1 Samuel 19 -

"¹¹ Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. ....

¹⁸ Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth."

 

Samuel was the one who had anointed David originally, with the message that he would be king of Israel some day (1 Samuel 16).   David believed God, and Samuel his prophet, and this probably helped him in his bold exploits like fighting Goliath, etc... it must have been pretty nifty to have a prophecy spoken over you that you would some day be king... if the prophecy came from a trustworthy spokesperson of God (since God knows the future), one could be certain that one would not die before becoming king, and that would tend to give one great boldness in battle and life in general.

However, David's success as a soldier and general caused the existing king, Saul, to become envious of him and try to kill him, multiple times and over the course of many years  (1 Samuel 18ff).  David could have simply fought against Saul and captured the kingship.  But interestingly, he did not, though he repeatedly had "perfect opportunities" to do so, including twice sneaking up behind Saul when he had no protectors.  Instead, David kept running and hiding and fleeing, rather than fight against King Saul (who was also his father-in-law!).

1 Samuel 24 relates one of these times, when David was close enough behind King Saul to secretly cut off a piece of his robe, without Saul even noticing.  David's men urged David to kill Saul.  But he refused, saying "I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed."  In other words, David resolved to wait until he could have the kingship "in the right way", rather than seizing it for himself "the wrong way" out of impatience.

He believed (enough) in God's promise, such that he was content to wait, and wait, and wait.

From whence came this faith/trust?

Probably from many factors... but perhaps one of these factors was this brief meeting with Samuel in 1 Samuel 19:18.   David was telling Samuel.... "Remember, you anointed me the future king!?!? But then why is all this happening to me?  The king is trying to take my life!?  Where is God?  I try to follow God and do the right thing, and what do I get for it?  I'm on the run for my life.  My own king, the one I have served sincerely and faithfully, is trying to take me out.  Why?  What's the point of continuing this approach of 'waiting' and 'doing things the right way'??"

What did Samuel tell David?  ...that old prophet, who had counseled and provided justice for thousands of Israelites over the years, who had originally anointed Saul and had seen Saul's heartbreaking perfidy and turning-away from God... then had anointed David but had not yet seen the fulfillment of his prophecy.

His words are not recorded.  But he apparently listened to David, went with him on a trip to a town where he could be temporary safer, and gave him some powerful advice, which kept David on the path of walking with God for the next few months or years.  Many times in our lives too, the advice of an older godly person at the right moment can be extremely beneficial.   Maybe Samuel shared with David what he had seen in his own life, that God's answers to prayer are often very slow, but worth waiting for... and that God always keeps his promises.

The other day I was struck by the frequency in the Bible in which God says, "do not fear!" to His people.  He is the consummate Shepherd to us fearful and faithless sheep.  The best of all Husbands to us worried and clingy Bride.  And He loves us, and His power is infinite.  "He works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1) and "it is [His] good pleasure to give [us] the Kingdom."

So here is a list, taken from some computer searches, of "fear not" type passages in the Bible.  Most of these were given to specific people in the past by God.  Some of them are statements from humans after God had shown them His power and love.   Most of these can be applied directly to us (those of us who are believers/disciples of Jesus Christ)!

Enjoy!!  Revel!!  Chew on these!!

---

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying," Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you;  Your reward shall be very great."

Genesis 21:17
God heard the lad crying;  and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Genesis 26:24
The LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham;  Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham."

Genesis 46:3
He said, "I am God, the God of your father;  do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.

Exodus 14:13
But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today;  for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

Exodus 20:20
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid;  for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."

Numbers 14:9
"Only do not rebel against the LORD;  and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us;  do not fear them."

Numbers 21:34
But the LORD said to Moses, "Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land;  and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon."

Deuteronomy 1:21
'See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you;  go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.'

Deuteronomy 1:29
"Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them.

Deuteronomy 3:2
"But the LORD said to me, 'Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand;  and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.'

Deuteronomy 3:22
'Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.'

Deuteronomy 7:18-19
you shall not be afraid of them;  you shall well remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:
the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

Deuteronomy 20:1
"When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them;  for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.

Deuteronomy 20:3
"He shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them,

Deuteronomy 20:8
"Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, 'Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers' hearts melt like his heart.'

Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:8
" The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you;  He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Joshua 8:1
Now the LORD said to Joshua, " Do not fear or be dismayed Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai;  see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

Joshua 10:8
The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands;  not one of them shall stand before you."

Joshua 10:25
Joshua then said to them, "Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight."

Joshua 11:6
Then the LORD said to Joshua, " Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel;  you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."

Judges 6:23
The LORD said to him, "Peace to you, do not fear;  you shall not die."

1 Samuel 12:20
Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

1 Kings 17:13
Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear;  go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.

2 Kings 6:16
So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

2 Kings 19:6
Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the LORD, "Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

1 Chronicles 22:13
"Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.

1 Chronicles 28:20
Then David said to his son Solomon, " Be strong and courageous, and act;  do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

2 Chronicles 20:15-17
and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.
'Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.
'You need not fight in this battle;  station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem ' Do not fear or be dismayed;  tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you."

