“Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”Romans 14:23(NIV)
Imagine how Joseph must have felt when his fiancée became pregnant before they were married. The gossip in their small town would have been intense. It would have affected his family, his business, and his plans for the future. And so he decided to quietly break off the engagement to save Mary from disgrace.
“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraidto take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’” (Matthew 1:20 NIV).
Joseph could have missed the greatest blessing of his life if he had worried about the disapproval of other people. Instead, he chose to obey God and listen to his voice instead of the voices around him. Joseph decided that God’s approval mattered more than the approval of anyone else.
The world is a pretty negative place to live in today. It’s easy to feed our minds with fearful things from the media, other people’s opinions, and even the lies we tell ourselves.
But the Bible says fear is the opposite of faith. Romans 14:23 says, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (NIV).
To move out of fear and into faith, you’re going to have to change the ideas you allow into your mind.
There are two things you need to do. First, limit the amount of negative talk you’re consuming through the news and social media. It’s one thing to be informed; it’s another to let it negatively affect the way you see other people, the world, and even yourself.
Second, you need to start hanging out with people of faith. This is one of the reasons why the church is so important. When you are fearful, other believers can remind you of your purpose and God’s goodness. When you become part of a church family and commit to fellowship, the voices of encouragement are louder than the voices that cause fear.
Like Joseph, you need to choose to listen to God’s voice. As you do, your faith in his promises will grow so there is no room for fear.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California with campuses in major cities around the world. He is the author of The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 90 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. You can listen to his daily radio broadcast at PastorRick.com.
