Fear and Worry
Prayer-
Father, thank you for Jesus-
Thank you Father for your willingness to meet us where we are at and take us where we need to be.
Thank you for your Holy Spirit that desires to guide and lead through life’s trials not only to survive but to live the abundant life that comes from knowing Jesus. Amen.
Introduction-
This morning I want to take a look at fear-
Fear comes in many shapes and sizes and is different for each one of us.
What would cause fear to some has little to no barrier to someone else.
Did I tell you I do not like roller coasters? Of course I did! Several different times!
I do not think a roller coaster is fun. I get no pleasure out of climbing up in the air…click, click, click to a high point and be drop down and suddenly taken left, right, up, down. Maybe crashing into water like that would be added fun.
The Fun family can do that, this guy not so much!
Raising my hands…pretending like I was having the time of my life. No Thanks.
I get absolutely no joy going to a scary movie and sitting in the seat to be suddenly put into an anxiety attack where my heart is ready to jump out of my chest.
I am not the cliff jumper, the bungee jumper… I would never jump out of a perfectly good air plane unless it was on fire.
I am a risk taker, but I like to think that it is a calculated risk taker.
There is no need for me to do those things so I don’t. I would dive in a river and save someone. I would help at a traffic accident if someone needed help and it was dangerous. I am not afraid of blood and good under pressure- but no thanks to thrill seeking.
Fear is what you perceive to be scary- I fear those things but that is not why I don’t like doing it- it is because common sense to me says why! What is the benefit? What is the pleasure?
Some would enjoy those things and they fear things that I am not afraid of.
I am not afraid of spiders, most bugs, deep water, guns, dogs, going fast, or the unknown. Snakes are not high on my list.
I fear…reverencing the Lord.
Holy reverence of almighty God so that I not forget who He is and how our lives are to be lived.
I don’t want to forget what He has done for me and live my life like He done nothing!
I fear… being the best husband, Father, and grandfather.
Not a fear of being scared, but a intense desire to get it right and knowing that it won’t happen without the Lord’s help.
I fear my kids and grandkids won’t love the lord as much as I do.
I fear… that someone I talked too wanted to talk about the Lord but I was too busy and blind to see it.
I struggle with people who have no fear of God or what is to happen after this life is over.
I cannot get over my fears without the help of the Lord.
I don’t know how you go through life’s challenges without Him. He is the one that helps me deal with all my fears and anxieties.
I find that the older I get and the longer I serve God that my fears are diminished a little by life experiences because of a closer relationship with the Lord
One of the best Biblical Illustrations of conquering fear is David and Goliath 1 Samuel chapter 17
David lived in a time when the whole army of Israel was afraid to fight the great Philistine giant Goliath. The shepherd David was willing to go after the goliath that tormented Israel. Why?
Because at other times in his life, God used circumstances in his life to build up his faith to overcome his fear.
He got his training by taking down bears and lions when he was protecting his sheep entrusted to him.
When others were asked to step up to Goliath, they did not have what it took to slay the giant because God had not already prepared them in their life-
David said to his giant- “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, whom you have defied.”
How many of us can say that to the fears we are facing?- How many can trust their Lord enough to step out of comfort and into the realm of battle knowing that if God is not in it, you will not be victorious?
Definition of fear- “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or is a threat.”
Phobias are fears you have not mastered- the root cause of worry is negative emotion caused by a real or perceived threat to your well being.
Being anxious means being uneasy and nervous about something with an uncertain outcome.
Fearful/ Fearsome- The difference being how you look at your situation and who’s strength you are working in.
yours or Almighty God
Fear can either paralyze or you can take your fear to the Lord and allow Him to empower you to do something heroic and maybe supernatural.
Facing the unknown is challenging- but would knowing the outcome make it better?- if you believed with all your heart that heaven was at the end of your life- it would be easier to face trials on a daily basis.
I have done a lot of soul searching lately.
I have been taken to the wood shed by the Lord and I have been lead to the altar. I have needed both.
I have been reminded of the things the Lord has shown me but still have not come to pass as an encouragement that He is still in control.
As a believer who has given my life to Christ, I have given Christ permission to have control of my life… including my fears.
Is He allowed to do that in your life?
We have had a theme of connecting to Jesus for the past several weeks.
Jesus being the Good Shepherd in our lives and for our lives.
Is He allowed to watch over you and protect you? You would say yes.
Is He as the shepherd allowed to get you back in line when you are disobedient or doing something that could harm you? Now we like it a lot less.
