Daily devotion – Held by the fear of death!
Heb 2:14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.
Heb 2:15 Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Talking with someone today, I discovered that a person very close to them lives with a deep fear of death. It is a fear that quietly grips many hearts. No matter how strong or successful people may appear outwardly, the reality of death often brings uncertainty, anxiety, and bondage.
The Bible reveals that Satan exercises power in the realm of death. Jesus called him “a murderer from the beginning” — John 8:44. His kingdom is one of darkness, fear, and spiritual captivity. Col 1:13 reminds us that before Christ, we were under “the power of darkness.”
One of Satan’s greatest weapons is the fear of death itself. Through that fear he seeks to keep people bound, hopeless, and separated from the peace of God. Humanity tries to silence this fear through pleasure, possessions, distractions, or false religion, yet the fear still lingers deep within the soul.
But praise God, Jesus Christ entered our world of flesh and blood. He willingly took upon Himself humanity so that through His death on the Cross He could destroy the power of the devil and break the chains of fear forever. The grave could not hold Him. Jesus rose victorious, conquering sin, Satan, and death itself.
That is why the believer can rejoice with confidence in the words of Scripture:
“ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” — 1 Cor 15:55
Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we who have trusted in Him have been delivered from Satan’s authority and from the terrible fear of death. Death for the Christian is no longer condemnation, but the doorway into the presence of the Lord.
What a wonderful opportunity we have when speaking with those who are bound by this fear. Their fear opens a door for us to lovingly point them to Christ — the One who alone can remove that bondage and give eternal hope, peace, and assurance.
Jesus did not simply come to make life better for a season. He came to save us eternally and set captives free.