In this time of fear for the coronavirus, I would like to give you 31 reasons to not be afraid. One reason for every day of the month. This is not to say that the coronavirus is not dangerous. At the moment of writing, over 30,000 people have died and the number is likely to become much higher.
Neither do I claim that if you have enough faith, or proclaim that the blood of Jesus covers you, you are safe from the virus. I see many messages and memes going around on the internet that claim this. That is just plain wrong. Evangelical pastors have died of the coronavirus. Some outbreaks sped up because people got infected by the virus in a church service. “If you have faith, the coronavirus cannot touch you” sounds nice. But it is a lie of the devil.
Yet even in a situation when a pandemic is raging that might claim your life, there are other reasons not to be afraid. Let me give you a biblical reason not to be afraid, not to fear, and not to be anxious for every day of the month. This article contains the first ten reasons; the others will be published soon.
1. Do not be afraid: You can tell everything to God.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
We do not know what the future holds. We do not have a promise we will not get sick. But we know that we can take everything in our hearts, everything that we think about, to God in prayer. God promises that his peace will then fill your heart and mind. Take your worries to God, and leave them there. Then you will have peace. You do not need to be afraid.
2. Do not be afraid: God cares for you.
“… casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you”, (1 Peter 5:7).
If through faith you have become a child of God, you don’t need to worry that God forgets about you. He cares for you, like a father cares for his child. Because He cares for you, you may be sure that the intentions He has for you, are good. However difficult life might become – and life was difficult for the people Peter wrote to! – you are never outside God’s care. You do not need to be afraid.
3. Do not be afraid: Jesus has overcome the world.
“Take heart; I have overcome the world”, (John 16:33).
Satan enjoys suffering. But we do not live in a world where Satan has the final say. Jesus has all the power. However bad the situation in this world or in your life becomes, it is never because Jesus is losing. He still is in control. It cannot go further than He allows. We can always cry out to him, for He is mighty to save. You do not need to be afraid.
4. Do not be afraid: God will act.
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act”, (Psalm 37:5).
God is not a God for whom this world is a spectator sport. He acts. He may not always act at the time we would like him to. We might not always understand why He acts the way He does. But He acts. At his time, He will do exactly what is needed. If you trust in that promise, there is no reason to be afraid. You can patiently wait to see God’s perfect plan happen at his perfect time. You do not need to be afraid.
5. Do not be afraid: For those who love God, all things work together for good.
“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good”, (Romans 8:28).
There is a clever saying telling us: “It will all work out in the end. If it doesn’t, it’s not the end yet”.
This Bible verse proclaims this is true for Christians. God will use every circumstance, even the hardest and the scariest ones, to bring out something good for believers. You might not always see that because what is most important to God, might not be most important to you. To be able to embrace this promise fully, align your priorities with God’s priorities.
Then you’ll experience it is true that all things work together for good. You do not need to be afraid.
6. Do not be afraid: A new earth is coming.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”, (Revelation 21:4).
Whatever we are going through, and whatever may happen to us and to our loved ones here on earth, we know it is not the end. There is a new earth coming. All who have believed in Jesus will be there. No disease, no sadness, no death will be there. That is our final destination. Therefore: you do not need to be afraid.
7. Do not be afraid: God’s grace is sufficient.
When Paul had a difficult personal situation (maybe a sickness), he prayed that God would take it away. But God answered him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
When you are weak or when you are suffering, the power of Christ can rest upon you in a special way. So if there is a disease raging, or if there is another problem in your life that overwhelms you, Christ can become visible in you in a way that does not happen when everything is fine. In every situation, you may know that God’s grace is sufficient. You do not need to be afraid.
8. Do not be afraid: Live by the day.
“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”, (Matthew 6:34).
Fear is not about what is happening now, but about what will happen in the future. Yet in every moment, and on every day, God gives us the grace to bear what is coming our way. Do not fear tomorrow, but trust that God will give you the strength you need tomorrow, like He does today. As Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman of faith, used to say: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” You do not need to be afraid.
9. Do not be afraid: Nothing is too hard for you.
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”, (Philippians 4:13).
Paul said that he could do ‘all things’. That is not a boast, because he says he cannot do it through his own power, but that is is Jesus who gives him strength.
Moreover, when you read Philippians 4, you will notice that Paul is not talking about worldly success. He mentions that he can face hunger and poverty because Jesus gives him strength. The same is true when you are facing disease: nothing is too hard. Jesus gives you strength. You do not need to be afraid.
10. Do not be afraid: Otherwise the seed of the Word will not survive.
“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries”, (Luke 8:14).
It is possible to be so consumed by life’s worries that you don’t have any energy left to listen to God. (Of course, it is also the other way around: if you don’t listen to God, you’ll be consumed by life’s worries.)
Don’t let that happen to you. Realize that any worry of fear is not important enough to keep you away from God’s Word. Keep receiving the seed of God’s Word and let it overcome your worries. You do not need to be afraid.
For more reasons not to be afraid of the coronavirus, click here.