Conquering
Our Fears
Scripture Reading — Psa 43:1-7
A. How would you like to be AFRAID of NOTHING? — Before you answer...
In January 2015 — NPR
launched a new program called Invisibilia. They describe it as “a series about the
invisible forces that shape human behavior… [interweaving] personal
stories with scientific research that will make you see your own life
differently.” In the second episode
was the journey of a 44 year old
woman in the U.S. known only as SM —
her real name is protected. She has lost
the ability to feel FEAR.
SM suffers from a rare
condition [Urbach-Wiethe Disease] — affecting about 400 people worldwide. It causes the Amygdala [uh-mig-duh-luh]
— that part of the brain which helps regulate fear — to calcify and become
utterly useless. Neuroscientists
theorize her brain now processes external threats differently now — if even at
all.
SM has subjected herself to
a variety of research studies which have placed her in a variety of scary
situations ranging from mildly risky to downright horrifying —
and then tracking her responses. They
monitored her reaction to everything from snake and spider encounters, horror
movies, “surprise” muggings by gunpoint and knife point — and even less
physically threatening but still scary — like gambling away large sums of
money. She passed all tests without so
much as a flinch. Since she doesn’t
respond with “fear” — she has never experienced what researchers would consider
“trauma.”
She may not know fear — “But
she does have human logic, so she understands that if a car is barreling down
the street, she should try to get out of its way.” In other words, she knows that what she does not
fear — can still be harmful or deadly.
B. Wouldn't it be wonderful to
live your life without ever being afraid?
1. Just think about all the things you could now experience — such as bungee-jumping...
base-jumping... skydiving... cliff-diving... ice-climbing...
wingsuit-flying...
extreme
kayaking... swimming with sharks... or running with the bulls in
Spain. What would you do if you were not
afraid of the risks?
2. Wouldn’t it be great if we could face all of life without fear? To live with courage, confidence, and the assurance
— knowing everything will be alright.
3. You can! — You can live with a spirit of fearlessness
and certainty. And here’s how.
Courage and confidence is
comes...
I. When We Know We Are Never
Alone.
A. We have God with us.
1. I like the opening chapter to the book of Joshua — Israel has spent the last 40 years going essentially nowhere — walking back and forth and in
circles — all because they doubted God and because they feared
the giants in the land of Canaan.
a. They let their fear of “what might go wrong” get the best of them —
and paralyze them. Now they have come
back to the Jordan River that borders the land.
Once more they have the opportunity to go in and take the land God has
promised.
b. In Josh 1:9 — God said to His leader
Joshua — “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not
be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
c. Notice God begins by saying — “Have I not commanded you?” I think what He means is — “Look,
Joshua. Nothing will happen except what
I allow to happen — or send. So be not
“dismayed.” We don’t use the word
“dismayed” very much these days. We
don’t often sing the hymn that begins — “Be not dismayed
what’ere betide, God will take care of
you.”
2. The promise to Israel is the same promise for to you and me —
whatever happens — there is nothing that will happen unless God permits it to
happen or sends our way. Why does God
allow or permit us to go through difficulties or struggles?
a. It may be something comes along to grow you stronger. It may be we need our world shaken — to
remind us of our dependence on God — God will take care of you.
b. Will scary things that arise in the future? Probably.
But you won’t face them alone.
Will there be some health problems or work
related issues that will challenge you?
Most likely. But you won’t
face them alone.
3. One of the great Bible chapters is Psa 46
— It reminds us our only REAL SECURITY is God!
a. Verse 1 — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble. 2 Therefore we will
not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the
heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the
mountains tremble at its swelling.” Now come down to verse
10 — “Be still... [calm down, relax] Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
b. Did you notice verses 4-5 precede verse
10? — “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy
habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall
not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
c. Do you want to claim verse 10 in your life? — Then “be still” — calm down and relax —
remember God is God — He has not abdicated His throne. If you want to have verse 10 and calmness in
your life — you need to verse 4 and 5 in your life first —
“The Lord is in the midst of her...”
1) Try to tackle the scary and surprising ups and downs of life
without God — and you will not do very well.
