FEAR NOT O LAND

FEAR NOT O LAND
We are going to read the Book of Joel and meditate on what the Lord is telling our nation. ‘Land’ means the people who live in it. On this 75th Republic Day, let us hear what the Lord has to tell us. Let us read from the Bible:
Joel 2:21 – “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things!”
This is the promise of the Lord given to the nation of Israel, through the prophet Joel. When the Lord was speaking to the prophet, the situation in the land was difficult. The book of Joel is a message of hope and restoration.
The prophet speaks to a land devastated by locusts and calls the people to rejoice because God’s intervention is near. This verse reminds us that no matter how difficult the circumstances, God is in control and has the power to restore and bless abundantly.
Today, we will reflect on the message of this verse and its application in our lives.


1. Fear Not - God is in Control
Joel 2:21 – “Fear not, O land.”
The command to “Fear not” appears frequently in Scripture, emphasizing that fear has no place when God is with us. The phrase “Fear not” (or its equivalent, like “Do not fear”) appears approximately 365 times in the Bible. This is often seen as a daily reminder from God not to live in fear but to trust in Him each day of the year. The children of God should never be afraid. We were not called to live in fear.
It reflects God’s consistent message of encouragement and assurance to His people throughout Scripture, reminding us that He is with us in every situation. When you hear these words, we get the hope that God is indeed with us. Only someone who stands above in rank and ability can give assurance of courage to not be afraid. For example, imagine a person in debt who is anxious about his creditor asking for the money. If someone says to him, “Fear not”, it means that he is able and willing to relieve him of the debt. Same way, God is able and mighty to remove all our fears.
Our life might not be in our control. But, the one who says “Fear not” has our life in his control. When the land of Judah received these words from the Lord, they were facing devastation from a locust plague, which symbolized God’s judgment. But God assures them not to fear because He would bring restoration.
I do not know what your family is going through right now, but God looks to you and says, “Fear not!” and is willing to give you a new life. He knows that in the last year, many families went through financial hardships and attacks from the Devil. And today he says to all of us, “Fear not!” He is reassuring that he is able to restore our lives.
Yesterday, I got a call from someone. He was talking about how the Indian economy has been falling and how the newly elected President of the United States will work towards his vision of developing the economy of his country, because of which, the value of the Indian rupee against the US dollar has decreased. He told me that they were able to convert funds between currencies before the value of the Indian rupee fell and then he thanked God for giving him the grace to make a good profit. Even if he had waited for a single day, he would have lost thousands of rupees. This is a revelation that God is ready to take care of us in any situation.
We have to get rid of fear, for in times of crisis, it can paralyze us. Even if we have good knowledge, understanding and ability, when anxiety hits, there will be fear as to what to do next. But today, God tells us that He is able to remove fears about our children, work, health, finance and restore our life. God calls us to trust Him, knowing that He is sovereign over every situation. Let our prayer be, “Lord, I trust you to remove all fears and restore my life”. Let us all read and confess this Bible verse:
Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you.”
There are a few families here who have been under direct attack of the devil. And to those families, the Lord is giving his strength and making a promise that he will restore everything.


2. “Be Glad and Rejoice” - A Call to Praise
Joel 2:21 – “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things!”
The word of God doesn’t instruct us to curl up in fear when we get anxious. Even in the midst of devastation, Joel calls the people to rejoice because of the promises of God. There should always be sounds of joy and shouts of praise and rejoicing in our houses. Voices of trumpets and sounds of the Lord’s majesty should be heard in our homes.
The land has seen a major destruction and the people are in turmoil. We too have seen such times in 2020. But the prophet instructs us to rejoice and be glad. Why? Because the Lord is with us and has given his word. God’s promises are unchanging.
Joel 2:25 - “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.”
It was a land that was consumed and is in ruins. Many of you are in tears of sorrow thinking about your business or job that once flourished and is now in struggle. He is faithful to restore what is lost for He says “I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.”
Even in our lives, the Lord says He will give unto us everything that we have lost. Each of us would have lost different things – wealth or properties that they must have received. For those the Lord says, “I will give it back to you”. Joy is a declaration of faith in God’s ability to bring victory. Rejoicing is not based on our circumstances but on God’s faithfulness. Choose to praise Him even before He has done what He has promised.
Shall we change our mindset today? We would have decided to do something in return for fulfillment of God’s promise. For example, some people would say, “Pastor, if God gives me this job, I will praise Him by feeding the entire church”. That’s something you can do after you receive. But as believers, we should do it before we receive, in the faith that it has already been graciously granted to us by the Lord. Because, the One who has promised, will not change. This verse teaches us how to have such a faith.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Dearly beloved, believe that things will change. Don’t be sorrow-faced. Instead, rejoice in the Lord and He will change your situation. He is mighty to restore. Let us say, “Lord, whether or not my situation changes, I will rejoice in you.” Our faith is believing that God will change the situation before it changes and rejoicing in Him. That’s what differentiates us from the world.
Even through hardships where a worldly person would have ended his life, we are able to stand tall and prosper amidst winds and rains only because our hope is built on the rock, our savior, Christ Jesus. Let us pray that the Lord gives us the grace and the strength to rejoice even in times of trouble and devastation.


