Why Are You Afraid?

Fr. George Panakal V.C.

When we get knowledge about Jesu,s automatically transformation takes place in us. Our words and deeds change. The more you know Jesus the more you change.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, and they are new every morning.” (Lam. 3:22-23)
This love makes us a new creation, strengthens us to do deeds filled with love. For where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, Jesus is there among them. Early believers felt the presence of God among themselves. A believer of Jesus is entirely different from others. All the religions talk about God like this: no one can see God if anyone sees God, he/she will die; this was the belief of the early Jews. People say God is this, God is that, etc. But no one ever taught about God like Jesus did. Jesus is the first person in history
that called God, “Father.” This is not merely a name but a relationship. When we look up to Jesus, we get all the answers we want about God. Jesus is the first born of all creation.
To know Jesus means to know God. “The Father and I are one.” (Jn. 10:30) When we get knowledge about Jesus, automatically transformation takes place in us. Our words and deeds change. The more you know Jesus the more you change. The more you know Jesus the more you change. In history Jesus is the God who came down as a human being. There is no doubt about that, that Jesus was a human being. Some people believe that he was a prophet. A prophet is a person who talks for God. Jesus said it himself that the prophecy was about Him. All the prophecies were fulfilled in Him. This peculiarity we find only in Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way and truth and the life” (Jn. 14:6). “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn.11;25). “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matt. 9:6). No one else said these things. Whatever Jesus said is the truth.
Jesus said he would rise from the dead. He appeared to more that five hundred brothers and sisters at one time. Whoever saw him believed in him and were witnesses for him. Isaiah spoke about why Jesus became a human being (Lk. 4:18). When Jesus went to the temple, He cast out demons, saved people from Satan and their bondages. He cured Peter’s mother in law; Peter was with Jesus so it follows that whoever is with Jesus, Jesus takes care of their family members. Jesus was available for even the leprosy patients.
Jesus waited for the Samaritan woman near the well. Now Jesus is waiting for each and every person who comes to the Divine Retreat Centers.
Whoever is in Christ Jesus now, their problems are not so big. Jesus can solve each and every problem. For that you need faith. And that is the reason why the disciples prayed “increase our faith.” Isaiah 28:16 says, “One who trusts will not panic.” If we look through the intellectual level, we cannot see any miracles. Faith is much above the intellectual level. But it is not the opposite. We see our problems on our intellectual level.
We are not looking for the One who can solve them. That is why people have fear, anxiety and worries. For a believer, rather than look at the problem, they must look to the One God who can solve them. When there was no more wine, Mother Mary went to Jesus.
One day Paul and Silas were going for prayer. But they landed in prison. They never took off their handcuffs or chains nor did the jailor. But Jesus took them off. The Jesus who said, “I am with you always to the end of the age.” The one who looks at Jesus should worship, praise and thank him, and then his problems are solved. Paul and Silas’ chains were unfastened. But they did not escape; they waited for God’s plans to be fulfilled through them. As a result the jailor and his family were saved. The believer always has his God inside his heart.
Jesus is the controller of our lives. Without Jesus our lives will not move in the right way, if Christ sets us free, then we are really free (Gal. 5:1). Jesus has the authority over Satan, disease, death and this world. If Jesus is with us then why should we fear? He will give us peace. When Jesus was resting in the boat a windstorm arose on the sea. The boat was in the middle of the sea and was being swamped by the waves. Jesus was with the disciples when asked to save them; Jesus stills the storm and rebuked the winds. Because he is the creator of all!
There are three areas in which Satan attacks us. That is: relationship, property and body. Job was attacked by Satan in all three areas. He lost his children, his property was destroyed and he got sick. God also has the authority over all these three areas. That is why Job said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:20). We should we give God the authority over us. When Gladys Stains came to know about her husband and son, that they had been burned alive, she gave thanks to God for keeping them alive until that time. Body, property and relationship: if you surrender them to God then that becomes a sacrifice, then God will protect them.
If the Blood of the Lamb gave protection to the Israelites then God will protect us too. Jesus, the Lamb of God will give protection to our properties and we will be His. Then nobody can touch us. My life and all in my life will belong to God and this is the real spirituality. Whatever we may surrender will be sanctified by God.