Fear hinders Faith

Posted on Sept. 17, 2025, 7:49 a.m. by Rev. Shobayo Kayode. The Gospel Study Centre

Who can this be? (Mark.4:41b) was the question the disciples of Jesus Christ asked themselves after Jesus rebuked a great windstorm that arose and threatened the boat they were travelling in. (Mark.4:39) The miracle manifests Jesus’s control of the physical world and revealed His authority over nature and His power to help man. The disciple’s perplexed and confused reaction in the Biblical narration (Mark, 4:35-41) suggests that they were overwhelmed. However, they did not forget to call on Jesus who was in the boat with them for help even though He was asleep. Jesus responded by stopping the windstorm but was displeased with their exceeding fear. He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? (Mark.4:40) The question arose because though they called on Jesus, which was good enough, but they called Him in a manner that exposes their lack of trust in Him. They did not only call Him in fear, but they also asked if Jesus cares for their safety. (Mark.4:38) Their fear made them not to fully recognize who Jesus is because they said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark.4:41) They underestimated Jesus’s supernatural power. Jesus’s comment about the disciple’s fear and no faith was to let the disciples know that fear hinders faith, takes away peace and overwhelms people with anxiety. The action of the disciples show that they have lost their peace due to no faith because they were already thinking about being destroyed. One begins to think about bad situation when that someone’s faith is weary. It is Satan that brings fear in man to draw him away from God. The Scripture affirms the fact that God has not given His people spirit of fear “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7) The disciples fear exceedingly because they lack faith. Fear is an attacking force from the devil to destabilize believers. Brethren, can we recollect many of the time that we call Jesus in a manner that suggest that He was the cause of the problem we were calling Him to help us address. The same manner the disciples asked Jesus “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark.4:38b) The above narration teaches that we should understand that in the presence of Jesus there should be a great emotional calm. Not to keep on babbling like pagans. To the question of ‘what manner of man is this?’ We should recognize that Jesus is the incarnation of God and the Creator of all that exist and to realize that no situation is outside His power to control. He can help us to overcome whatever challenge that is overwhelming us. Jesus’s love for His people remains exceedingly marvelous. He responded to the call of the disciples, rebuked the wind, and restored their peace despite the shortcoming of the disciples. He helped their unbelief. God is love, loving His people is His character. He is a promise keeping God. He says in His word, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm.50:15) He is willing to restore our peace and take away our anxiety if only we can keep on trusting Him. The scripture says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose minds is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah. 26:3) Prayer God Almighty our Lord and Saviour, I pray Thee to strengthen Your people through Your Holy Spirit that they may continue to increase in faith to be able to overcome fear in their lives, in Jesus Mighty name. Amen Evangelism Holy Spirit is the gift of God to those that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. Take a step of faith today, go to a nearby Bible believing Church to answer God’s calling. Rev. Shobayo Kayode The Gospel Study Centre