Fear
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This site doesn’t have all the answers, but it does believe that we ought to be able to talk about some of the things that we often suffer in isolation and silence.
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More than 80 times the Bible says “Do not fear, do not be afraid” Evidently they were afraid and needed to be reminded.
Abraham, Hagar, Issac, Jacob, Moses & the Israelites(14x), Joshua, Gideon, Elijah, Hezekiah, Solomon, Jehoshophat, The people of God (Isaiah 12x), Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joseph, the Mary’s, Zechariah, Mary, shepherds, disciples, Paul, John the R, Persecuted church
All were told, “Do not be afraid”. Fear affects us all!
No one who has ever done anything significant has not experienced fear.
Many people have been inhibited from making a contribution to life by fear.
It can be a most destructive emotion
Not all fear is bad. There is a healthy fear
- Fear makes us cautious in the presence of danger
- Crossing a busy high way
- Playing with High voltage
- Fear of failure can lead us to make the effort to do our best
- Sometimes fear is what we deserve when we have failed to heed warnings and collect the consequences
The Biblical Belshazzar is a good example. He made a choice even though he knew better. When the consequences came he had good reason to be afraid. (See Daniel 5 to read the story for yourself. |
However, much of what we fear is unhealthy, irrational. We are afraid of things that may never happen
What are the things we fear in your day to day life?
What are the things we fear in our Christian life? Things that keep us from enjoying our Christian experience…
- Pain and discomfort
- Failure
- Being alone
- Hurting someone’s feelings – good but sometimes manipulated by for years
- God
- What people might think or do
- The Final Judgement – and we are not good enough – this is a terrible teaching
- 1 John 4:17 – God wants us to have confidence, peace, not fear at the judgement
- Jn 3:16- Whoever is believing in Jesus is not condemned
- Rm 3:23,24; 5:1 All have sinned. We are justified by faith … we have peace with God
Things you can do to live above your fears
1. Try to limit fear inducing mental input – even the TV news can make the world seem a very scary place. It only tells you about the people who got robbed, stabbed, killed, not about the ones who were safe all day
2. Counter your fears with positive thoughts.
Many of our fears come from dwelling on faulty beliefs, negative thoughts – Phil 4:8,9 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. 9 …. And the God of peace will be with you”
3. Prayer is crucial – tell God of your fears.
God wants you to trade your fears and anxieties for trust in Him – Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus When we give your fears to God, He gives us a peace that cannot be explained
4. Monitor when your fear rises and falls-
Be aware of when your fear levels rise and when they fall. Knowing that these feelings will pass helps you to cope better
5. Focus on behavior rather than feelings.
Acknowledge your fear but keep moving forward with your life. Choose no to let it control you. Say to yourself, “This is how I feel, buth this is how I am going to act”. Many inhibiting fears are calmed by positive action
6. Replace fear with love.
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- While love is focused on others, fear is focused on protecting ones self
- While love thinks no evil, fear broods over potential evils
- While love focuses on the present, fear frets over the future
- While love moves us towards involvement with others, fear forces us into withdrawal and isolation from others
- While love is a mark of a Christian who trusts God, fear is a mark of doubt and a lack of faith in God
Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Promises to remember
Dt 31 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Ps 56 3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
Ps 34 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Ps 46 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Ps 118 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Prov 3 24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, 26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
Is 41 13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Is 43 “Fear not, 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. 3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Jn 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
27 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.
Phil 4 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Heb 13 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
1 Pet 3 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” |
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