Faith over Fear

Jesus may have slept through most of the storm, but when he awoke, he was still in the midst of it. Jesus heard the boisterous winds. He felt the water pelt his face and clothes. He saw the surging waves crash over the boat, sending it spinning on the sea. He experienced the storm in all ways, yet without fear.

“Why are you so fearful?” he asked his disciples.

This word ‘fearful’ is deilós in Greek. It is an adjective, derived from the word deós which means dread. Strong’s Concordance defines deilós as timid, i.e. (by implication) faithless:—fearful.

This word occurs only three times in the New Testament. Twice for the account of the storm in Matthew 8:26 and Mark 4:40; and once in Revelation 21:8, where it links those that are fearful with unbelievers and murderers.

In contrast, the word phobeō occurs 93 times in the New Testament. Strong’s Concordance defines it as: fear (62x), be afraid (23x), be afraid of (5x), reverence (1x), miscellaneous (2x).

Jesus wasn’t asking the disciples why they were afraid. He was asking them why they had no faith.

When we are afraid, we need to ask ourselves the same hard question. Are we actually afraid of what’s going on? Or have we no faith?

But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NJKV.

Or, as the NIV says, “Do you still have no faith?”

After all we’ve been through together, after everything you have seen, after all the miracles you’ve witnessed, do you still have no faith?

Jesus questioned them because of their unbelief. Because they were fearful. Because of their lack of faith.

What about us—what about everything we’ve been through? After everything we’ve seen? Do we still have no faith? After witnessing sunsets and sunrises, and the changing of the seasons, and the birthing of babies, and the way our hands turn into our mother’s hands, and our mother’s hands turn into our grandmother’s hands. After witnessing all the miracles in our lives, the loves in our lives, the troubles the Lord has already saved us from, do we still have no faith?

Is our faith strong enough to bail out our boat when the waves are cascading down upon us? Is our faith strong enough to face the whirlwind and the tempests?

The writer of the book of Hebrews defines faith as: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV.

Jesus described faith as a mustard seed. Small but powerful. “For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20.

Jesus told his disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:21-22.

“Daughter, your faith has made you well,” Jesus said to the woman who had faith enough to touch just the hem of his garment. “Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:34.

“Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Jairus about his dead daughter. “Only believe.” Mark 5:36.

Confidence and assurance.

Nothing will be impossible.

Believing, you will receive.

Your faith has made you well.

Do not be afraid. Only believe.

We may not know what storms are on the horizon, but we must have faith that we will get through any storm that comes our way. We also need to have the confident assurance that if the storm doesn’t go our way, or in our favour, God knows what He is doing. We need to trust and have complete faith in His Will, His Way, and His Timing—even if it’s against ours. Do not be afraid. Only believe.

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.”
-Helen Keller

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