Are You Afraid of the Dark?

As a child, there are many things we fear. Some children fear heights or clowns, while others fear the dark. It seems that some fears carry on into adulthood.

Are you still afraid of the dark? Most of you would shake your head and firmly say no! Sure, you may not be afraid of being in a room with no light, but what about ISIS? Are you afraid? Or do you fear contracting ebola or another infectious disease/virus? In the Scriptures, these things would be considered darkness. Even an unbeliever would consider these things dark.

Earlier this week I streamed a series from The Porch about Christians being Batman. Now before you scratch your head in confusion, hear me out. Batman runs to the darkness instead of away from it. He isn't afraid of the dark. He brings light to a dark world and is seen as a hero. In summary, your childhood fantasy of wanting to be Batman is completely warranted and a good thing. ;) ALL people, especially Christians, should want to be Batman.

For far too long the American church has sat comfortably in their four walls as darkness threatens to take over the world. We watch the news and grow terrified of viruses and terroristic threats instead of taking action. We're scared of sickness. We're scared of dying. Why?

In Acts 1:8 it says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." If you have the Holy Spirit living inside you, you are equipped and ready to fight evil. You should be a vigilante of good instead of being crippled with fear in your home. In some translations of Acts 1:8, witnesses is translated as martyrs. Yes, you could die as you shine your light in the darkness, but what better way to die than to do it for the glory of God!

Every day I get online and see fear all over my Twitter and Facebook timelines. Most of the fear is from my Christian friends and family. Instead of being fearful of what will happen tomorrow, why aren't we like Batman and facing evil head-on? What do we have to lose? Before you answer with "my life," think about the great people who have lost their lives before you as they shine in the darkness. Eleven of the twelve disciples died as they went into dark areas of the world, proclaiming the Gospel. You and I are called to go all over the world as a light in the darkness, not to fear the dark. Run TO it, not away from it.

Many of the people infected with ebola in Africa have never heard the Gospel. This should be concerning to Christians. Instead of canceling trips to Africa and having the "every man for himself" mentality, we should be fighting to GO. Sure, we could contract the virus and die, but what if you spread the Gospel in the process? What a glorious day in Heaven that would be as you worship Jesus with them. The same is true about the Middle East. Many people are afraid to go there because of extremist groups like ISIS. How can we forget about the innocent people who live in that area and have never heard the saving news of Jesus Christ?

Or how about conquering fear in Dallas? Instead of staying away from restaurants, theaters and malls, reach out to Liberian and other immigrants who live here. The state of panic and fear needs to stop. The media is partially to blame for this, but Christians need to remember that they are a light in the darkness and have nothing to fear. If you die from ebola, you will be with your Creator sooner than you thought. Now what's so bad about that?! RUN to the darkness in this city and all over the world, instead of hiding in fear.

Church, let's stop being afraid of the dark. I'm done with hearing fear from the lips of my Christian friends. We have no need to fear death at the hands of a virus or extremist group. Our only concern should be being a light in the darkness and spreading the Gospel. If we truly believe in the sovereignty of God and that He is in control, we will not be taken out of this world one minute before He is done with us. We are considered immortal until our last breath. When we breathe our last breath on earth, it will be our first in Heaven.

I'm not afraid of the dark. Are you?


"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from Heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Luke 1:76-79

"Go! I am sending you out like a lamb amongst wolves." Luke 10:3