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The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, ‘How awe-inspiring are Your works! Your enemies will cringe before You because of Your great strength.'” Psalm 66:1-3

In these times the world is full of fear and darkness. This pandemic virus has been unleashed and a growing number of us have had to overcome it, even vaccinated folks. COVID has become a catalyst of panic and division. The powers that be in this world have done their best to use this condition to take control of everything including global economics. The economic systems of the world and businesses everywhere have crumbled before the fear and shutdowns based on the pandemic. There is more fear, anxiety, and desperation in the faces of people everywhere…if you can see it behind the masks they have been coerced to wear.

I am not focusing here on masks or vaccines that have been rushed to market. The most deadly part of this pandemic is the fear of death and the divisions in our culture in how we react to it. Even among Christians, these things have become the lightning rod of division and strife. I would suggest that anything causing such chaos is evil and direct from the pits of hell and has come upon us for purposes most people aren’t even conscious of.

Based on the Psalm quotations above, I prefer to focus on the true “vaccination” we need. We need an infusion of God’s Holy Spirit that results in faith and triumph over anything that stands in the way of truth and righteousness. It is hard to find solid truth and hope in the news media or with government officials. I contend more than ever that truth and hope are only found in Jesus Christ and His word and those who know The Word…not the word of others.

I see purpose in the COVID because it was the final straw that brought me back to the faith I was resisting. This evil thing roared through our family and put me in the hospital for four days. Yet, it could not conquer any of us and the restored faith it caused me has fully restored my health to where I am in better shape in all ways now than I have been in 25 years. I didn’t enjoy the suffering, but I did by faith find the joy and embrace it.

Does everyone experience such a fast and full recovery? No. I can only say that God IS using this pandemic for HIS purposes. He allows evil to happen (not cause it) in order to complete His will. Things meant for evil often turn out for the good in God’s universe. When I was hospitalized, I was fully comfortable with the fact that this could kill me…IF IT WAS HIS WILL. I was fully holding on to the promise that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Jesus told us “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Based on His promises, I didn’t have an ounce of fear throughout my recovery. I pray for that faith, which is a gift, to be with all my friends and family who, if not already, will probably one day have to do battle with such an illness. Vaccines, masks, or social distancing cannot protect you from “God’s will”.

I do not say these things to suggest we act foolishly or without care over these threats to our well-being, but I would rather pursue the natural and ever-ready means of protection God has provided versus trusting man-made edicts and demands to take THEIR unproven remedies that have unintended consequences. God’s natural creation and our bodies themselves hold the keys to recovery and building natural antibodies to fight against this evil virus. Unfortunately, people today, including many Christians, accept the word of man and governments over the Word of God. Faith is not enough for most people.

Yes, I have known a few people who have died with COVID…mostly where they were already struggling with other health conditions including obesity, multiple diseases, or old age. I share in the grief of losing anyone to anything, especially those who die without faith in the one who created them. Yet I am convinced that “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:38-39)

The early Christians living under Roman rule and Jewish law lived with the threat of death or imprisonment every day for their faith. I’m sure in the flesh they sometimes were fearful of those powers that threatened pain, torture, and death but the spirit of faith helped the real Christians overcome those fears so as not to deny the power and promise of their Lord. I believe we face that same challenge today as believers.

Let us not fear this virus nor the propaganda of fear and false remedies that have consumed this world. Instead, let us hold on to faith, natural immunity science, and not be manipulated into a life of subjugation and panic. Most of us will eventually get “this thing” or another that could threaten our lives. We need to do the things that lead to health, natural immunity and maintain a faithful prayer life that can protect us from the virus and lead us to an even better life than we had before. That at least is how it has turned out for me and my family as we get healthier.

As the Psalmist declared, our God is stronger than any threats in this life. We are to count on God’s “awe-inspiring works” and let our enemies cringe before Him and His great strength. It often takes a long time to happen, but it WILL!