Don't Be Afraid Series

Don’t Be Afraid

OKAY – for the next few minutes I want to talk to you about something… and I am going to go out on a limb and say, it’s something that everyone in this room has experienced before. And maybe even more so as the coronavirus continues to dominate our national conversation...

In John 10:10, Jesus said…

The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10

AND LISTEN – I am convinced that what we are going to talk about tonight is one of our enemies primary weapons to steal, kill and destroy the ‘have it MORE abundantly’ life from us, from me, from you.

I MEAN - this weapon just kind stops you dead in your tracks… and leaves you kind of paralyzed and trembling.

SO TODAY – I want to encourage you to overcome this weapon of your enemy with these 4 words…

“Do Not Be Afraid”

NOW I will be using one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament… found in 2 Kings chapter 6.

QUESTION – have you ever been afraid?

What kind of things cause fear to fall over you like a thick dark cloud?

Are you afraid about something even now?

HEYY – so what are some of the things that people your age are afraid of most often?

Go ahead and just shout them out.

NOW – there are literally hundreds of fears out there… and they are sometimes called phobias, which comes from a Greek Word that means ‘fear or horror…’

OKAY – try to guess what the following phobias are referring to…

Acrophobia

(heights)

Arachnophobia

(spiders)

Arithmophobia

(numbers)

Hydrophobia

(water)

Ophidophobia

(snakes)

Nyctophobia

(dark)

Gynophobia

(women)

Coulrophobia

(clowns)

Ephebiphobia

(teenagers)

Pogonophobia

(beards)

Venustraphobia

(beautiful women)

OKAY – turn to 2 Kings 6… beginning at verse 8…The event we are going to talk about, takes place during the time when the nation of Israel was divided into 2 kingdoms - Israel in the North & Judah in the south. Before we begin our story let me introduce to the list of characters...

Elisha - He is a powerful prophet of God; He was a student & successor of Elijah - (remember - Mt Carmel & the 450 prophets of Baal).

Elisha did some pretty awesome miracles; he healed the sick, multiplies food - he even raised the dead...

Joram - He is the King of the North - the son of Ahab & Jezebel who we meet a couple of weeks ago.

(Elisha a student of Elijah - Joram the son of Ahab & Jezebel... I think it’s pretty safe to assume that these guys didn’t have too many BBQ’s together.)

Ben-Hadad - He is the king of the Arameans - a nation that was fighting against and harassing the Northern kingdom....

Unnamed servant of God - Elisha’s new servant & student.... Elisha’s last servant (Gehazi) was fired and given leprosy for taken kick backs from the Aramean General Naaman...

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

(setting up an ambush to capture Joram)

9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

(any places God has warned you to stay away from or be very careful in)

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

(thought He had a leak in his inner circle… like how is Joram getting away every time)

12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

(our enemy loves the darkness)

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

(Seriously, how would you feel if you were this servant.