2 Chronicles 32:7
"Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him;  for the one with us is greater than the one with him.

Nehemiah 4:14
When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: "Do not be afraid of them;  remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses."

Psalm 3:6
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation;  Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life;  Whom shall I dread?

Psalm 27:3
Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear;  Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.

Psalm 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

Psalm 49:5
Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

Psalm 49:16
Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

Psalm 56:4
In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust;  I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?

Psalm 56:11
In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Psalm 78:53
He led them safely, so that they did not fear;  But the sea engulfed their enemies.

Psalm 91:5
You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Psalm 112:7
He will not fear evil tidings;  His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Psalm 112:8
His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.

Psalm 118:6
The LORD is for me;  I will not fear;  What can man do to me?

Psalm 145:19
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;  He will also hear their cry and will save them.

Proverbs 3:24-25
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;  When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden fear, Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

Isaiah 8:12
"You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!'In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

Isaiah 8:13
"It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.And He shall be your fear,And He shall be your dread.

Isaiah 10:24
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, "O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did.

Isaiah 12:2
"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;  For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."

Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with anxious heart,"Take courage, fear not Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come,But He will save you."

Isaiah 41:10
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Isaiah 41:13
"For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,Who says to you, ' Do not fear, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:14
"Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 43:1
But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel,"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name;  you are Mine!

Isaiah 43:5
"Do not fear, for I am with you;  I will bring your offspring from the east,And gather you from the west.

Isaiah 44:2
Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you,' Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;  And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:8
'Do not tremble and do not be afraid;  Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'"

Isaiah 51:7
" Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law;  Do not fear the reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings.

Isaiah 51:12-15
"I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,
And of the son of man who is made like grass,
That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker,
Who stretched out the heavens
And laid the foundations of the earth,
That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor,
As he makes ready to destroy?
But where is the fury of the oppressor?
The exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking.
For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name).
Jeremiah 1:8
"Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 30:10
'Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD, 'And do not be dismayed, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from afar, And your offspring from the land of their captivity
And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, And no one will make him afraid.

Jeremiah 42:11
'Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing;  do not be afraid of him,' declares the LORD, 'for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand.

Jeremiah 51:46-47
"Now so that your heart does not grow faint, And you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land--For the report will come one year,And after that another report in another year, And violence will be in the land With ruler against ruler--
Therefore behold, days are coming When I will punish the idols of Babylon;  And her whole land will be put to shame, And all her slain will fall in her midst.

Jeremiah 30:10
'Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD,'And do not be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar And your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, And no one will make him afraid.

Jeremiah 46:27
"But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear, Nor be dismayed, O Israel! For, see, I am going to save you from afar, And your descendants from the land of their captivity; And Jacob will return and be undisturbed And secure, with no one making him tremble.

Jeremiah 46:28
"O Jacob My servant, do not fear," declares the LORD, "For I am with you. For I will make a full end of all the nations Where I have driven you, Yet I will not make a full end of you; But I will correct you properly And by no means leave you unpunished."

Lamentations 3:57
You drew near when I called on You; You said, "Do not fear!"

Ezekiel 2:6
"And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions;  neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:9
"Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house."

Daniel 10:12
Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

Daniel 10:19
He said, "O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you;  take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

Haggai 2:5
'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst;  do not fear!'

Matthew 1:20
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, " Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife;  for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:25 ff
25"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink;  nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow;  they do not toil nor do they spin,
29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;  for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34"So do not worry about tomorrow;  for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 8:26
He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

Matthew 10:26-31
"Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
"So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthew 14:26-27
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I;  do not be afraid."

Matthew 17:7
And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid."

Matthew 28:5
The angel said to the women, " Do not be afraid;  for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

Matthew 28:10
Then Jesus said to them, " Do not be afraid;  go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Mark 4:40
And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Mark 5:36
But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, " Do not be afraid any longer, only believe."

Mark 6:50
for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, " Take courage;  it is I, do not be afraid."

Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him, " Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

Luke 1:30
The angel said to her, " Do not be afraid, Mary;  for you have found favor with God.

Luke 2:10
But the angel said to them, " Do not be afraid;  for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Luke 5:10
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, " Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."

Luke 8:50
But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, " Do not be afraid any longer;  only believe, and she will be made well."

Luke 10:41-42
But the Lord answered and said to her, " Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 12:4-7
"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
"But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!
"Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.
"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:32
" Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

John 6:20
But He said to them, "It is I;  do not be afraid."

Acts 18:9
And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;

Acts 27:24
saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul;  you must stand before Caesar;  and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.'

Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Hebrews 13:6
so that we confidently say,"the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?"

I Peter 5:6-7
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Revelation 1:17
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, " Do not be afraid;  I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

God has pointed me recently to meditate even more on His promises and to trust even more fully in them.  This is good...  God always keeps His word, and the more we exercise faith in Him through difficult times, the more glory accrues to Him and the more pleased He is...

