In Psalm 64:1, David prays an amazing prayer. He says, “Hear my voice, O God: preserve my life from fear . . . .” 

I love this prayer because David recognizes His greatest enemy is not the enemy, but rather fear of the enemy. Of course, he wanted deliverance from his enemy, but first he desired deliverance from FEAR. How often I have allowed fear to drive decisions rather than faith. How often fear creeps in unaware, but truly Jesus has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND. What grace!

One more thought. David looked to God for his preservation, not people. He saw that ultimately, God would be the one to come through for him, save him, meet his needs, and preserve his life. Nobody is the Savior but Jesus. It’s that simple. In whatever ways you are hoping for someone around you to “save you” today, look up rather than looking around. He may or may not use people to help and minister, but ultimately, He is the one who saves, and the rest of us make poor saviors.

Ironically, the very people you are probably hoping will “save you” are probably expecting you to save them in some way as well! We all make bad saviors. Jesus is Savior! He’s the hero of the story, and He’s the hero of YOUR story and MINE. And FEAR is our greatest enemy. 

The best way to live is not in fear looking horizontally for some person to save us. The best, truest, safest way to live is to look up to Jesus as the Savior that He is and seek His deliverance—not merely from circumstances or situations, but from FEAR itself. 

It reminds me of Moses’ challenge to fearful people:

“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day . . . .” (Exodus 14:13)

By Cary Schmidt, Author of Stop Trying: How to Receive—Not Achieve—Your Real Identity