Crush Fear

Middle East - fearless evangelists.

Jer.46:28 - God tells His people, “Fear Not...For I am with you.”

Thats a command and He always enables us for what He commands us to.

What Are your fears?

Top 20 fears combined from multiple lists): 1 Public speaking, 2 social interaction, 3 loneliness and being alone, 4 rejection, 5 failure, 6 embarrassment, 7 what other people think, 8 sickness (specifically cancer), 9 heights, 10 flying, 11 insects (specifically spiders), 12 fear of having a panic attack, 13 claustrophobia, 14 deep water, 15 dogs, 16 vomit, 17 thunder, 18 financial problems, 19 death and 20 the unknown.

Most fear is in my mind, and is usually more destructive than the thing I’m fearing.

French Philosopher Montaigne said, “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.”

Pr.22:13 - The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"

Remember FDR’s wise words, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Most of your fears won’t ever happen to you but even if they did, you have so much more (ex.heaven) to look forward to.

Fear encompasses 2 main areas:

Fear of physical harm or danger and also

Insecurities, fear of own incompetence, inabilities and weaknesses.

What has been the result of your fears in your life?

Fear keeps us in bondage.

Fear keeps us from growing.

Fear destroys confidence.

Self-esteem verses Christ esteem - Remember who you are in Him!

Fear keeps us from winning:

Carlos Hathcock was one of the greatest snipers ever (Saving Private Ryan Sniper Scene).

Took and accomplished a mission he was “guaranteed” to die on.

Fear keeps me from being who God made me to be.

Is.57:11 - “whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me...”

Who would you be if you had total victory over fear?

What is fear robbing you of?

My hope is that we would learn to look fear in the eyes and walk through.

Gal.5:1 - “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

God’s plan for you - Pr.28:1 - “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

Transition from general fear to fear barriers in our walks with God.

What fears prevent growth with God?

Just a few: Fear of man, Insecurities, Fear totally surrendering to Him, Fear saying or doing the wrong thing, Fear of evangelism.

Spiritual sounding lies created to protect fear of evangelism: Earn right to be heard, they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, preach the gospel and use word’s if necessary, etc.

The truth: the world won’t like us and that is O.K.

2 Cor.2:16 - To some we’ll be the smell of death, to others life!

Lk.6:22 - Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man (Jesus).

2 Tim.3:12 – “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

But remember - Rom.1:16 - “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...”

I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for snowboarding - God uses all sorts of stuff to grow us.

Snowboarding taught me to take risks.

Hardest trick first.

Action quickly.

The longer you wait the more fear builds.

Same with conquering any fear - the longer you think about it the worse it gets.

Even when there is truly reason to fear remember:

Ps.23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Ps.18:2 - The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Fear is doesn’t just disappear it must be conquered by taking steps of faith.

If you wait for fear to leave before you act, fear will never leave and you will never act - fear must be conquered.

Mark Twain - "Courage isn’t the absence of fear - it is the presence of fear, yet the will to go on"

So how do I go on, how do I act? I conquer fear by...

I conquer fear by Fearing God - that displaces other fear.

Mt.10:28 - Tells us not to fear man, but instead to fear God.

Fearing God means: Honor and awe of God.