Summary: ONE OF THE GREATEST TOOLS IN THE ENEMY'S TOOL BOX IS FEAR. What triggers fear? Fear hinders God's plan for you. Be honest and recognize fear.

FEAR CAN LIMIT YOU!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

*YOUR MIND IS A GARDEN. YOUR THOUGHTS ARE SEEDS.

YOU CAN GROW FLOWERS OR YOU CAN GROW WEEDS.

ONE DAY DEATH WILL COME FOR ME.

WILL I GO WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE AS I REALIZE I HAVE FINISHED MY RACE?

WILL I BE THANKFUL WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE?

CAN DEATH BE WITH NO FEAR AS I KNOW GOD IS COMING FOR ME?

CAN I WALK WITH NO FEAR IN MY HEART AS I UNDERSTAND MY SAVIOR IS COMING FOR ME?

I SHALL NEVER KNOW ANOTHER TEAR OR NO MORE TROUBLES WILL I EVER SEE?

WHEN JESUS COMES FOR ME!

TEXT: Matthew 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Matthew 8:26 (MSG) Jesus reprimanded them. "Why are you such cowards, such faint-hearts?" Then he stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: "Silence!" The sea became smooth as glass.

I HAVE READ YOU ARE BORN WITH 2 FEARS. The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears could be learned behavior from others and by negative experiences.

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.

2 Timothy 1:7 (MSG) God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

Where was unhealthy fear first introduced to man?

Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

CAN WE DEFINE FEAR?

An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause harm, pain or threat. To be afraid. Fear is an emotion of distress, misfortune. Biblical fear covers much more than what we find in the dictionary.

Biblical fear has been found in two classes: 1. Heathy and 2. UNHEALTHY. This study will focus on the unhealthy fear. Bad fear is terror, dread, horror, shaking.

Fear has many cousins, once we marry fear we accept the NEGATIVE FEAR FAMILY. Anger, anxiety, and the whole PHOBIA FAMILY moves in… We learn to RUN AWAY? ATTACK? HURT BACK?

Luke 21:26 (KJV) Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 21:26 (NIV) Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Luke 21:26 (NLT2) People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Luke 21:26 (MSG) in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.

Luke 21:26 (Darby) men ready to die through fear and expectation of what is coming on the habitable earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

Luke 21:26 (GW) People will faint as they fearfully wait for what will happen to the world. Indeed, the powers of the universe will be shaken.

CAN WE IDENTIFY WHAT TRIGGERS FEAR? (Physical? Emotional? Psychological?) IS FEAR AN INSTINCT OR A LEARNED BEHAVIOR? THERE ARE DEEP ROOTS THAT GROW FEAR! CAN FEAR BE A SIN?

Fear has breeding grounds! DARKNESS? Rejection? Death? How do we COPE WITH FEAR?

CONTINUAL, PERSISTENT FEAR IS KNOWN AS WORRY AND ANXIETY? WE OFTEN REFUSE TO IDENTIFY THE TRIGGERS THEN THE FEAR REOCCURS AND GROWS STRONGER AND STRONGER.

Few people ever learn to recognize their fear. How can we face our fears until we acknowledge them? We need compassion, sympathy and patient understanding to rise above the grip of fear.

DO WE KNOW THERE IS A HEALTHY FEAR AND A KILLER FEAR…???

The FEAR OF THE LORD: The fear of the Lord can be joined with POWER, LOVE AND HOPE. The fear of the Lord deals with reverence and both the Old Testament and the New Testament. A healthy fear of the Lord is NOT a slavish dread of “LAWS OF HAVE TO… HAVE TO DO THIS?” In real love there are no “HAVE TO’S,” where there is real love it is “I WANT TO…”

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED WHAT GOD THINKS OF FEAR? GOD KNOWS THE FACTS: THE ENEMY USES FEAR TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY OUR VICTORIES THAT GOD HAS PLANNED FOR HIS PEOPLE.

Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

FEAR WORKS ON ASSUMPTIONS AND LIES… HAVE YOU EVER FORGOT WHAT YOU KNOW?

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

CONSIDER FEAR? HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED “THE STRATEGY OF RIDING A DEAD HORSE?” (Unknown)

Maybe we should buy a bigger whip?

Maybe we might consider the dead horse does not like me, we need to change riders?

Maybe we might want to appoint a committee to study dead horses?

Maybe we should get on the computer and research what others do with their horses?

Maybe we should have LOWER EXPECTATIONS of what dead horses should do?

Maybe we need to hire outside contractors to study and ride the dead horse and give us a report?

Maybe we need to give the dead horse a BIG PROMOTION to be a supervisor?

Maybe we need to have a written statement that dead horses don’t eat as much?

Maybe we need to study if the weight of the rider contributed to the death? Let us get lighter riders?

How about let us reclassify the dead horse living –impaired?

MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST USE COMMON SENSE AND DISMOUNT!

FEAR DESTROYS HEALTHY DAILY LIVING!

CONCLUSION: Fear should never be a welcomed guest in your heart and mind. We must come to the knowledge that GOD LOVES US AND HAS A PLAN. Do we willingly and absolutely TRUST the unseen hands of a mighty God? We must come by faith and trusting God’s words that FEAR IS OUR ENEMY!

* God’s plan is that we be overcomers… we must overcome the fear of what others think! We tend to fear criticism and rejection. We fear offending others, this is not a realistic goal. Jesus never pleased everybody! You ever fear looking stupid? To overcome fear we must trust God and trust ourselves. Don’t sweat the small stuff, by the way everything is small stuff.

Believe God and you are the solution. Quit comparing yourself to others. Did you know: YOU CAN’T FIX EVERY PROBLEM? Quit trying to fix everybody. FIX YOURSELF.

You are in the drivers seat. You can control your fears with God’s help. Bring the Holy Spirit with you and face your fears, a baby step at a time. Be gentle and kind. Quit inviting fear into your heart and mind. BE POSITIVE! YOU CAN DO IT.

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

His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

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