Sermon Central
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Overcoming Fear During Crisis
Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Oct 2, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Fear is the opposite of faith. We can overcome fear in times of crisis by building up our faith and confidence in the power of God, in the word of God and in the love of God for us.
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OVERCOMING FEAR DURING CRISIS
Study Text: Exodus 14: 10 - 14.
Introduction:
- Everyone experiences fear during crisis in their life. There are big fears we are very aware of and little ones we may not even realize we have.
- It is very important to understand what fear is and how it works against us because if we don't, it can keep us from becoming what God created us to be, and prevent us from fulfilling our purpose in life.
- Fear is a weapon the devil uses against us to make us miserable and destroy our lives. It begins as a thought and then creates emotions that can rule us.
- It often becomes a strong, intense feeling that tries to move us to make a foolish action or tries to prevent us from doing something that would be good for us.
In our walk with the Lord there will be times of Crisis. There will be periods when our faith in God is tested.
- These are conditions of instability and fear of impending danger everywhere.
- Out of fear, series of questions come to mind. When will it end, where is God while all this is going on and why will God allow it to happen?
- In our Study Text, we see the case of the children of Israel who find themselves in a crisis trapped with nowhere to turn.
They could not see a way out, they were caught between Pharaoh and the deep Red Sea and asking the question where is God when we need Him?
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Meaning of Fear
2. The Mission of Fear
3. The Measures against Fear
1. The Meaning of Fear:
- Going through the scriptures, there are several ways we can describe fear. Some of these include:
1. Fear is a stronghold of the mind- (2 Timothy 1:7)
- God has not given us a spirit of fear—God gives peace, joy and love.
- Fear is a spirit of bondage, Satan specializes in binding people by fear, so that he can succeed in making them to do his bid against the will of God.
2. Fear is an opposite of faith— (Hebrews 11:1)
- Simply put, fear is the opposite of faith. God wants us to walk by faith, and Satan wants us to walk by fear.
- When we learn to live by faith and not let fear rule our life, we can live a fulfilling, satisfying, peaceful and joyful life in Christ.
- Faith sees the opportunity for God to turn every situation for ones good, fear sees the obstacles to receive something good from God.
- Faith sees possibility and confesses that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philippians 4:13, fear sees difficulties and confesses failures and disappointments.
3. Fear has a crippling and paralyzing power on man.
- It is manifested in our lives by stress, worry, burnout and depression.
- Fear has torment. It is overcome by the help of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:31)They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
4. Fear is a misunderstanding and misrepresenting of God (Matthew 6:9)
- Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Jesus came to teach us that God is on our side, that we don’t need to worry about tomorrow, because we know who holds tomorrow.
5. Knowing God’s Love is the remedy for fear (I John 4:18).
- Perfect love casts out fear. Knowing God loves us, knowing God cares about us, knowing that God is in control of our lives and this world, will cast out all fear.
2. The Mission of Fear.
- The children of Israel have just been delivered from the strong, oppressive hand of Pharaoh. God had demonstrated His power to deliver them from four hundred years of bondage and brought them out of Egypt the land of slavery and oppression.
- They had started their journey with high hopes and expectations toward the land of promise; but they have marched only a few days and suddenly they find themselves with the Red Sea in front of them and mountains on the side.
- How is it that God delivered them from four hundred years of bondage and the hands of Pharaoh, and they could make the statement, “… For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” They could not see God in the midst of their crisis.
Why could they not see God and why many times in our crisis we cannot see God? This is because fear has a mission to accomplish in the lives of its captives.
