Before I start preaching, I’d like to ask some questions for you to reflect upon.
What worries us the most?
- Being alone? Facing the future getting sick, losing a loved one , divorce, loneliness, failure
- Facing new situations? Unemployment, starting a new job, new relationship, memories from the past.
- Maybe people, criminals, conflicts, violent people or fear of death.
All these things we mentioned can cause us Fear.
What’s fear?
Fear is the overwhelming desire to hide ourselves, to defend or to escape from something or someone that bothers us or threatens us. Fear suffocates us because it diminishes our interest and energy. It can make us decide not to do things that we should do.
There are two kinds of fear, the normal, healthy fear and the paralysing fear.
1 – Healthy fear: this fear gives you the survival instincts you need to keep yourself safe from danger. It warns us about potential dangers. For instance, when not touching something hot without protection because we are afraid of burning our hands, when we run away from sin because we fear God and we don’t want to lose our salvation or we don’t want displease our God who is Holy. When we don’t walk in dangerous places to avoid being mugged and etc. In all these cases the preventative actions that fear brings can be healthy, alerting us about the possibility of physical or emotional harms.
2 – Paralysing fear: it is the fear which prevents us from living life to the fullest. If, for example, we accept the fear of speaking in public, we may not be free to preach the gospel for multitudes. If we accept the fear of rain, we may be paralysed to the point of not leaving home or attending a church meeting on a rainy day. Fear to take aa driving exam because you failed before, fear to drive car, fear of trying something new…
Now let us learn through the Bible how to overcome fear.
What does the Bible say about victory over fear?
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline”
2 Timothy 1: 7
1 But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:1-2
God has not given us a spirit of fear, He has given us a spirit of power and love and sound judgment and personal discipline, abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control.
Example: When fear knocks at your door, answer with faith.
When fear attacks you, defend with faith.
You may feel fear but not let it not dominate your life because fear is the devil’s favourite weapon against us.
When fear becomes sinful in our lives
1 – When we begin to doubt the character of God, failing to believe that His love is greater than our problems.
Brothers and sisters, our God is greater than our problem and any situation we are going through, He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. Please keep believing in Him, he will never let us down.
2 – When we run away from bad situations instead of seeking refuge in God.
Whatever the situation may be, please seeking God’s help instead running away of it.
If you receive a refusal letter about some claim, please don’t panic, pray, seek God’s assistance and He will resolve it for you.
I’m going to give you the example of my family and I. 10 years ago we received a deportation letter to leave the Country. Oh, that was so sad news, and to make things worse my wife was in a coma in the Hospital. The Doctors had told me she would not survive, she being kept alive by the Hospital’s machines.
That was a tough time, I can’t lie to you, I felt fear and discouraged but I decided to Seek God’s help, our Pastors, my leaders, the church’s member, our mother church in Brasil and all linked with us in prayer and intercession on behalf of my family and I.
After a while God changed the situation, the deportation was cancelled, my wife got out of the coma, as you can see, she still alive, praise the Lord, praise be our master Jesus. He is faithful, He has no favourites, He loves us all equally. If He did it for my family can do for you too. Please keep believing and trusting on the Lord Jesus.
3 – When we feed our fear
Fear becomes sinful in our lives when we keep thinking of our problems and anxieties instead of dropping them in the presence of God.
How to overcome fear?
1 – We need to identify our fears and face them.
2 – We must stop feeding our fears.
3 – We must understand who we are in Christ Jesus.
We are children of God
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
John 1:12
4 – We must walk in the truths of God’s word.
Our God never abandons us.
“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”. Joshua 1: 5
The Bibles says in the book of Romans 8:31. If God is with us, who can be successful against Us? The answer is nobody.
God always enables us.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength”. Philippians 4:13
We can feel weak but God will give us his strength if we seek him, that’s why all the time when we feel weak, we must always ask for His help.
We are loved by God.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
Dear brothers and sisters, if God was able to give His one and only son to rescue us from our sins what else won’t He do for us. God loves us unconditionally.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I beg you please stop doubting and start believing, God is able to change unchanging things, everything is possible for those who believe in Him.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”Isaiah 41:10
God says He is our God, He tells us not to fear because He will be with us always, He will strengthen and help us, He will uphold us with his righteous hand.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” John 14:27
It tells us that Jesus left us with his peace, not the peace that the world can give us, Jesus’ peace is forever and ever, the world’s peace is temporary. That’s why we must trust in Jesus and seek his help always when need in our lives.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9
It tells us that to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid, not to be discouraged for the Lord our God will be always with us wherever we go.
“So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6
This verse says don’t be afraid, say it with confidence. The Lord Jesus is our helper, that’s means mere mortals can’t do anything to harm us if we rest in the Lord Jesus.
Isaiah says to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you. Isaiah 35:4
It tells those with fearful hearts, to be strong, not to fear, our God will come, He will come with vengeance, with divine retribution and He will come to save us.
How does God want us to deal with fear?
Over and over, the Bible teaches us the key ti overcome fear. God’s way is to put aside our fears, telling us that He “has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”
How do you let go of fear and trust God?
1 – Stop waiting for the world to help you.
2 – Stop trying to impress everyone.
3 – Let yourself hope (in God)
4 – Identify your life needs, and focus on what really matters.
5 – Get advice when you’re stuck.
Why does God want us not to fear?
Because God is worthy of our trust, fear is misplaced trust. Fear will cause us to trust our own resources or to put our trust in someone or something else other than God.
When fear knocks at your door, please answer with faith.
We must have faith to overcome fear
How does faith overcome fear?
Faith focuses on God’s love and power. We can fight fear with faith when we shift our focus towards God. When we keep our thoughts fixed on God, he keeps our hearts at rest in Him.
What does God replace fear with?
There is always something to fear – God knew this, before we were born and felt our first fear, He created a path for PEACE and courage. Focus on Him and His word and not on the trouble, and allow Him to replace your fear with faith.
How do you turn your fear into faith?
Stop trying to ignore or bury your worries. Take them to God in prayer and let Him know what is troubling you. Ask Him to turn your fear into faith and to fill your heart and calm your mind with His supernatural peace. Then continue to spend time in His presence daily.
Conclusion
We have received the spirit of power, love and self-discipline. In Christ we have a new identity and we need to live as new creatures that we are, letting the Holy Spirit renew our minds.
To stop doubting and start believing in God in whatever situations we are going through He will give us victory always.
With Lord Jesus we are more than conquerors, He will give us power, strength to overcome fear and to live a victorious life.
The most important thing in our lives is to have a good relationship with our master Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords, King of kings the Almighty one.
He is our shepherd, our helper, our redeemer, our defender, our healer, our protector, our supplier , our celestial father, and He is all we need to keep in our heart nothing else.
Reminder
What did we learn Today?
What worries us the most?
What’s fear?
How do we overcome fear?
What should we do to keep our hearts clean?
Challenges and recommendations
- We must discipline ourselves everyday by getting up earlier to have a special time with God.
- We must study the Bible everyday at least twice, in getting up and before going to bed.
- We must stop trying to ignore or bury our worries. We must Take them to God in prayer and let Him know what is troubling us.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, Jesus loves you all so much and so do I. Have a blessed week you all and see you all next Sunday.