Lions and Tigers and Bears

The first movie I ever saw in color was “The Wizard of Oz."  I was very young and the scene of Dorothy, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow going into the forest, saying, “Lions and tigers and bears, oh, my!  Lions and tigers and bears, oh, my!” terrified me.  I knew something horrible was going to jump out and get them. Suddenly, a ferocious lion appeared.  They tried to hide, but there was no place to go, so they had to face the lion.  Dorothy began to yell at him and suddenly, the lion broke down and started to cry.  It was soon discovered he was the Cowardly Lion of Oz.

As with Dorothy, most of our fears are unfounded.  As children, we experienced the fear of something frightening under our beds waiting to reach out and grab us. Doubtless, if we had looked, we would have found nothing there.  We felt defenseless and cried out to Mommy or Daddy for help.  When they came to our rescue we felt safe and filled with peace. Even as adults we are often filled with fears and feel defenseless.  At times we are surrounded by adversity and don’t realize the help that is available.  We may wander through the jungle of life for years, crying, “Lions, tigers and bears, oh, my!”  If we cry out to God for help, just like a child, God will be swift to answer and come to our aid.

There are several ways to combat fear.  First, we can “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (James 4:7 & 8).  Secondly, we must, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you” (1 Peter 5:7-8).

We also need to understand what fear is,  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”  (2 Tim.1:7).  We must recognize there is a spirit of fear and this spirit comes from Satan, not from God.  Satan uses all his tactics to cause fear to enter into the hearts of believers. However, God puts within us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.  The amplified Bible explains 2 Tim 1:7 in greater depth. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”   The forces of good and evil are at work within us. Therefore, we need spiritual weapons to combat the fear that overtakes us.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests....” (Eph. 6: 11-18)

Let’s examine the weapons of warfare that God has made available to us.

 1.        The Belt of Truth:  Your enemy is the father of lies-- John 8:44

                        Jesus is truth -- John 14:6

                        God’s Word is Truth --2 Tim. 2:15

                        The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth -- John 14:16-17

2.         The Breastplate of Righteousness

Your Accuser is Satan–Rev. 12:10

Christ is your righteousness –1 Cor. 1:30

There is no condemnation -- Rom. 8:1

3.         Shoes to spread the Gospel of Peace:

Your enemy is “The Adversary”

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things”-- (Rom. 10:15)

4.         The Shield of Faith: 

The enemy sends fiery darts of sickness, financial troubles, marriage problems, anger, depression, fear

Be covered with a shield of faith that compasses us.

For thou, LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor will thou compass him as with a shield.”-- Ps. 5:12 

5.         The Helmet of Salvation:

The enemy is a deceiver -- he will question, deny and then lie.

He wants your mind “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” -- James 1:8 

 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” --2 Co. 2:11 

 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”-- Phil. 2: 5 

6.         The Sword of the Spirit -- the Word of God:

The enemy is a tempter: God wants us to know and to remember His Word, “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”-- (Ps. 119: 11)

He also desires that we realize the power of His Word; “For the word of God is quick, and  powerful, and sharper than  any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of

soul and spirit.”-- (Heb. 4: 12)

7.         Prayer: The enemy wants us to be distracted and will anything he can to keep us from prayer.  We need to be: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.--  (Eph. 6: 18)

Friends, we are more than conquerors, (Rom. 8:37).  Just like the Cowardly Lion of Oz, we can know we are able to overcome fear with God’s help.  Dorothy followed the yellow brick road that led to the Emerald City. We also need to follow the right road, for it leads to the Holy City, the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2)  "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.  (Matt. 7:13-14)

There will come a time when the believer will not have to be anxious for anything.  The Wicked Witch of the West, (Satan) will be defeated forever.  There will no longer be “lions, tigers and bears, oh, my!" and “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” will not be a song of dreams, but of reality.  Put aside your fears and begin to trust God today.  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  (Heb. 12:1)