He had proudly denied the existence of God and spewed nothing
but hate for him. But that was before he lay on his deathbed, sweating-blood
scared.
The movie, God’s Not Dead, details the story of a battle
between a college freshman and an atheist philosophy professor who challenges
the young student to prove God’s existence—a battle the student wins when he
asks the professor how he can hate someone who doesn’t exist.
Having a change of mind, the professor hurries to a Newsboys
concert, only to be hit by a car while crossing the road. Fortunately, a local
pastor is nearby and rushes to his side. Fear washes over the professor’s face
as he realizes that perhaps God is alive after all. Willing to take the risk,
he professes his belief in Jesus Christ just before he takes his last breath.
Fear also washed over Jesus before his death as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane—so much so that his sweat became like blood (Luke 22:44). Although God in the flesh, he was also very much human. He knew the agony involved in crucifixion, but realized his would be even more painful. He would take the sin of the world upon himself.
God has created within us a fight-or-flight mechanism that
serves us well. When we find ourselves unwillingly in danger, God gives us
healthy fear, which leads us to run away. This mechanism can also provide
adrenaline power that we don’t typically have when we need to fight.
Satan, on the other hand, is the master of burdening us with
unhealthy fear. This spirit debilitates and keeps us from fulfilling God’s plan
for our lives. We’ll make excuses instead of forging ahead. This fear can also
prevent us from forming healthy relationships, causing us to dwell on those
that weren’t. With this fear, Satan can steal, kill, and destroy God’s
intentions for us.
Overcoming the fear of sweating blood is as simple as
acknowledging it, reminding ourselves that it isn’t coming from God, and asking
God to replace it with a sound mind that trusts him to lead us into his bright
future.
Give your fears to God, and let him replace them with a sound
mind. Don't be sweating-blood scared.
Father, I place my fears in your hands and ask for peace of
mind, soul, and spirit.
I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