2) We are made more than CONQUERORS — we are VICTORIOUS—
because God is with us.
3) Joy and blessings and good are byproducts of
God in our lives. If God is in the midst
of your life — God is with you — then it is well with your soul. If God is not with you — then ultimately
nothing is going to be OK.
But it’s not just God who
is with us...
B. We have the church with us.
1. The church is God’s idea — it is He who designed and instituted the
church. One of the main reasons why
gives us a spiritual family is so you and I don’t have to trudge through life
alone.
2. God knows we are stronger in numbers. We are more secure when we travel
through life together. We are happier
when we have friendships.
a. This is why all of those “one
another” passages are so important. We love one another... honor...
encourage
each other... pray... and carrying each other burdens.
b. This is why our Bible classes, small groups and areas of
ministry
are important. Because when we build a
circle of friendships in those smaller settings — then when you are in need or
crisis arises — you have people you know — people you are comfortable calling —
for help. There are people who come to
help — even when you did not call.
3. Somebody might say — “Well, I had a need one time and no one called
me.” I wish I could truly say we are a
perfect church — we always do everything we need to do — and respond just
exactly the way we should in every way and every time.” We are not a perfect church — and sometimes
we don’t do everything right — and folks can fall through the cracks.
4. But the point is you are not alone — there are people around
you — who do care and love — and who will do the very best they can to be
there.
5. But we are not mind-readers — and if you don’t share your
struggle with us — we most likely won’t know.
If you don’t regularly attend a Bible class, or small group, or get
involved in an particular work of this church — you will not build the kind of
relationships you need to face the scary things of life. You forfeit the strength and encouragement
and help of people corralling around you and praying for you.
6. Every one of us needs friends... Christian friends... we need the
church!
C. We have the Holy Spirit with
us.
1. What all does the Holy Spirit do for us? I don’t know.
I’m not sure anyone does. How
does the Holy Spirit do exactly what He does?
I don’t know. But I know this —
we are not alone — because Jesus gave us the promise of His Spirit to help us
in times of trouble.
2. John 14:16-17 — “And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Helper,
to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. You know him,
for he dwells with you and will be IN YOU.” The Holy
Spirit is our Comforter... our Helper.
He comes along side of us to help us when we need.
3. Illus: We see this sort of thing happen in almost every football
game. Somewhere during the course of the
game — a big brute of a lineman will get hurt.
His ankle or knee gets twisted — and he is lying on the ground. Then a couple of trainers will run in from
the sidelines. Together they are not as
big as the lineman. They check him out
and get him to his feet — and then one under each arm — they help and support
that player back to the sidelines.
4. That is what God’s Holy Spirit does — in our darkest
hour... in our greatest needs... amidst our deepest
fears — He comes along side of us to give us help and comfort.
5. Whatever it is you face — no matter how BIG... scary...
threatening...
overwhelming
— just remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
It is amazing the amount of strength and comfort and peace
that comes from knowing we are NEVER ALONE.
II. When We Know What We Believe.
1. The Letter of 2
Timothy is probably the last writings of the apostle Paul.
a. Paul writes young Timothy
in chapter 1 and tells Timothy he is
praying for him and wants the sincere faith that was in his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice to live in him — and to fan into a flame the gift that was
given to him through the laying on of Paul’s hands.
b. In verse 7 he writes – “For God gave us a spirit not of FEAR [or timidity] but of power
and love and self-control. 8
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his
prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God...” Jump down to verse 12 — “Which is why I suffer as I
do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced [I am persuaded] that he is able to guard
until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”
c. Paul is saying — “Timothy, when it comes to what you believe — the
convictions of your heart — the doctrines and teachings you know to be true and
right — don’t be ashamed, embarrassed or bashful to say those
things. Don’t let this world intimidate
you or push you around. Know where God
wants you to stand — and then you stand firm.
If you are afraid or embarrassed to stand up for truth — that spirit of “timidity” did NOT come from
God. That comes from the devil. God gives you strength and power
and love
and self-control!!
2. God expects His people to read and know His Word — God never
intended for His Word to simply be a decoration in your house. He never intended for His Word to be seen
sitting on your coffee table or the book shelf — He wants His Word to be seen
lived out in your life.
