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From the front of the book...

...whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe

Proverbs 29:25

Foreword...

As I write this introduction to Combatting Fear... for such a time as this, I've lost count of the number of times I've read a newspaper report, or heard a news anchor or TV broadcaster utter the words: “We're living in unprecedented times”.

It's hard to argue to the contrary when our nation is under the cosh of the coronavirus pandemic, with its terrible death toll mounting on a daily basis, and an inevitable economic recession that is already on its way. 

The lockdown has even meant that church services are on hold, and there was no Easter Sunday service this morning, churches banned from meeting on the instructions of our government!  You have to go back 807 years, to 1213, for the last time that happened!! The result then, was civil war between crown and barons, with King John ultimately forced into signing the Magna Carta, at Runnymede in Surrey, on 15th June 1215. Described as the most important constitutional document of all time, the Magna Carta is the very foundation of what we refer to today, as the freedom of the individual. It also birthed the body politic that would, 100 years later, become known as “Parliament”, and protected the rights of the Church, enshrining in law, the right of the Church to meet and congregate together... till now... 807 years later!

Now irrespective of whether you agree or not with the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, you'd have to admit that we are indeed, living in significant and historic times!!

Few saw it coming of course, and in March, the speed at which things went from “normal” to “crazy” was mind-boggling, and virtually overnight, Covid-19 commanded a 24/7 mass media platform that created an almost hysterical fear-feeding frenzy.

In a modern world that, somewhat perversely, recognises an incredible 7600 different kinds of fear as medical conditions, and even has a catch-all fear called Panophobia (the fear of everything!), Covid-19 and coronavirus appear to have taken “fear” - at least fear as we post-War Brits understand the term - to new levels!!

If you let it, fear, in the blink of an eye, will undermine confidence, faith, joy, hope, potential... everything! More contagious than any virus, fear is so toxic and poisonous, it'll pollute everything and everyone. 

In March, sensing the worsening situation was beginning to get to our wonderful team of Christian role models at Sporting Marvels, I decided to use one of our team prayer meetings to deliver a mini-sermon on “fear”. Encouraged by the response, I developed the core message for my regular devotional column in Spotlight, the magazine we produce for the Sporting Marvels partner family. The response was very encouraging once again, and that in turn, together with much prayer and consideration, has led to this bookazine!

I trust it'll bless you mightily and, give you great insight!

Proverbs 29:25 says ...whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. It really doesn't get clearer than that! Trusting in the Lord therefore, is the fool-proof vaccine against FEAR!!

Phil Davies, Easter Sunday, 12th April 2020