Benaiah Vs. The Lion Series

FEARLESS is a five-part series based on Old Testament stories of people who faced great fears.

It’s often said that humans are born with only two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. It doesn’t take us long to learn many more fears.

Phobias:

• Arachnophobia – the fear of spiders

• Claustrophobia – the fear of confined spaces

• Technophobia – the fear of technology, especially computers

• Nomophobia – the fear of being out of mobile phone contact

• Glossophobia – the fear of public speaking

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

BENAIAH: THE LION-CHASER

Who was Benaiah?

• He was one of the most FAMOUS soldiers in Israel (2 Samuel 23:22-23).

• He was the CAPTAIN of King David’s body-guards (1 Chronicles 11:25).

• He was the COMMANDER of Israel’s army during Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 2:35).

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear (2 Samuel 23:20-21).

Benaiah was not the odds-on favorite to win any of these battles:

• Two Moabites vs. one Israelite

• An Egyptian with a spear vs. an Israelite with a club

• Lion vs. man

A lion-chaser = a RISK-TAKER.

What lion do you need to chase?

Background to 2 Timothy 1:7: Timothy was young (probably about thirty years old) and timid (some versions say “spirit of timidity”). But God had called him to preach. Would he chase the lion or run away? The apostle Paul wrote two letters to encourage Timothy to face his fears.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord... (2 Timothy 1:8).

OUR ENEMY: THE ROARING LION

1. Living in FEAR means minimizing risks.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith... (1 Peter 5:8b-9a).

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7b).

2. Living by FAITH means taking risks.

The greatest victories are on the other side of faith.

CHASING THE LION

1. Lion chasers know that the BIGGER their God is the SMALLER lions become.

When [King Darius] came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions” (Daniel 6:20-22a).

How big is your God?

My God is...

• Perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4)

• Infinite

• Unchanging (Malachi 3:6)

• All-powerful (Jeremiah 32:27)

• All-knowing (1 John 3:20)

• Everywhere-present (Jeremiah 23:24)

• There is no one like my God!

My God is...

• My Savior (Isaiah 43:3)

• My Redeemer (Psalm 78:35)

• My Deliverer (Psalm 18:2)

• My Shield (Psalm 18:30)

• My Strength (Psalm 22:19)

• My Rock (Isaiah 30:29)

• There is no one like my God!

My God is...

• El Echad: “the one God” (Malachi 2:10)

• El Haggadol: “the great God” (Deuteronomy 10:17)

• El Olam: “the eternal God” (Genesis 21:33)

• El Hakkadosh: “the holy God” (Isaiah 5:16)

• El Gibbor: “the mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6)

• El Elyon: “the most high God” (Psalm 78:35)

• There is no one like my God!

My God is...

• El Hannora: “the awesome God” (Nehemiah 9:32)

• El Tsaddik: “the righteous God” (Isaiah 45:21)

• El Shaddai: “the all-sufficient God” (Exodus 6:3)

• El Channun: “the gracious God” (Jonah 4:2)

• El Hanne’man: “the faithful God” (Deuteronomy 7:9)

• There is no one like my God!

My God is...

• El Hakkavod: “the God of glory” (Psalm 29:3)

• El Hashamayim: “the God of the heavens” (Psalm 136:26)

• El De’ot: “the God of knowledge” (1 Samuel 2:3)

• El Emet: “the God of truth” (Psalm 31:5)

• El Roi: “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13)

• There is no one like my God!

My God is...

• El Yeshuati: “the God of my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2)

• El Sali: “the God of my strength” (Psalm 42:9)

• El Rachum: “the God of compassion” (Deuteronomy 4:31)