"Could you help me? Please answer this question: For you, what is the meaning of "grave fear"? I really need your help. THANK YOU."
My response? This is what I said (and I believe that you could add some fitting Bible verses to mine below if you want to): Thank you Jill (not her real name) for this good question. It's dealing with something very important for young people around the world. "Grave fear" ..is a horrible thing to experience. It's experienced when an individual has inordinate anxiety build up inside, or when an all-out-deep-fear attaches to their mind about getting put into a dusty, lonely, cold grave space before they are ready ..and often times this is because they feel false or valid guilty inside and they are not sure what to do about it, or where they will go in eternity.
Many hate guilt and say ignore it today, but true guilt is actually a blessing. It's kind of like that red light flashing on your dashboard in the car that says stop, address an inportant issue, pull over and get some oil fast before you blow up your expensive engine. And yet the grave is where we all are headed if the Rapture doesn't happen first (and it actually could, for there is not one Bible prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before that event takes place). The statistics on people going into the dirt thus far are pretty astounding when you think about it..One out of every one have gone there postmortem. #itsgoodtogetreadyearly
When an individual get's right with their Maker (through turning and trusting him in a born-again experience called regeneration..) they not only experience the peace of God inside, they also enjoy peace with God on a daily basis..not only abundant life in the Son, but eternal life (JOY starting at that juncture) with the Son. www.knowGod.org
Personally, I was about nine years old when I constantly experienced grave fear - had nightmares often. I had been raised in a stiff, cold, Orthodox church with a spiritually dead pastor (spiritually) who pushed humanism and other weirdness but never taught simply from the Bible (even though the people expected that) and I didn't have any assurance of salvation inside at all. Just a big question mark. I thought I might split hell wide open if I were to die and I had some young surfer friends who actually prematurely died and didn't return to my school. But then I was told, and I repented and asked and met the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Sounds religious, but He ain't that way at all. Check out in context what His word says about this topic.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Ps. 23:4
"The fear of the Lord (that's basically a healthy reverential awe of Him) is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death." Pro. 14:27
"Hezekiah king of Judah (had grave fear) and all Judah ..did he not fear the Lord and seek the Lord's favor? And the Lord relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them." Jer. 26:19
"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Heb. 2:14-15
But even if we are about to be killed for our faith in Christ, God can give us grace so strong so we don't have any grave fear.. cuz we know life here is short and we have Him who conquered "grave fear" as He prayed through in the garden, and even conquered death and the grave itself - Jesus Christ. Now where is your sting O death?
"Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw [some] of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev. 2:10 facebook.com/shareJesus
