Fear Is Not My Future | 21 Days of Prayer and FastingSýnishorn

Fear is not my future, but what do we do when anxiety creeps up on us today? Let us look at what Paul had to say to a church with every reason to be anxious and afraid.

Paul the apostle is writing this letter, these verses, to a church that he describes in chapter 1 as 'engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had' (Philippians 1:30a). Paul faced hatred, persecution, and unjust imprisonment in Philippi after preaching the gospel and rescuing a girl from demon possession. This is the conflict the Philippians observed Paul enduring. Now, in his absence, and with their obedience to his example, they are facing the same persecution as Paul.

If anyone had a reason to be afraid, anxious, and worried, it was these guys. Being obedient to Jesus could mean beatings, unjust imprisonment, and even the loss of one's life. Fear may not be their future, but what about today? How can they possibly live in freedom from fear with all of that?

Well, Paul gives the key to walking in freedom from anxiety and worry no matter what circumstances they may face. This is huge since if these commands from Paul work for the church in persecution, it surely will prove true for all of us in whatever circumstances we face.

Paul advises the Philippians to not be anxious about anything, but instead to go to the Lord in prayer in every situation. This is the key to avoiding fear in the future and keeping fears and worries in check today. When fear arises, bring it to God through prayer, share your specific needs with Him, and thank Him for all that He has done. This is how we can have peace every day and avoid being controlled by fear in the future.