Prosperity Gospel
I've heard it said that there are 365 spots where the Bible says "Do not be afraid." I'm not actually sure of the validity of this statement, but I do know that it seems to be a constantly reoccurring theme throughout. I am often tempted to read into this command a promise of my own: that God will protect me from the things I fear. And herein lies the temptation of the prosperity gospel, the idea that I will succeed in what I want because God is by my side. In chapter 7 of Isaiah, we find the country of Judah in a tough spot: Assyria, with one of the most powerful militaries in the world, is headed their way and in their own backyard is the now-enemy nation of Israel. Obviously, the people have some fear-related emotions about this. I'd imagine it was somewhat comforting when the Lord's prophet arrived with a message that started, "Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid' (Isa. 7:4). I'm sure there was a sigh of relief as the
