Fear Of Commitment

Here we are again, another year of goblins, witches, vampires, and demons. As many of you know, I am no fan of Halloween. But I do however see a wonderful opportunity before us in which God can penetrate the hardest of hearts.

Everyone associates Halloween with fear and that’s exactly the topic that I am going to share with you this morning. Many of us are afraid of different things in this world. Some of the common fears that plague many of us is: the fear of snakes, public speaking, or of heights. These kinds of fears are for some reason acceptable to most as being justified. But what about the odd fears that haunt some people’s lives?

VIDEO: “Man Scared of Puppy”

The fear that this man feels is very real and runs his life. Most of us looking at his fear on the outside find it difficult to understand and we may even find it a bit humorous but none the less, his fear is very real.

This morning I want to speak with you about another fear that is very real and runs many people’s lives. It is a fear that I believe although may be common, it is also a fear that for many is a bit odd as well. The Fear of Commitment, Committing to God’s will and accepting His call in our lives haunts a good number of us but it doesn’t have to.

The fear of committing is much like being afraid of a puppy. It has been said that a dog is man’s best friend. You know, when you commit to God you gain the best friend you’ll ever have.

Why do we fear commitment to God anyway? First of all, I believe we are….

I.Afraid of Responsibilities.

A.When we accept Jesus into our lives, we have responsibilities that come with that. One of those responsibilities I believe that many fear is The Great Commission.

Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1.We gain the responsibility of not only growing our own faith but also reaching others as well and helping God build disciples for His glory.

2.It is a scary feeling, knowing God trusts us and is counting on us to reach lost souls isn’t it? It is a great honor and a huge responsibility and with that being said, many of us are simply too afraid to do it.

3.It is easy for us to talk with people about a movie we had seen, a vacation we took, a game we saw, a meal we ate, or even store we like. But what is it that keeps our lips shut when it comes to sharing our faith? What is it that scares us so much that we can’t even bring Jesus up in a normal conversation with people outside the church?

4.Some people would say, “You just don’t love Jesus enough to talk about Him”. I would disagree with that statement. I have met many people throughout my life that love Jesus deeply but are just frozen with the fear of sharing God with others.

5.Fear is a normal emotion and can be useful but when it comes to serving God, Fear should not be present.

Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

6.We need to realize that God is with us and when we are faced with opportunities to share Him with others, He will help us in doing His will.

7.We need to be confident and not doubt God’s promise to us. We need to be confident and bold.

Hebrews 13: 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

8.We have a responsibility to share God with others and the good news is He is with us as we do. We need not be afraid.

9.I also believe that another area of fear that haunts or lives is the fear of accountability.

II.Afraid of Accountability.

A.As fleshy humans we really don’t like to answer to anyone do we? We enjoy being in charge of me. Just like little kids say, “You’re not the boss of me.”