document.open(); document.writeln(""); document.writeln("Fear of the Unknown
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I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered"); document.writeln("me from all my fears.1

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An Arab chief tells"); document.writeln("the story of a spy captured and sentenced to death by a general in the Persian"); document.writeln("army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a"); document.writeln("choice between the firing squad and \"the big, black door.\" The moment"); document.writeln("for execution drew near, and guards brought the spy to the Persian general,"); document.writeln("\"What will it be,\" asked the general, \"the firing squad or the"); document.writeln("big, black door?\" The spy hesitated for a long time. Finally he chose the"); document.writeln("firing squad. A few minutes later, hearing the shots ring out confirming the"); document.writeln("spy\'s execution, the general turned to his aide and said, \'€œThey always prefer"); document.writeln("the known to the unknown. People fear what they don\'t know. Yet, we gave him a"); document.writeln("choice.\" \"What lies beyond the big door?\" asked the aide. \"Freedom,\""); document.writeln("replied the general. \"I\'ve known only a few brave enough to take that"); document.writeln("door.\"2

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Even though the"); document.writeln("visible and tangible choice might fill us with dread, we allow that fear to"); document.writeln("cloud our mind, and possibly our judgement, making the unknown seem an even"); document.writeln("more fearful option. Circumstances sometimes get so big that God becomes an unknown to us. We prefer to struggle"); document.writeln("through in our own strength than to rely on the fact that God already knows"); document.writeln("what lies behind the scary, black door and will see us through each step of the"); document.writeln("way. Instead, we make hasty decisions and give into panic because trusting God"); document.writeln("would be out of our control. But, God\'€™s Word is filled with hope and the"); document.writeln("promise that surpasses all fear. God will be with us through our fear and will"); document.writeln("deliver us from them. I don\'€™t know what fear you may be facing today, but know"); document.writeln("that fear isn\'€™t from God. When you feel like all hope is lost, call out to"); document.writeln("Jesus and you will find that He has already answered \'€” on the cross, when His"); document.writeln("death trampled all fear and rejection and hopelessness. He can fill you with"); document.writeln("peace and the power of His Spirit that drives all fear away\'€¦ All you have to do"); document.writeln("is call out to Him! He\'€™s answering.

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Dear Lord, when the"); document.writeln("fear of the unknown consumes me, help me to draw strength from your Almighty"); document.writeln("hand. Thank you for walking with me through it all. In Jesus\'€™ name, Amen.

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1.   "); document.writeln("Psalm 34:4 (NIV).

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2.   "); document.writeln("Author Unknown.

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Today\'€™s Encounter"); document.writeln("was written by: Veronica B.

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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.

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ACTS International

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