Fear the Worst to Doubt the Best

During World War I, U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson coined the phrase, “The first casualty when war comes is truth.” As believers, it’s easy to forget that we’ve enlisted in and are ‘active duty’ soldiers at war. It may not be seen with the naked eye, but even the Apostle Paul denotes that we ‘wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ A common tactic of warfare used by Satan is to twist the Truth and sow seeds of doubt against the Word of God. The moment our lives are met with unpredictable unfortunate circumstances, the enemy sneakily tries to chip away at our beliefs toward foundational truths. We may even begin to doubt God’s love for us, His care towards us, and even His provision in our lives. Lies can take us over from within if our hearts aren’t guarded against fear. When we fear the worst, we doubt the best.

In Matthew 14, we witness a scene of Peter walking on water. For as long as he had his eyes fixed on Christ, or in other words, for as long as he had his eyes fixed on Truth, he was able to do the impossible. The moment he took his eyes off of Jesus, the Truth, is the moment faith faltered and his legs weighed below the waterline. This doubt elicited a rebuke from Jesus, because choosing to fear is choosing to look away from the Truth.

The lies in our lives gain approval only through our fears. In a way, we are the ones who empower the enemy, since he functions through our acceptance of his lies. Remember to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, on the truth! Anything else that the enemy tells you is a lie and will only pull you down.

Reflection

What is one Truth that has been difficult for you to fully believe? When you believe the opposite of that truth and begin to ‘sink’, what is one way you can fix your eyes back on Jesus? Ask God for a strategy on how to keep your eyes fixed on Him. Write it down and pray for His grace to help you.