WILL YOU EVER BE FREE FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH?

Edward O’Hara Fri 3/13/2020 6:18 PM…

Everyone can see that death reigns, right? I mean, there is no argument from the most ardent atheist to the strongest believer against the fact that death currently reigns over all that we see, right? Because we can all see that everything decays and dies. And that death happens to all things whether animate or inanimate, right? Of course, we can. Even with our natural eyes, we can see that death reigns on this earth. So one does not even need to be born again, or “spiritual” as some think they can be by other means, to see this. And no one wants to die, right? Everyone if they had a choice to either live under death’s power and it affects like suffering, sickness, and sorrow, or have eternal life without any of the effects of death, would choose eternal life. This is why so many are trying to find cures for everything through the sciences with the ultimate goal of finding a path to eternal life. 

But, the problem is death can not be conquered by science. Or even by religion for that matter. Because death is the king even over science and religion. The Bible says it like this in Heb.2:15, “…who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” What bondage some might say? And what fear? Those who ask such things are not being honest with themselves or with anyone else. Because if you were honest you would admit that you fear death and are in bondage to that fear for all of your life just as the Bible says. 

This is why so often instead of dealing with it, people just bury their heads in the sand and think that if they don’t think about it it will go away. “Think positive thoughts,” they say. “Why be so negative?” But, this doesn’t really work. It doesn’t go away. Because that fear of death always keeps nagging at us. Because death truly reigns on this earth. But, what if I told you there is a way to face it now so that you do not have to fear facing it later? A way that we can prepare ourselves for that meeting. Wouldn’t this be the most important preparation we could ever make? And if it is possible to face it now why would anyone hide their head in the sand? They wouldn’t if they could only believe it. 

But, what does being prepared for death mean? What does it entail? Is it done by taking a look at all they have accumulated in this life and deciding where and who it goes to after they die? Is this how one prepares themselves for their face to face meeting with death? No. Because that is only preparation for those they leave behind so all the stuff we had in this life goes to those we choose. And as important as that might seem, it’s not what we need when it is time for us to face death. Because what we need is something or someone that will face death for us that can break death’s reign over us so that we will never have to face it alone. Something or someone that faces death with us that gives us the victory over it for all eternity. Not just the disposition of our stuff for others after we leave this place. And not some religious mumbo jumbo that promises what it can never deliver.

So preparation for death requires first and foremost that we understand what comes next. That we truly understand what happens to us after we leave this life for the next one. Do we go into nothingness? Or is there something more after death? Well, as you know if you have ever heard all the differing opinions on this, it depends on who you ask.

If you are asking the guy who hides his head in the sand you will probably be told it doesn’t matter. Or that there is nothing after you die so it’s best just not to think about it. But, how does someone who hides their head in the sand know this? They don’t. They can’t. They’re just hiding from it in one way or another till that inevitable day that they will be forced to face it like everyone else. Even if you ask someone who has searched out the answer through religion about what happens after we die there is still a myriad of answers that one might get. So how do we know what the truth is about this question? Can we know? The answer is yes. We can surely know. 

But, the only way we can be sure we have gotten the right answer to this question is only when it comes from someone who has been there and comes back to tell the story. Doesn’t it make perfect sense that only someone who has been there would know? Of course, it does. So we need to find someone who has conquered death and lived to tell about it. Not just anyone who came back only to die again. Because that would mean that he wasn’t the one who actually conquered death. Because someone who actually conquered death never dies again. In all of history, there is only one person who has ever lived that has done this. And His name is Jesus. So let’s see what He has to say about it, shall we?

When Jesus was here on earth He told His followers that He was going on ahead in the next life to prepare a place for them so that where He was going they could come too. And that they should not be afraid. Because since they had believed Him and followed Him they could live in this place with Him for all eternity too. A place that is so beautiful that He told them that even with their imagination they could never conceive of the wonders of this beautiful place. 1Cor.2:9. 

