psalm 46:1-7
Psa 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present (reliable = really able) help in trouble. Psa 46:2 Therefore we will not fear,(more oppertunity to fear in american than ever before) though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, Psa 46:3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psa 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. Psa 46:5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Psa 46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. Psa 46:7 The Lord of hosts (angels) is with us; the God of Jacob is oue refuge.
Psa 9:9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Refuge- shelter from rain, storm or danger, Something inaccessibly high.
Fear is an emotional response to threats and danger. Fear should be distinguished from anxiety, which typically occurs without any external threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.
F.E.A.R. - Forget Everything And Run
Isaiah 40 Haven't you heard God ain't weary (alabama translation) God is not in heaven wringing His own hands saying OH Me! OH ME!
Isa 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." You qulify for Grace just simply by being weak. Anyone weak hear today?
Two kinds of fear: Fear that is good - keeps us from driving 200mph, picking up a rattler snake, jumping off the side of a building, or other foolish things that you can think of… and Fear that is harmful - This is the "spirit" of fear. This fear paralyzes us, keeps us from doing things we could or should do.
Perhaps there is a fear that you need to overcome.
Every single day we make choices that show whether we are courageous or cowardly. We choose between the right thing and the convenient thing, sticking to a conviction or caving in for the sake of comfort, greed or approval. We choose either to take a carefully thought-out risk or to crawl into a shrinking shell of safety, security and inactivity. We choose either to believe in God and trust him, even when we do not always understand his ways, or to second-guess him and cower in the corners of doubt and fear.
There was a lady who died in 1916 name Hetty Green. She was called America’s greatest miser. When she died in 1916, she left an estate valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg injury, she took so long trying to find a free clinic to treat him that his leg had to be amputated because of advanced infection. I am sure she was worried about losing her wealth, so she didn’t even enjoy her life!!- We can be so afraid of losing our wealth or job that we never enjoy our life…
Many times we do not share our faith with someone because of fear.
Sometimes we don’t get involved in service to the kingdom because of fear
FEAR is the perception of lost power, and God did not take our power He gave us more.
Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.That means anything God wants me to do, I can do it… 1. Power to be saved.
John 1:12 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
2. Power to be like Him
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
3. Power to be witnesses for Him
Romans 15:13 (NIV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Power to br joyfull in Him
Have you ever gone through a dark period where you have prayed and prayed and yet it seemed that no help had come? You felt as though God had disappeared and you were all alone to face your trials and burdens? God has a very special message for you today – He will never leave you nor forsake you - you are never alone!
Yes, there are times when God withdraws to test our faith. He wants us to trust Him in the darkness, as well as in the light. Whether or not we sense and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit or one of the holy angels, by faith we are certain that God will never leave us nor forsake us.
How does God do all this. I am glad you asked.
Psm 91
Heb 1:14 Angels are ministering spirits. They are God's secret agents. God has created millions of angels and I personally believe that every child and every Christian has their own personal guardian angel.
If you opened your eyes to the spirit world today you would see them everywhere.......
God wants us to open our eyes. 2 Kings 6:8-17 Elisha opens the eyes of his servent.
Philidelphia nureoligist story out of Billy grahms book
angels will apear in any size, any shpe, anyform they have to get the job done.
Illustration:SPIRITUAL POWER
African Missionary story
Did you know that angels are mentioned either directly or indirectly nearly 300 times in the Old and New Testaments? More referances in new testament than in old testament
.In Acts Angels were showing up explaning God's word. So I ask you church - do you believe in the existence of angels? Surely I do, because the Bible says that there ARE angels; and I believe the Bible to be the true Word of God, as written, from the first verse of Genesis to the last word of Revelation! At times in my own life, I have also sensed their presence around me.
Why do we need them? Eph 6 For we wrestle not...a
What do angels do?
They protect us. Daniel 6 Angels will shut the mouth of the lion.
They provide for us.1 Kings-19 "Holy Gost Twinkie" 1Ki 19 And as Elijah lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise [and] eat.
They are hear to minister/comfort to us Matt 4 "Jesus is tempted."
How do we get the hook up on angels?
1. Speak the word of the Lord. Daniel 10:10-13 Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me;" For 21 days Daniel prayed.
2. Fear the Lord, Psm 34:7 "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he deliveres them." 3. Be hospitiable “show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it” (Heb13:2). Story of the bum in New York.
Illustration: Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.
Re-read
Psa 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Psa 46:2 Therefore we will not fear. Psa 46:7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
