Commentary: Fear not By TODD GADDIS Sunday, September 27, 2026 Renowned advice columnist Ann Landers is said to have received some 10,000 letters per month. When asked about the most common problem in her readers’ lives, she answered, “The one problem above all others seems to be fear. People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, and their loved ones. People are afraid of life itself.” Certainly, there are times when fear is warranted. One ought to think twice about walking down a dark alley alone, especially after dark. I’ve stood scared near the edge of a cliff, knowing that another few steps would mean falling to a rocky death.  Typically, however, fear is a negative emotion. It often signifies a lack of faith, a state in which we question God’s authority and sovereignty. It can also restrain our progress. Remember the one in the Parable of the Talents who failed to build upon what his master had given him. His excuse: “I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:25 NASB).  Some form of the phrase “fear not” appears hundreds of times in Scripture. For example, Moses said to the people at the edge of the Red Sea, “ Do not fear.” The Lord instructed Joshua as he was about to enter the Promised Land, “Do not tremble or be dismayed.” “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,” said the angel to Joseph (Exodus 14:13, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 1:20 NASB). Perhaps, however, nothing communicates the message quite like Paul’s words to Timothy, his son in the ministry. “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV). These words not only deny God as the source of fear; they include three helpful antidotes against it.  The first is power. This isn’t power in the way the world defines it, but rather Holy Spirit, Supernatural power - that which is made available to us upon receiving Christ as Savior. Not surprisingly, the word in the original is dynamis, similar to our English word dynamite. As Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8 NASB).  Next, there’s love. The term in Greek is agape, which is love in its highest form; unconditional love which originates from God. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18 NASB).  Note finally, the necessity of a sound mind. The idea here is that God supplies the tools for us to maintain our minds when those around us are losing theirs. We can stay calm, cool, and collected in the midst of the storm, knowing that God’s got this; He’s in control.  Shoikoi Yokoi spent 28 years in prison - not a prison of walls, but rather one of fear. He served on the island of Guam in WWII when the tide turned against the Japanese army. Afraid of being captured by American forces in the wake of defeat, he fled to the jungle and hid in a cave.  He later learned that the war had ended by reading one of the thousands of leaflets that were dropped into the jungle by American planes. Nevertheless, Shoikoi still feared capture and remained in the cave, thinking that his fellow soldiers would return for him.  For almost three decades, he ventured out only at night, existing on frogs, rats, roaches, and mangoes. It was only when a hunter discovered him that he was convinced that it was safe to leave the jungle.  I have a word for you who remain stymied in fear. The war is over! Christ won it by dying on the cross and rising from the grave. Enjoy the abundant life on earth that only He can provide. Anticipate an eternal life in heaven that He made possible. Fear not!  ___ Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com. BLB.Tagger.Translation = 'CSB'; BLB.Tagger.HyperLinks = 'all'; // 'all', 'none', 'hover' BLB.Tagger.HideTranslationAbbrev = false; BLB.Tagger.TargetNewWindow = true; BLB.Tagger.DarkTheme = false; BLB.Tagger.Style = 'par'; // 'line' or 'par' BLB.Tagger.NoSearchTagNames = ''; // HTML element list BLB.Tagger.NoSearchClassNames = 'noTag doNotTag'; // CSS class list --- PULLQUOTES --- Quote: Some form of the phrase “fear not” appears hundreds of times in Scripture. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20230112-104656-Todd Gaddis thumbnail.jpg Caption: Todd Gaddis