Fear Paralyzes: Faith fulfills Destiny
- Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
- Jan 8, 2020
- 4 min read
"And Samuel said, 'How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.' And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice."' -1 Samuel 16:2
Yesterday, I wrote about Samuel mourning deeply for King Saul. I can understand why Samuel the prophet would mourn and be heart broken. The Spirit of the Lord had departed Saul. It was no longer God leading him but an evil spirit. Samuel had a good reason for the mourning.
What Samuel says next to God’s is what made me stop, dead in my track. “And Samuel said, 'How can I go?'"
Is this the prophet Samuel talking here? Ok, Who are you and what have you done with Samuel? Is this the same fearless prophet that stood up to his mentor Eli, remember that? He sure wasn’t afraid to stand up to his mentor. Wasn’t he the same Samuel, who stood up before his mourning (and the reason for his mourning) to King Saul, letting him know God was going to strip him of his kingdom? Now, he’s afraid.
So, why all of a sudden was he afraid? Obviously, he did have reason to be afraid. God was asking him to anoint another king. Of course, King Saul would see this has treason. Yes, Saul would have sentenced Samuel to death. But, wait, Saul could have done that the day he begged Samuel to change his mind. Remember, he grabbed him by his cloak? He wasn’t afraid then. So, why this fear now? Please, please, please, hear this. When you are so saddened, and are mourning for so long you you go down a spiral road of depression. When you are in that state of mind, fear enters and faith is out the door. We know fear and faith do not coincide. This was the place, a God-honoring, God-fearing, God only everything prophet Samuel found himself in.
There's no question that Samuel knew God. No doubt, he served God with all of his heart, and there's absolutely, no indication God was not with Samuel. From birth, God was with Samuel. Samuel loved and obeyed God. God protected Samuel and would continue to do so. So, what happened? Fear came in. That’s what happened. You see, Samuel mourned that which was lost, gone, and dead. The danger in doing this is that it opens us to emotions and ideas not of God. Anytime, we are afraid to do what God tells us to do we are out of line. We mourn that which we shouldn’t mourn. Please hear me, fear paralyzes and stops us from moving forward with God’s perfect plans for our lives.
We are just like him. Sometimes we mourn our reputation because God told us to do something that goes against ideas of others. Let me give you a personal experience. When I approached the company I work for and told them we are too big to remain as a state organization or a USA only and that we needed to go Worldwide, I had opposition from the organization who governed us. Of course, they would. We represented the entire state of Massachusetts, respected, highly visible, a role model for the rest of the country, with awards to prove it. However, God told me to leave because the work we were doing was being hindered by being a state only. I received a call from one person. I thought he was a friend. He said, “So you think you can govern the whole world. I give you a year, you won’t make it,” as he laughed at me. Well, the proof is now in the pudding. I achieved that which God called me to for over a decade, and we are stronger then ever, but not without initial ridicule. Thank God I always did (do) exactly what God instructs me to do. I give not one thought to any human or their opinion of me. They don’t matter. God matters. People can kill our destinies if we mourn that which is dead.
Please catch clearly what the Spirit is saying to you today. God, here had a plan. A better plan then the “people.” The “people” had chosen Saul. Look at the destruction the “people” had brought upon themselves. They chose a mad man. God, on the other hand, had chosen a real King, a young man, who thought for himself, heard the voice of God, obeyed the voice of God, and, if that wasn’t enough, had a heart after God. However, Samuel in his mourning of that which was dead and being stuck in depression couldn’t see what God was about to do. You understand? He mourned Saul, a man God rejected. God wanted him to rejoice He was sending a David. What a contrast between the two men.
Today, I feel the Holy Spirit say, rise up! God has a plan. Forget what people have to say. If God has a plan, He has the instructions to go with it. You have to get up and go. You have to take the instructions as He gives. You don’t try to modify them. Get over your fear of the what ifs and follow the will of the Lord. Esther said, “If I perish I perish.” Jesus himself went to the cross. “Thy will be done.” Samuel had to get up from the mourning. Esther had to get up. Jesus had to get up. I humbly ask, “What’s your excuse?” Don’t pass up the plans, purposes, and destinies God has for you because of fear. Fear will keep you mourning all the days of your life with regrets. Fear not! If God called you, He will take care of all that concerns you. But, you and I have to get up and go! Destinies are not birth out of fear. They are made by faith and by going.
Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc.
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