Intro: We began our study of the devices of the Devil with deception. Satan is the father of lies and wants to keep you from the truth of salvation in Jesus finished work on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Deception is his chief device and he has had at least thousands of years to ply his trade. Remember the Devil comes as an angel of light to persuade you with half-truths and false promises to seduce you away from the full life promised in Jesus Christ. The second device we focused on was apathy. We found that apathy is the opposite of love. This is the attitude that of the seven churches in Revelation that makes Jesus sick. If we are deceived about the life available to us in Jesus then we won’t know and certainly won’t care about the Kingdom of God. Apathy cares nothing for the plans of God or the people of God. Apathy cares nothing for the hungry, homeless, helpless. Apathy cares nothing about pleasing God but spends all its energies on the pleasure of men. If apathy is the opposite of love then fear is the opposite of faith. The next of the devils powerful devices is fear. 2 Timothy 1.7
A) The reality of destructive fear
Paul said it clearly “you have not been given a Spirit of fear” Scholars debate whether or not Timothy was timid or fearful of situations at the Ephesians Church. Throughout both of these letters Paul seems to be encouraging Timothy to be courageous. Timothy possibly had some dangerous and destructive fear in his life. How do we know? Paul goes on to tell timothy to take a little wine for his stomach. From all information we have it seems that Timothy was a naturally timid man.
There is healthy fear that keeps us away from rattlesnakes, hot stoves, highway 40 drivers etc. However what Paul is talking about is not healthy.
What types of fear are there that are truly destructive?
Zig Zigler said it very appropriately “FEAR is False evidence appearing real” What was the first response after the fall? Adam said I saw that I was naked and was afraid. Fear rises from our natural fallen condition. As a result we:
1) Fear causes us to over exaggerate our problems
It makes us believe the worst and not the best. Especially when it comes to people.
2) Fear causes us to miss out on the joy of life
Spanish proverb “He who fears death cannot enjoy life.” Anxiety and fear rob you of Joy. Remember the thief comes to steal. If he can he will crush the full life God intends for you with fear and worry.
3) Fear hinders our service to God
E. Stanley Jones said “Fear is the sand in the machinery of life.” Fear of what people think, rejection, failure, can keep you from serving in the local church, sharing Christ, helping people, giving, worshipping etc. All of these fall under service. In Matthew 25 you can read the parable of the talents. Why did the one servant hide his talent? He was afraid. This is the Greek word from which we get phobia. It can also mean reverence.
This was a fear that moved him to disobey his master. Do you face fears on a daily basis fears that will cause you to disobey God?
In a poll given to teenagers among other things this is what they feared.
1) Failing in School – 44% 2) Loneliness – 33% 3) Not having a boyfriend/girlfriend – 30%
4) Rejection – 28%
These types of fears can lead you to cheat, give in to peer pressure, give in to improper sexual advances. They can lead to adultery, unscriptural marriages, unhealthy choices.
What is the biggest problem with all of these fears? They make way too much of man and way too little of God. Fear is the opposite of faith. Remember last week. If we really believed God caused or allowed everything that happened to us it would change our attitude, and then our actions.
B) The remedy of delivering faith
Three aspects of delivering faith
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” Oswald chambers.
If you read the gospels they recognize our tendency to allow legitimate human concerns to lead to a loss of perspective. Fear forgets God’s faithfulness, His nearness, His Power and Promises. How do we fight this fear? We orient our life around God and His Kingdom. Jesus tells us in the Sermon On the Mount do not worry, do not fear. Why? Truly seeking God’s rule in our lives leads to a different perspective. No longer will you hunger and thirst for the things of the world you will hunger and thirst for God’s presence. It is in His presence peace comes.
Focusing our life around God in the Old and New Testament is called fear of the Lord. This is not I’m terrified of God. It is instead a healthy reverence or respect for His character, power and authority for my life. It also involves awe, wonder at His person and grace. What does fear of the Lord result in?
1) God given power to face everyday life
Dunamis is the word generally used by Paul to speak of divine energy. But energy for what purpose? We are instructed clearly later on in the letter.
2 Timothy 3.1-9 Paul describes men who holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power (dunamis); and avoid such men as these. The point is that the so-called godliness of these men is a sham and devoid of any real divine power to break the power of Sin. Those who practice such deception enjoy the enjoy expressions of evangelical worship but they are violently at odds with the gospel’s internal effects of subduing sin and nurturing holiness. The corollary is that those who possess the indwelling Spirit and divine dunamis have the inherent ability to wage victorious battle with the believer's three mortal enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil, all seeking to turn us from God and to self -- flesh -- and its ungodly, unholy attitudes and actions. One can readily see the importance of praying for believers to be strengthened with dunamis power through the Spirit in their inner man.
We are given the same power that raised Jesus from the dead to enable us to focus on our heavenly Father not circumstances. When we waver or are apprehensive it is because our focus is on ourselves and not the limitless power of God given to us in His Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit was not just for the 1st century church or for churches today that are “comfortable” with it. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and our enabler.
However, living the Christian life under the Spirit’s power must not be thought of as simply allowing the Spirit to take control while the believer does nothing. You still must live the Christian life, though you do it through the Spirit’s power. Romans 8:13 says, “if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” It is you who are to put to death the sinful deeds of the body, but you are to do it through the Spirit’s power. Christians who struggle in their own strength to live the Christian life will fail. They must by faith appropriate daily the power of the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:4; 8:5 -see notes Ro 8:4; 8:5). Described practically, this means that you trust the Spirit to empower you in specific instances such as sharing their faith with others, resisting temptation, being faithful, and so on. There is no secret formula that makes the Spirit’s power available. It is simply a reliance on the Spirit to help." It is surrender. We are not forced to be moral, ethical, loving believers it requires obedience.
How does the power enable us, are you willing to yield to His direction no matter what fear it causes rise in you?
2) God given love to face everyday life
Why do we love? Because He first loved us. How can love affect our fear? Perfect love casts our fear. 1 John 4.18 This refers to God's love for me. The living bible translates this verse this way, "We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly." What is the greatest fear buster? God loves you!
When we really encounter God and this reality He says I choose to love you. Despite all I know about you I poured my life out for you! You will never pour you life out for others and consider others better than you until you experience this God love. You will continue to be blind to the long in your eye while seeing the speck in someone else.
But this kind of love liberates you to give your life away for the glory of God and the good of others.
3) God given control to face everyday life
Some translations have sound mind. John MacArthur has a wonderful explanation of Paul’s meaning. God-given discipline allows believers to control every element of their lives, whether positive or negative. It allows them to experience success without becoming proud and to suffer failure without becoming bitter or hopeless. The disciplined life is the divinely ordered life, in which godly wisdom is applied to every situation...When we live by the godly discipline that our gracious Lord supplies, our priorities are placed in the right order, and every aspect of our lives is devoted to advancing the cause of Christ...The great spiritual triumvirate of power, love, and discipline belong to every believer. These are not natural endowments. We are not born with them, and they cannot be learned in a classroom or developed from experience. They are not the result of heritage or environment or instruction. But all believers possess these marvelous, God-given endowments: power, to be effective in His service; love, to have the right attitude toward Him and others; and discipline, to focus and apply every part of our lives according to His will. When those endowments are all present, marvelous results occur."
Conclusion: The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall.
Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith in Christ we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that fear allows to entrap us. (Unknown source)
Can you say this with Isaiah today? "Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; He has become my salvation (Yeshua, My Jesus)" (Isaiah 12:2)
Alexander Maclaren wrote that
Only he who can say, "The Lord is the strength of my life," can say, "Of whom shall I be afraid?