But, how did Jesus make the way through the wall we call death so that we could follow Him through it? He did this by entering into our death with us. By first becoming a man so that He could die a man’s death. Because if He was not fully man in every way just like we are He could not die the death all men die. And after entering into death with us He faced death for us. And by rising from the dead in the resurrection He also conquered death for us. This is how He alone has made the way for us who will believe in Him to follow Him through the wall we call death. This is found in Heb.2:14,15. So death was met by the one who alone could conquer it so that we could have eternal life. And this life is only found in Him because He is the only man who has ever conquered death. This is why Jesus is the only way, truth, and life as He said in John14:6. 

The question many people ask me is why would He do such a thing? Why this way? Why didn’t He just make everything as He wanted it from the beginning? The answer is, that this is exactly what He did by doing it this way. Because only by doing it this way could there be real love between God and His creation. Because real love is given freely by both people involved. It can not be forced or coerced. 

So what is it that makes you so valuable that He would go through all of this? It is because He places value on love. Because God is love. 1John4:7,8. So you are valuable because He places value on the kind of loving fellowship He created you for. The kind of loving fellowship that He desires to have with you. A kind of fellowship He made you for that He can have with nothing else than He made. Not that He does not love all of His creation. He does. But, it is because He made you in His image and likeness as Gen.1:26-31 says, giving you attributes that were like His, that He loves you and He wants you to know and love Him too with the same kind of love that He has for you. The kind of loving relationship that is only possible when it is offered freely. It can not be coerced.

It can not be forced. It must be of one’s own free will. Will you be free from the fear of death? Will you trust in Him today and follow Him in the way He alone has made through the wall of death so you will be assured of eternal life? Will you receive the gift of eternal life from one who has made you and loves you more than our natural minds can fathom? He is waiting for you. He has always been waiting for you. He has even prepared a place for you so that you can be with Him. And all it takes for you to receive the gift is a simple “Yes, I believe”, from your heart to His. Will you believe in this Jesus? Will you be born of His Spirit so you too can inherit eternal life? The fleshly birth only prepared you for this natural world where death reigns. Will you be born again by being born of His Spirit. So that as His child you will now have as an inheritance His kingdom that is eternal where there is no death? 

If you are reading this God is calling you. He loves you and wants you to know Him. Because knowing Him is this eternal life that provides you with the spirit that makes you God’s child.John17:3. So if you do not know Him, but have now believed that He is Lord and that He has raised from the dead to conquer death for you, then please take the time right now to talk to Him and confess to Jesus that He is Lord of your life. And believe that He has raised from the dead to conquer death for you. If you do believe in Him then tell Him something like this and you will have eternal life: Dear Jesus, I believe you. Thank you for joining with me in death so that by conquering death by your resurrection I could join with you in eternal life. Thank you that you raised from the dead so that I could raise from the dead too by trusting in, clinging to, and relying solely on you. Thank you for giving me a new spirit now Lord so that I can live with you in your kingdom forever. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

By praying a prayer similar to this one and really meaning it from your heart you have been saved from death to life. From sin to righteousness. And from the wrath to peace with God. And now as you begin reading the Bible and believing what it plainly says it will begin to change the way you think and believe. Because when you trust in Jesus you leave the old life behind where you were only able to relate to and trust in what has been made. And now will be equipped for God’s kingdom because you are no longer only natural flesh and blood, but are a new creature made a spiritual being ready to inherit God’s spiritual kingdom. It is because of Jesus’ resurrection that He is the only WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. Because only Jesus has broken through the wall of death that the flesh and blood natural body can never get through. And only by the new birth are we made ready to receive the spiritual body that can go through the wall of death as Jesus’ did first so we could follow Him in the way He has prepared for us. 

God Bless you in your new life in Christ. 
This message can also be heard at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k8BKN-6fyGw&feature=youtu.be

StevieRay Hansen
Editor, the127.org

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