Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. (Proverbs 3:25, 26 KJV).

I love to see risk takers rewarded. It is a natural phenomenon. It even works with financial investments. Those who take the highest financial risks either make the highest losses or the highest gains. They are high rollers. They thrive on the danger of it all and are prepared to sacrifice all just for the thrill of the journey. In this modern day they can be called Adrenalin junkies.

An article by Elizabeth Scott M.S, published in About.com on the issue of Adrenaline Junkies states that the term ‘Adrenaline Junkie’ was popularly used in the 1991 movie Point Break in reference to people who favor dangerous activities for the adrenaline rush that accompanies them.

There are people hooked on the high that putting themselves under pressure provides. They thrive on it and tend to get much achieved.

There is a sense of achievement that one gets with the defiance of the odds when despite the presenting risks one ‘jumps’ anyway in the face of danger.

Faith in God to an unbeliever is like being asked to jump in the face of danger and uncertainty. There are some therefore who based on their experiences, their knowledge and human wisdom consider it foolish to make that jump.

But if you see only the danger and the ‘foolishness’ of the gospel and the ‘insanity’ of giving over your life to a God you cannot see, if you only see the ridiculous in the salvation story, which tells you to accept that this God sent his son Jesus to die in your place to pay the price for your sins, if you can’t see beyond this, you will be missing the other side of all these. The reward. The yield. The benefits. The promise.

How will you feel about making the jump if you are assured that you won’t loose? If you know for a fact that someone trustworthy and able has got your back?

Only a silly coward will refuse to jump when there is such assurance. God is trustworthy and able, he’s got your back.

‘Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place’. (2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV).

An adrenalin junkie has the audacity to make a ‘jump’ by not looking only at the danger but more so at the reward or at least the promise of it.

Unlike the adrenalin junkie whose faith is in himself and his abilities to contain and handle the presenting danger, a life in God is based on a believe in God’s abilities and his promises to you. He wants you to come on a journey of discovery both of yourself and of him.

He says: ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not’. (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV)

‘They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep’. (Psalm 107:23, 24 KJV).

Why should we believe his promises? We believe his promises because he is God and those promises are based on who he is and not on us or our abilities. All he requires is your faith, your trust in him. Some may call it ‘blind’ faith. But faith that wants to maintain all control and to have it all answered is no faith. That kind does not yield high rewards.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

‘For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries’. (Psalm 135:5-7 KJV)

He is a mighty God indeed. And this is what this great God says concerning you:

‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end’. (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

‘Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust’. (2 Peter 1:4 KJV)

‘For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye’. (Deuteronomy 32:9, 10 KJV).

Look what this great God said to Abram before he became Abraham; ‘After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” ‘ (Genesis 15:1 KJV)

This is King David’s testimony concerning God;
‘For by thee (God) I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou (God) hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. (Psalm 18:29-40 KJV)

You see the prove of the pudding is in the eating. Just like it is difficult for the average person to understand why someone will jump off a cliff just for the thrill of it and keep going back again and again to repeat the experience, so it is difficult to understand the depths of the riches of the glory and the power of God reserved for those who choose, love and follow him.

The two situations do not even adequately compare because whereas one provides a temporary thrill the latter provides eternal benefits far beyond anything on this earth.

A true walk with God is not a safe, dull, uneventful one. God is the most interesting, enigmatic, fun person you have ever met. He sets ups tasks that look absolutely impossible and risky and assures weaklings like us that we can do them. He provides the equipment, and the power, the very enablement we need. He literally tells you ‘ I will keep you safe’ and then asks you to jump. If you trust and believe in him and do what he says, you experience his awesome power, you see and do the coolest things that by yourself you could never do. The best part is he is always right there with you and takes you deeper and deeper into a life you only dreamed about.

Like David you will be able to say, by my God, I have run through a troop – sounds like an impossible challenge doesn’t it? – running through a troop but he did it by his God.

Are you living life on the safe side? With no risks, being protective of yourself, your reputation, your well being etc? Are you struggling to survive as it is? Worried about tomorrow? Just making do with the little you’ve got?

The bible says:
‘In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge’. (Proverbs 14:26 KJV)

God is inviting you to take a walk with him on the wild side. Take a jump of faith in him. Dare to live the life he is calling you to. He himself is your place of refuge. But you’ve got to want it bad, just like an adrenalin junkie. You have to have the drive, the intense desire, the kind that makes you ready to give everything up just for him.

‘But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine’. (Isaiah 43:1 KJV)

You see, once you taste of such power, once you have such experiences with God, you become addicted. You are no longer satisfied with walking in the slow lane but you hunger after him like the psalmist below:

‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life’. (Psalm 42:2, 7, 8 KJV).

There are two areas of profound uncertainty that produce fear in the human soul – these are the fear of the unknown and the fear of the present (circumstances).

You can conquer these fears if you approach them in God. You will be strong and you will do exploits. Your faith in him will be the vehicle and your hope in his promises and his ability to save will be your anchor as you journey though life not as a weak and fearful person but as someone who will take your mountains, your high places and ensure that the purpose for your life is achieved.

‘The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them’.(Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV)

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time’. (1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV).

Enough said!!!