The Martyr's Oath by Johnnie Moore

Author:Johnnie Moore [Moore, Johnnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: RELIGION / Christian Life / Spiritual Growth, RELIGION / Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2017-10-10T04:00:00+00:00

Isaac’s story is remarkable not just because Boko Haram kept him alive but also because of the courage Isaac displayed in their midst. When we believe in God, we are courageous. Courage is supernatural; it draws from the confidence we have in God because of the love God has for us. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love” (1 John 4:18).

Because Jesus loves us and because we love others, as Christians we remain courageous despite the trials and the troubles we might face in this world. God is powerful enough to be with us in the most difficult and challenging circumstances, and he reminds us that there’s more to this world than what appears directly in front of us. Our “bodies are dying” but our “spirits are being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NLT).

I’ve prayed 2 Corinthians 4:18 in my life ten thousand times and with varying degrees of faith—and sometimes desperation: “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen” (NLT).

Stories like Isaac’s encourage and challenge us because they force us to ask the question, just what are we afraid of?

Are we afraid of what other people might think about us, or might say to us, or even might do to us? As a Christian, I recognize that the opposite of fear is faith. Jesus tells his disciples, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul” (Matthew 10:28, NLT). There is a force stronger than our fear.

One of the first things to fall away when we are in a growing relationship with Jesus is our fear. It is at least difficult, if not impossible, for fear and faith to coexist. If we believe what the Bible says about Jesus, we understand that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love.

The persecuted church proves to us that faith is stronger than fear. If they do not give in to fear when their faith faces such trials, then how is it that our fears bind us up so hopelessly?

The apostle Paul writes, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV).

We don’t need to be afraid. God’s Spirit is powerful—God gives us the strength we need when we act according to his will. And this power gives us the ability to love others, no matter the risk. God’s Spirit compels us to care about other people, and because we care about them, sometimes we do things that are dangerous or sacrificial. But God’s Spirit also gives us a sound mind, meaning that we aren’t to take irrational risks. Rather, whatever risks we take are founded on the very real knowledge that God is working in us and for us, calling upon all of his power on our behalf. As Paul writes, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31, NLT).

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