Fear is one of the worst plagues of life on the earth. One thing we look forward to in the next world is the absence of fear and dread.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on a radio address during World War Two, said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

If I didn't get it just right, someone please put the right words in an E-mail to me. I was about fifteen years old at the time.

There is a lot of truth in that statement. The thing to be feared is fear itself.

The first class of people in the Lake of Fire are the fearful, the timid, the cowardly. Why is this such a great sin that it would be the number one candidate for eternal torment? It is because fear prevents us from doing God's will. The fact that we are fearful reveals a lack of trust in God.

Fearfulness and cowardice are related to self-pity, I think. One time I had done something for which I could not forgive myself. Then I had a kind of vision of myself standing by the sidelines while the Lord's army was parading past me. I was wallowing in my self-pity because I felt I was no longer worthy.

I was cheering the soldiers on, encouraging them for the battle. But I stood there in my abject unworthiness.

Then a riderless horse stood in front of me. I said, "I am not worthy to ride in the Lord's army, I can't get on that horse."

I knew in my heart I was bound by some kind of inverted pride. I remained for a few moments, in the meanwhile cheering the others as they rode past.

What a mess we humans are!

Then I knew the Lord was not feeling sorry for me and if I expected to go with the Lord I had better get on that horse.

Boy, that was a battle to overcome my self-pity and get on the horse!

Are you bound with self-pity, cowardice, timidity, fear? Poor me!

Don't expect God or anybody else to feel sorry for you. Everybody has their own problems.

I think it was Woodrow Wilson who explained that people need justice instead of pity.

Get up on your hind legs and do what you are supposed to do if you want God's blessing!

If you will seek the Lord He will deliver you from all your fears all your fears!

Here we go. Are you ready? One two three! "Hear me Lord! Deliver me from all my fears, cowardice, timidity, and self-pity! Help me get going again! In Jesus' name!"

Now, expect your fear to be removed, whether it's cancer, a son in trouble, getting laid off, your marriage, war, an earthquake, the death of your child.

It's the fear that is killing you, causing endless dread and anxiety.

Is this the way you want to spend your days? Without the fear you will make it just fine through everything.

Get up on your horse and ride behind Jesus to perfect victory in every situation.