3. We live in wonderful age when God’s Word has never been more
available. In this room we have the
Bible in several different translation — and the Bible is app on hundreds of
smartphones and tablets — probably in several different translations. But having the Bible near and available is
not what counts — it’s having it in our hearts and minds.
4. Nothing
else will equip or empower you for life — and to conqueror your fears — like
knowing and living God’s Word will. FAITH
grows stronger by feeding on the Word.
Courage and confidence is fueled...
III. When We Refuse to Give Up.
1. It’s easy to get knocked
down — to stumble and fall down. It’s
also easy to stay down when we stumble and fall. But getting tripped up and falling down is
not what defeats us. It’s refusing to
get back up. It is deciding to give up —
that’s what defeats us.
2. This is one of the great lessons we learn from Peter — the apostle who too often thought the wrong thoughts...
said the wrong words... and did the wrong things. He messed up so many times — BUT HE DID NOT
QUIT!
3. No wonder Jesus changed his name — from Simon which means “God
has heard” — to Cephas or Peter — meaning “Rock.” Some commentaries think is possible that
Peter’s parents has been praying for a child — and God gave them a son — so
they named their son Simon. They had no
idea what their child would grow up to be.
But Jesus changed his name from “God has heard” to “ROCK” — Peter — just
like a rock — he couldn’t be worn down — so resilient.
a. We all know Peter sometimes would insert foot and engage brain
afterward — and he would say the wrong thing from time to time. I’m sure you have been guilty of saying
something you could have taken back? And
you will probably say something else wrong again. But Peter wouldn’t quit — and neither should
you.
b. Peter sometimes did the wrong things — and didn’t always make the
best choices. I can imagine there will
be times in your life when you will make the wrong choice. But Peter didn’t quit when he made mistakes
and sinned — and neither should you.
4. Satan is going to do his best to make every one of us GIVE UP and
QUIT.
a. He may be focusing on you giving up on Jesus — and go back to
living like the world.
b. He may work hard to get you to give up on your marriage or family
— and walk away.
c. Or to get you to give up on your involvement in church —
and your service in the kingdom.
d. Be like Peter — BE LIKE PETER!!
— don’t quit — keep getting back up. And
in the process you will find yourself growing stronger.
Illus: I remember when Natalie was probably 4 four years
old. I went to a her preschool where she
was going a few days a week — and when I got there she was in the back playing
on the playground — but she was visibly upset — tears still in her eyes. When she saw me — she ran over to me. I hugged and we started to leave. She was telling me that some boys were
teasing here. As we walked — some of the
boys who had been teasing her kept on taunting her. I don’t know how she handled it before I arrived
— but now she looked at them and said — “You
don’t scare me!” — and kept right on walking. That’s because now she wasn’t alone — she was
walking with her father. [I was
confident I could take them.]
There is nothing that dispels fear than knowing you are walking
with your Father.
Don’t put off doing what God wants you to do.
1. Remember the first step is always the HARDEST. Every step gets a little bit easier — once
you have taken the first step.
2. For some of you — it means someone needs to obey the gospel — and
confess the name of Jesus and be baptized in Christ. Why don’t you push FEAR aside and take that
first step and make your way to front to become a child of God’s. Heb 2:14 tells us
Jesus took on flesh to “destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil” and to deliver us from the “fear of death.”
3. It may be someone here needs to take that first step that brings
you back to faithfulness and a renewed commitment to the things
that matter most. Every step gets a
little easier — once you take the first step.
4. Maybe you are looking for a church home — a place where you can
serve God and serve others — a place where you can be shepherded by loving,
caring and praying elders. Why not take
the step to make this your church family.
Take the first step to
conquering whatever fear keeps you from doing what you need to do. Take the first step toward winning the
VICTORY God has in store for you.
Song after reading — Do
Not Fear
Song before lesson — Do
Not Be Afraid
Invitation song — I
Will Rise or I Know Whom I Have Believed
Closing song — I
Know Whom I Have Believed (1, 2)
Noel Whitlock, Searcy, AR
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