Fear Not Series

Fear Not

Isaiah 41:10-13

November 29, 2015

For the next 4 weeks we are looking at scriptures which tell us not to fear. Today is the start and over the next 3 weeks, we will look at scriptures in the birth story of Jesus which tells us “Fear Not!”

I’m not sure about you, but I believe we all have fears. Some of us don’t want to admit them, we may even be embarrassed by them, but there’s nothing wrong with having fear. One of my great fears is heights. I don’t like to be more than 10 feet off the ground.

When we lived in Michigan I was able to help build a home in a Habitat for Humanity blitz. Now, if you know me, I’m not a real fix it kind of guy either. So, I would have been happy painting. But nope! I had to help construct scaffolding which was 3 stories high. I’ve never done that before and was clueless, then to make matters worse, we had to get on what we built!

After awhile I was asked if I ever put in windows in a home. NOPE! I was told you’ll learn. I was told to get on the scaffolding and go to the 3rd floor. No way! I had to sit on the edge and lean over and caulk the outside frame, then lean back so someone could hand me the window, then I had to hold the window and lean forward again and slap the window in place. Talk about being scared!

Then I had to climb down! I couldn’t figure out how to get down. I walked back and forth, and I’m glad there was not a video of me. I would have looked pretty dumb. Finally, I figured it out before they sent a rescue team to get me.

Suffice it to say, I don’t like heights. We have lots of fears in this life, but one thing we are not to fear is what happens in this life. It sounds crazy, think about how many phobias there are, yet we still aren’t supposed to fear.

Think about how deranged our world is. A waitress was killed in Mississippi because she told a man in the restaurant it was no smoking. So he shot her. We see what happened at Planned Parenthood in Colorado. The attacks in Paris and the list goes on about things we fear.

Then we read an amazing passage in Isaiah 41 which should help us. This is what God told Isaiah ~

10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.

12 You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.

13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Verse 10 is one of the great promises of Scripture. Because of our relationship with God we don’t need to fear anything. This is not our attempt at positive thinking. Our hope is not putting away negative thoughts. Instead our confidence and hope rests in the power of God Almighty!

In verse 10, God tells us 5 reasons we should FEAR NOT! We’re going to look at all 5 reasons and end with an amazing thought from God! So . . . prepare to be encouraged!

To start with God said ~ 10 Fear not, for I am with you;

First we should take courage because our God is with us! That’s great news!! If we can hold onto this as a fact, not as wishful or as positive thinking . . . .then we should be able to stand firm and remain strong and courageous against evil; and even against temptation.

When we think that God is absent, or doubt whether or not He is with us, when we are anxious and frightened . . . we need to stop, as the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 46:10 — Be still and know that I am God! We need to do the same, be still and know that God is God and He promises to be with us. With that in our spirit, heart and mind – we can hold fast and be confident to the fact God is with us. If God is with us, if we really believe that, then we can stand on the foundation that we will not be overwhelmed by life.