Last week, many said that the message on God’s truths spoke to their heart- Did it change your heart? Did the word cause you to draw closer to the Lord and less of yourself- that would be a connection point He would be looking for in a message that touched your heart.
I have been reminded in my life that there is an advisory who wants to destroy my life and cause me as much pain and suffering as he can. He uses situations, circumstances, and at times other people.
What I believe he uses most is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of not measuring up, the fear of being afraid to the point that it brings out worry, anger, disappointment, resentment, anxiousness,
This morning let’s take a look at fear and worry. They usually work hand in hand to disrupt your relationship with the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 (Do not read yet)
Let me set this up. This is not usually a verse to talk about fear. This is the nation of Israel again walking away from God and God addressing the sin issue. They fear him but not enough to change their lives.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 Read
These have a lot of the same words as Psalms Chapter 1:1-3 (Read from Bible)
Blessed is the man or woman who walks in the way of the Lord instead of the way of sinners.
Cursed and cutoff are the ones that have no fear of God and do their own thing-
They will find out their own thing in the face of a righteous God brings destruction.
Jeremiah says;
Cursed is the one that trust in himself.
The one who has no fear and who’s heart is far from the Lord.
He will not prosper!
He will be living in a wasteland.
Blessed is the one who trust in the Lord
The one who has put his faith in Christ
He is planted like a tree that has strong access to water.
Who’s roots extend out into the bank and are strong and secure.
Who has no fear when trials comes
Who have no fear that the source of strength will dry up and be unavailable
That person will bear fruit!
Israel had a wisdom theology- It was that God created all things!
It was a divinely established moral order in the universe.
Wisdom then told them that the universe functions best when we keep God on that moral throne.
Those that are righteous recognize this truth and trust in the Lord.
The unrighteous do not fear God and put themselves or someone else on that throne.
One brings blessings and one will eventually bring destruction.
You see you cannot be full of fear and full of faith at the same time. (Repeat)
As believers in Christ, we are the children of God. Amen.
As children of God we have access to our heavenly Father.
We have been given an inheritance and fear is not one of things given us-
Timothy tells the family of God that “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim.1:7)
There are three things that will cause fear to flee
The Power of the Holy Spirit working in your life!
Fear has to be replaced with faith. If you are going to be filled with something, let it be faith not fear!
Indwelling Spirit of God in your life will push out the fears of life that keep you from doing and being all that God wants for your life.
Love of God- “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor other, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails.”
If you are that full of the love of God, it will push out the fears that hinder you and your relationship with God.
Sound mind- bringing our thoughts under the power of God
King James Bible
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Good News Translation
we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.
You cannot have the fears that take you away from the Lord when you allow your mind to be filled with the things of God and any other as soon as they come into your mind, you bring them under the captivity of Christ -meaning you filter them through God’s Word and His promises and anything that does not lineup is thrown out of your mind immediately.
You don’t dwell on anything except what feeds your soul not anything that would destroy your soul.
Illustration-
I recently heard about Two explorers who were on a
jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the
first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If
you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.” “Sure”
replied the companion, “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But, has the lion read the book?
I have read the book! The lion has read the book and roars and makes a lot of noise, but He has to flee from you at the name of Jesus! There is power in the name of Jesus.
Closing-
We cannot allow our lives to be controlled by the fear of man.
We also need the wisdom and power of God working in our lives.
We cannot stop driving because of the fear of drunk drivers
We cannot stop going into public places because of the fear of a mad man with a gun.
We cannot be overrun with fear and worry- our minds must be full of faith and full of the Spirit of God and there will be no room for fear to come in and destroy.
Your security may be threatened, but God still controls your destiny.
Your environment will change, but your God will not.
Your world may be turned upside down right now, but you can always raise your head high because of who you are in Christ.
Do not let the fears of life keep you from the presence of God. Don’t miss this!
We are not talking about building a church or bigger ministry-
We are talking about finding purpose in our lives!
We are talking about knowing Him! Worshipping Him! Reflecting His beauty to a world that needs Him!
God initiates the pursuit- Prevenient Grace of God/ God coming looking of us.
The desire to pursue God may begin with God, but the degree to which we find Him is up to us.
Allowing so much of God in our lives that fear is force to be pushed out of our lives because God is coming in.
There is not room for both fear and faith- say that this morning and believe it-
The Lord told Jeremiah- “You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you says the Lord.”
So full of God that fear has to leave- that would be a good day! Amen.
