When Fear Leads, Darkness Follows.

Joshua 10: 24 & 25 24So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.

Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, was troubled when he heard that Gibeon had made peace with Joshua (Joshua 10: 1- 2). To him, it felt like the first crack in a strong wall. So he did what many do when they feel control slipping. He was afraid, so he gathered others, and four Amorite kings joined him. Gibeon was a great city, strong and mighty, and its peace with Israel made them even more afraid. But there was a difference. Joshua fought with faith in God, while Adoni-Zedek was driven by fear. Alliances built on fear and darkness, without the knowledge of the true God, never stand strong. Instead of facing Joshua, they attacked Gibeon, but choices have consequences. Joshua responded quickly and faithfully, and what followed was not just a battle, but a turning point. These five kings, once powerful and commanding armies, ended up hiding in a cave. Fear crippled and blinded them. It brought them together in darkness, and it led them to defeat.

The lesson is simple. Fear can unite people, but it can also blind them to fight the wrong battles, especially when God is not at their side. When fear leads, it always ends in darkness, but when faith in God leads, it brings victory. Spiritually, fear pulls us away from the light of Jesus Christ. Instead of trusting God, we begin reacting to what we think might happen. That is what happened with Adoni-Zedek. His fear did not lead him to seek truth or wisdom. It led him to panic, form weak alliances, and fight the wrong battle. Fear also leads to hiding, just like those kings in the cave. Where there is fear, darkness follows. Darkness becomes both the cause and the result. They feared losing their power, and in the end, they ended up in literal darkness.

Are you living in fear? Do you find yourself in the wrong situations, fighting battles in darkness and going in circles? You need to come to Jesus Christ. You need His light, which comes through reading and believing in the Word of God, so that you can receive victory, the peace of God, and live in freedom.

Prayer from Psalms 27:1-3 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me, To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(Contributed by Sis. Victoria Thomas)

Read The Bible In One Year

Morning          Luke 21:20-38

Evening           1 Kings 10-11