WHAT DO YOU FEAR?

It is shocking to reflect that a change in the weather has more effect on some men's lives than the dread alternative of heaven or hell. -Spurgeon

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

The thought of Hell to some people doesn’t even make them flinch. They have no concern or even care. They do not have a Biblical understanding that Hell is real and that one day, if they have not repented and trusted Jesus as Saviour, they will be eternally cast into Hell. The dreaded place that Paul described as a place of “… everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.”

Do you fear the Lord enough that you fear Hell? Death is coming friend. You might want to consider your life in light of the Gospel.

NO PLACE FOR FEAR

           If I had three hundred men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I would set the world on fire. --John Wesley

2 Timothy 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

            The Israelites didn’t originally enter the promise land when God told them to because they feared what the spies reported. That fear crippled them so much they did not obey God’s commands. As a result of their disobedience, they had to endure 40 years in the wilderness. They wondered around in the desert for forty years paying for that disobedience.

            Dear friend, fear cripples the local church from fulfilling its purpose. It cripples you and I from fulfilling what our God given purpose. Consider three acronyms for the word fear:

Forget Everything And Run

False Evidence Appearing Real

Face Everything And Rise

             What fear do you have that’s preventing you from obeying God? Are you prepared for the punishment for not being obedient? Is it really worth your delay? Or will you face your fear and rise above it? Will you have faith?

CRIPPLED BY FEAR

            The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. -F.D. Roosevelt

2 Timothy 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

            Elijah had just won a great victory slaying four hundred and fifty of Baals prophets but with just a few words from one of Jezebel’s messengers, he ran and hid under a tree. He was crippled by fear but God sent him an angel to comfort and encourage him. He got up and went some 400 miles to Mt. Horeb. What should’ve taken between ten to fifteen days took Elijah 40 days and nights to travel. Why did it take him so long? I believe you find the answer in the question the Lord asked him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” Elijah was still crippled by fear, ended up hiding in a cave. Elijah came face to face with his problem and as he stood there gazing out the entrance of the cave. God asked him once again, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” I am glad God doesn’t give up on His children! He pursues them. He comforts them. He encourages them. He wants them to be courageous and fight on!

            Are you crippled by fear? Fear of the unknown? Fear of what’s next? The fear of being left alone? Be reminded that this fear DOES NOT come from the Lord! Its source is Satan. He loves for you to fear because it keeps your mind wondering around for days in the wilderness making you feel all alone in your life.

            Hey friend, GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH this morning before you find yourself wasting time trapped inside your own house crippled by fear! Just remember what the Lord said in Isaiah 41:13, For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

WHY WORRY?

The devil would have us continually crossing streams that do not exist. –Anonymous

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

            I’ve never been much of a hunter. I don’t like to eat most of the things people hunt so I just don’t hunt at all. I have been coon hunting a few times though. But I really never got into sending dogs out to track a coon up some tree, just to shoot him out of it watching the dogs rip the carcass to shreds or skinning him for his hide.

            I do remember one time when we got out in the woods and we lost our way. There was an overcast sky and it was pitch black. We didn’t have the moon to guide us. But we continued to tread on through the woods until we came to a familiar road taking us back to the trucks.

            We could have sat and worried about not knowing where we were at. We could have sat in the woods until someone came to find us. We could’ve sat there and done nothing. But that’s not hunters do. Such it should be with Christians. We should not sit and worry when changes of life happen. We should not fret over the unknown. We should find some familiar scriptures that will take us back to Jesus. And there we should cast those cares upon Him for there is none other caring for you like He does!

REACTION OF VICTORY

It is cynicism and fear that freeze life; it is faith that thaws it out, releases it, sets it free.–Fosdick

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

            Newton’s third law of motion says, “For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.” I believe the fear in our lives will be decimated at the same rate as our faith grows. In each step of faith we walk we take a step further away from fear; fear of worrying over what tomorrow will hold, fear of losing our job, fear of likability, fear of finances, fear of health issues, etc. When we walk away from fear, God is honored and our faith grows deeper!

            Is your faith growing or is fear grappling your life? Trust Jesus and fear will be removed!

RESPONSE OF VICTORY

I fear God, and next to God I chiefly fear him who fears Him not.- Saadia Ben Joseph

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Psalm 46:2-3

            What do we have to fear when we understand God is on our side? Why should we fear man or what He may do to us? Why do we fear the unknown when He knows what that is? Why do we fear what we don’t understand? When we have victory in our life by knowing He is God, we will also come to realize we have God for our defender and we need not fear any evil! That my friend is our only reasonable response.

FEAR NOT!

The angel of the Lord told Mary, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”

The angel of the Lord told Joseph, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

The angel of the Lord told the Shepherds, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

In a life of uncertainties, God says, Fear Not! Don’t fear those that would discourage you from serving the Lord. Don’t fear when God sends a trial your way. Don’t fear when you don’t know the how, when, or where God is going to move in your favor. Just trust the Lord when He doesn’t make sense. That’s what Mary did! That’s what Joseph did! That’s what the Shepherds did! That’s what you should do! Trust and obey!

JUST TRUST JESUS!

“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”― Charles Spurgeon

 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Can you imagine what went through Mary’s mind when she heard the angel say, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” No wonder the angel started off his address with, “Fear not”. The emotional roller coaster didn’t start off in slow motion; it was rolling off in high speed in a matter of split seconds! Doubt, fear, shame, hope, joy, expectation, excitement, back to fear, questions, uncertainty, disbelief. She ended up in a state of complete obedience to what the angel had said and God’s Will!

Where are you at in this life? Do you know Him as your Saviour? No… Repent, Confess, Admit, Just Trust Jesus!

WHAT’S FOLLOWING YOU?

Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not. –Watson

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23:6

David proclaimed goodness and mercy would follow him not just for a day or two. Not for a week. Not only for a year. He said goodness and mercy would follow him, all the days of his life! But my question is why? Why would goodness and mercy follow David? What makes David so special? I believe you have to go back to verse one where David said, “The LORD is my shepherd…”

Just as a shepherd will take care of his sheep, The LORD will take care of His children! He will guide them, cherish them, love them, He will mend their wounds, and He will save them from the enemy! Goodness and mercy follows us for the same reason it follows David; The LORD is our Shepherd!

WHAT CAN’T BE DONE?

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

We can do anything God wants us to do because He equips us for the task at hand. Don’t you know oh Christian God knew what He was doing when He called Moses to lead a nation, Gideon to lead an army, Peter to preach, and you to the task He has giving you. Don’t give up too soon, have faith, victory is right around the corner and if you quit, you’ll miss it. So be reminded, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

Comfort comes with Him near!

Of all created comforts, God is the lender; you are the borrower, not the owner. -Rutherford

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

If there is one thing that brings comfort in my life; it is knowing the Lord is with me! It’s not a right that I have; it is one of the many gifts God gives to His children! I don’t know what you are going through but I know the Lord is there right beside you ready to walk with you! So get up and go the way He has laid out for you with a boldness knowing He will, strengthen, help, and uphold you in that journey!