uncertainties of life and the future, offer encouragement with the following:
1. The Lord is mindful of us.
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me" (John 10:14, NIV).
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).
2. He has promised:
• His presence: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).
• His provision: "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread" (Psalm 37:25,
NIV).
• His protection: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).
3. Point out that love is the antithesis of fear: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18, NIV).
If the inquirer is a Christian with a fear of witnessing for Christ, encourage him or her to:
1. Be completely sure of his or her own relationship with Christ: "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12).
2. Make a conscious moral commitment to God: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice . . . to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).
3. Trust God implicitly both to be with and to work through him or her: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). "'Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord" (Jeremiah 1:8).
4. Be faithful in witnessing in the small things. Demonstrate your Christian faith through such things as acts of kindness, watching one's attitudes, and thanking God for a meal in a public place.
5. Seek the companionship and strength of a stronger Christian so they may witness together. Confidence is gained as one becomes a part of