lives were lost . That ’ s real , and that hurts ! What ’ s just as true is that over the last two centuries , life expectancy in the United States has more than doubled , to almost eighty years . In America , we ’ re actually living longer than at any time in human history . This is also true in many other countries globally . Jesus openly subdued the devil and his minions , and God gave Jesus all rule and authority in this age and in the age to come . The Kingdom of heaven knows it . The kingdom of darkness knows it . The problem is , too many Christians don ’ t live as if they know it , so they are not operating from that position of victory .
My brother Richie passed away in December 2012 . I had the privilege of taking him to the doctor once . He was in the final stages of fighting against cancer and was thin and sick . Just he and I were in the car . It was obvious to Richie , and to his wife and kids , that unless God intervened , at the age of 54 he would be going home soon to be with the Lord . In fact , at his final appointment the doctor had told him that he had a few weeks , a month at best , to live . Richie and I were close and could talk about anything . But the day I took him to the doctor , I didn ’ t want to talk about the elephant in the room — death . I could tell Richie wanted to talk about it . He kept starting and stopping his sentences , until finally he broke it open . “ Jent ,” he said , “ unless God performs a miracle , I know I ’ m going to die .”
Too many Christians don ’ t live as if they know it , so they are not operating from that position of victory .
I ’ ll never forget what I asked him next . I was scared to ask , but I could sense that he needed to talk about it . “ What ’ s that like ?” I asked . “ What are you feeling ? Are you afraid ?”
“ I am absolutely not afraid to die ,” he replied . “ I just hate that I ’ m not going to be there for my wife and children . I don ’ t want my wife to carry the burden of raising a family alone .” Richie never gave in to a state of dread . He refused to be tormented over the inevitable . And while he struggled with fears for his loved ones who would remain on earth after him , he didn ’ t let the enemy do all the talking . He prayed . He worshipped . He read the Bible out loud . He fought fear with faith . Faith is not denial . It is not false hope that pretends you don ’ t have issues , problems or situations that require emergency intervention . This is why so many people haven ’ t seen a doctor in years . They ’ re afraid to hear what the doctor would have to say . This is fear talking ! I love saying that everything is better with Jesus , including trouble . Face and battle fear with faith . Don ’ t deny what is happening in or around you . Confront the fear and focus on God .
Don ’ t deny what is happening in or around you . Confront the fear and focus on God .
As my brother Richie learned to do , we need to stop letting the enemy do all the talking . Sometimes , it ’ s the fearful whisperings of our own imagination that we need to take captive . Imagine all the fears that bombard people day in and day out : My daughter just started driving , I wonder when her first car wreck will be . What if I can ’ t have any more babies ? Oh , he ’ s never going to marry me . I don ’ t want to know what the biopsy is going to say . What if treatment doesn ’ t work ? What if I get fired ? What if I can ’ t cut it ? What if I get promoted and they find out I ’ m not that good ? What if he stops loving me ?
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