However, we can't just pick promises randomly from the Bible and think that they apply to us individually.  For example, in Psalm 27:13 above, David says that he expected that God would rescue him here, in this life.  How could David know this?  Because God had specifically promised him that he would someday be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16).  If he died, God's promise would fail.  So he had this life-prophecy over him, that essentially no one could kill him, until God had brought him to the kingship.  Nice promise for a warrior to have, yes?  So we have David killing Goliath, fighting other Philistines, running around for years in the desert trying to keep away from Saul, etc.  He knew what God had promised to him, but when times were very bleak (such as 1 Samuel 30:6 after losing his wife, or 1 Samuel 23:26 being surrounded by a hostile army) the question would press in upon him - would he continue to hold on to God's promise?  David said the thing that kept him from despair was believing that God would show him the goodness of the Lord here in this life.

Does Psalm 27:13 apply to everyone?  Consider this passage from Hebrews 11:32-40 -

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,  who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection;
and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;  and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated  (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,  because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

We see that many of God's adopted children do NOT receive rescue and vindication here in this life, "in the land of the living".   Instead, many of them die...  in poverty and pain.   God has not promised earthly happiness for His children.  Instead:

And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.  5"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.  6"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  7"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.  8"But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.  10"At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  11"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  12"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.  13"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Matthew 24:4
and
Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
12"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.  13"It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.  14"So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;  15for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.  16"But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,  17and you will be hated by all because of My name.
18"Yet not a hair of your head will perish. Luke 21:10

What does this mean, that "they will put some of you to death", but "not a hair of your head will perish"?   Were these two statements compiled by different redactors, one 'pessimistic' and one 'optimistic'?  Was Jesus absent-minded or loony?

On the contrary - Jesus simply viewed life from an eternal perspective... i.e., that this earthly life is only a short prelude to the real thing.  More statements by Jesus - "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matt 10:28 ...   "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matt 5:10-12 ...

I think these juxtaposed statements mean that ALL the promises of God to His children will be fulfilled, but not all of them will be fulfilled here in this life.  For example, He says "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)   He does NOT promise that this will happen this week, or in the next fifty years, or at all during your earthly life.  But eventually it will happen.

Regarding whether God will fulfill the promises before we die or not, I think Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego's attitude is best...  from Daniel chapter 3 - "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

Why?  Because "even if He does not" answer our prayers for deliverance in this earthly life, He will eventually answer them, in the life to come.

When a situation comes up that makes it look like God's promise (e.g. Romans 8:28) is failing, we have two choices: either say "I don't see how God could possibly redeem this situation... Oh well, it looks like God messed up here...", or say "I don't see how God could possibly redeem this situation... so it will be very interesting to see what really big miracle He's going to pull to turn THIS out for good..."

So what are some of these promises which you and I (believers in Jesus Christ) can stake everything on? ...because of which, as Paul says, we can willingly "suffer the loss of all things"?  Here are some... first some specific promises, then some good and bad examples of faith or lack thereof...

• And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
  Romans 8:28-32
• Do not fret because of evildoers,
  Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
  For they will wither quickly like the grass
  And fade like the green herb.
  Trust in the LORD and do good;
  Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
  Delight yourself in the LORD;
  And He will give you the desires of your heart.
  Commit your way to the LORD,
  Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
  And your judgment as the noonday.
  Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
  Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
  Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
  Psalm 37:1-7
• Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
  Surely my soul remembers
  And is bowed down within me.
  This I recall to my mind,
  Therefore I have hope.
  The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
  For His compassions never fail.
  They are new every morning;
  Great is Your faithfulness.
  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
  "Therefore I have hope in Him."
  The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
  To the person who seeks Him.
  It is good that he waits silently
  For the salvation of the LORD.
  It is good for a man that he should bear
  The yoke in his youth.
  Let him sit alone and be silent
  Since He has laid it on him.
  Let him put his mouth in the dust,
  Perhaps there is hope.
  Let him give his cheek to the smiter,
  Let him be filled with reproach.
  For the Lord will not reject forever,
  For if He causes grief,
  Then He will have compassion
  According to His abundant lovingkindness.
  For He does not afflict willingly
  Or grieve the sons of men.
  Lamentations 3:19-33
• "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

• "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
• "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33
• "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,  and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."  And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true.""  Revelation 21:1-5
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart
  And do not lean on your own understanding.
  In all your ways acknowledge Him,
  And He will make your paths straight.
  Proverbs 3:5-6
• "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."
  1 Peter 1:3-9
• "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16
• On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"  Mark 4:35-41
• Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7
• Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say,"The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?"  Hebrews 13:5

 

Romans 8:31-32:  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"
This is really quite amazing.  This is something that every Christian should be extremely familiar with.   "If God is for us..." ...if we have been saved through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ... and this is where faith comes in.... not 'blind trust', but 'actionable trust based on the evidence'.

Is God really for me?  If I have believed in Jesus and been saved, then yes.   If I have not believed, then no.

For me personally then, the answer is yes... God is actually for me... He is on my side... The Omnipotent King is my Adoptive Father, Friend, and Benefactor.

Well then.  Who is against me?   Who could possibly be against me?  Whose negative opinion could possibly affect me in any way?   My boss?  My neighbor?  My classmate?  My coworker?  My relative?  My enemy?

Nope...  they don't compare to God.