils whisper that we will ultimately perish, He guarantees our safe arrival in glory. We have a great and all-sufficient Saviour. He cannot and will not fail us. Hope in Him. Victory over fear will never be ours through some psychological trick. It can be ours only as we submer