One of the tactics of the Devil is to speak lies to us. Rightly is he called the Father of lies. One of his favorite lies is that of fear. These fears are like control bottoms that the Devil presses at will to keep us under his domination. He tells us that we are helpless to overcome these fears and this leaves us hopeless.

 

The message that brought fear into Jairus’ heart was the death of his daughter. But the truth that Jesus spoke to him was “Fear not”; the remedy Jesus offered was trust. The remedy that Jesus offers us to the sinkhole of fear is himself. “Fear not. It is I. I am with you.” Though the hurricane winds and the power of the waves want to engulf us, Jesus says “Keep your eyes on me and cling to me.” Over the roar of fear comes the assured whisper of trust.

 

When this trust is expressed in love and when we grow in our love of God, then this love overcomes fear. Listen to the words from St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans.

 

“Then who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation? Or anguish? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or persecution? Or the sword?...But in all these things we overcome, because of him who has loved us. For I am certain that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor the present things, nor the future things, nor strength, nor the heights, nor the depths, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37-39)