We live in a time where fear reigns while faith seems to be smothered under the maniacal power of what “could be”. Can you remember as a child when you were utterly paralyzed by the slightest sound outside your bedroom window or the echo of strange noises coming from a dark hallway.
As children we’re often frightened by a simple sound or noise we can’t identify. Upon further inspection we see that it was just the wind or the settling of the house yet we were so sure it was some evil monster hungry for little toes (better not let my arms or legs hang over the bed… just in case)!
Is it really that different now that we’re adults? We may not be frightened by things that go bump in the night but should a doctor mention the word, “Cancer” fear grips our hearts. We have many fears that plague our minds and steal our faith. I think that if we allowed a little further inspection, we’d find that there’s really no reason to fear.
Fear Is Just A Noise
Fear is just a noise that sparks the darker side of our imaginations and imprisons our minds in the shadows of hopelessness and doubt. It can seem so real but we must remember… it’s only a noise!
Where else can we see this best illustrated than in Hollywood? These masters of manipulation can take the most benign scene and turn it into something terrifying with a simple score. By just adding music or a sound effect they can artfully turn any knee slapper into a screamer.
Let’s take Lord of the Rings for example. Rarely will you find any creatures more hideous than the Balrog and the Ringwraiths. The bellowing sound of the Balrog’s roar and the Ringwraith’s scream are enough to make anyone’s blood curdle. See for yourself…
The Balrog
Did you hear that otherworldly roar?! When sitting in a darkened theater surrounded by the sound of this beast, your seat trembles just a little bit and so does your heart but what’s the real origin of the Balrog’s roar? Did someone manage to drill far enough into the earth to pick up the sounds of Hell itself? Upon further inspection you may be surprised at what you’re actually hearing. It’s not the demented yell of a diabolical demon, the sound is actually made by an ingenious sound effects crew dragging a cinderblock across the floor! The noise isn’t as intimidating when we see it for what it really is.
How how about those evil Ringwraiths?
The Ringwraith
These Ringwraiths are shrill enough to give Hillary Clinton chills! However, if we look behind the scenes, we discover that what we’re actually hearing are plastic cups scraping together! Of course these sounds are enhanced in a sound studio but at their core it’s just a couple of plastic cups and a microphone.
What I want you to see is that whenever fear attempts to gain access into your heart, it’s just a noise! Whether fear comes through a bad diagnosis, rejection, or the tormenting doubts that Satan incessantly introduces into your mind, upon further inspection you may just discover that it’s not as bad as you think and that “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
The Bible says in Isaiah 14 that one day Satan will be cast down to the abyss and…
People will stare and muse: “Can this be the one Who terrorized earth and its kingdoms, turned earth to a moonscape, Wasted its cities, shut up his prisoners to a living death?”
The Bible says that there will come a day when we will “muse” at the author of fear himself! Another translation says that we will look “narrowly” at him in disbelief saying, “Really? … REALLY?” On that day we’ll discover that Lucifer himself wasn’t all he was cracked up the be. He was just a noise; nothing more than the passing of a light breeze.
You don’t have to wait until that glorious day to have this revelation. As you study God’s holy Word, you wont be so intimidated because you’ll discover the truth behind the noise. You’ll also learn who God is on the inside of you and no cinderblock, plastic cup, or bad report will be able to rob you of your faith!