3. “The Lord Will Do Great Things” - A Promise of Restoration
Joel 2:21 – “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things!”
Joel assures the people that God’s intervention will bring about great things. Most of us only think of God Immanuel during Christmas. On the contrary, our God is always with us, even if we don’t realize it. This is a promise of physical, spiritual, and national restoration. We should think of the things that the Lord has done. We see numerous testimonies in the Bible. These events are mighty on their own. But within those miracles, God has done great and astonishing wonders that we do not realize. During our daily devotion, I insist you make a list of a few mighty and miraculous things that the Lord has done in the following events.
a) Exodus 14:21 (The Red Sea parting)
The Egyptian military was renowned for its might and valor. And their army was chasing a multitude of people who had been enslaved for 400 years in bondage, with no weapons. The Israelites were stuck between the great Red Sea in the front and treacherous wilderness on either sides. And when they submitted to the Lord’s will, trusting on His lead as they walked forward in to the roaring sea which split up to let them walk through.

Trust that the same God who did great things in the Bible is working in your life today. Believe in His power to transform even the most hopeless situations. Have faith that the Lord will open up ways for you to walk through.

Last week, I was reading about the beloved worship leader, Don Moen, whom god has been using for the past 50 years. The best song he has ever written is “God will make a way”. Just so, God is going to make a way where there has been no way. That same God is with you and me. We might not be able to see, but the works of His hands will never change.

Certain verses in the Bible are surprising. Our eyes cannot see the moment milk turns into curd, or when the dosa batter ferments and absolutely no sound is made. In the same manner, even if we cannot see or hear the works of His hands, the Lord is doing mighty things in our lives.

b) John 6:1-14 (Feeding the 5,000)
Jesus feeds 5000 men along with their families from just 5 loaves of bread. This is one of the great miracles the Lord has done in the Bible. This is a situation where lack was turned into a blessing and multiplication. If you’re going through a time of lacking, God is able to turn it into an experience of multiplication and abundance.

c) Luke 24:6 (The Resurrection of Jesus Christ)
We see the angel saying, “He is not here, He is risen!” The devil would have been rejoicing till the event of Jesus’ resurrection. Even the disciples of Jesus were discouraged. They were contemplating going back to their old jobs.

But on the third day, the works of the Lord, the supernatural might came to the tomb and we see that upon the lifeless body of Christ, the resurrection power descended and brought Him back to life. His grave stands as a testimony for this resurrection power until today. His power is still the same in our lives.

Joel 2:23-24 - “Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you: The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.”
This verse speaks about abundant rain and a fruitful harvest as signs of God’s blessing. God not only restores what was lost but blesses abundantly beyond expectation. When God restores, it is always complete and overflowing. Hold on to hope, even if you cannot yet see the restoration.
Joel 2:21 is a powerful reminder that fear has no place when we trust in God. He is the God who restores, blesses, and does great things. Today, let us respond to His promises by trusting Him, rejoicing in His faithfulness, and waiting in hope for His mighty works in our lives. Whatever challenges we face, let us choose to cast aside fear, rejoice in God’s promises, and trust Him to do great things in your life. Amen.

Pr. S. Visuvasam,
Faith Apostolic Christian Assembly.