Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
Selective Scriptures
Introduction-
This morning I want to look at becoming an overcomer. Centering in on the overcoming of fear and anxiety. Truth be told, there are a lot of things to be fearful of. From the failing economy, people stealing our money, to being afraid of the dark. There are people that live their life in fear.
Some common fears:
Fear of the dark,
Fear of rejection,
Fear of failure,
Fear of danger,
Fear of heights...you get it. There is a phobia for almost everything. Remember my confession of the fear of roller coasters. They actually have a phobia for that.
Questions to ask yourself:
What does God’s Word say about fear.
How do you know if your living in fear.
What can you do to live victorious.
(FDR) President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at his first inaugural address after the 1932 elections. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” I think there is truth in that. But the God of the universe say’s that we have nothing to fear...period.
Isaiah 43:13-
“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.”
This does not mean our lives will be trouble free- far from it. But the message of God’s word is that fear...of our enemies, of the future, of failure, whatever your fear is- need not dominate your life and paralyze you from living victorious.
There are many faces of fear-
guilt and shame are forms of fear inwardly, commonly causing depression and anxiety.
Anger and hatred manifest themself outwardly at someone else.
Most fears seem to be subtle and unexpected. It starts with one fearful thought, leads to another, before you know it, it has taken a life of it’s own.
The Bible is full of promises.
Promises that God will do what He says that He will do. (Trustworthy).
God says that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Protector).
He tells us that this life is not all there is- for those that know Christ, are a child of God, this is a moment of time (Eternal).
When you look at it that way- some promise scriptures have personal meaning.
Psalm 27:1
“The Lord is my light and my Salvation, so why should I be afraid”
Isaiah 41:10
“Don’t be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you . I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
This is the scripture that helped Becky get enough courage to sing in front of people.
John 14:27
“Peace I leave you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Allowing God to search within your life, He will be able to identify the birthplace of that fear and begin the process of overcoming and healing it.
Example-
fear of water because someone held you under the water.
fear of public speaking because someone made fun of you .
A single fright incident that marked your life and has given you this fear.
Every fear , small fear, big fear, real fear, imaginary fear...all are real to us. But will we let it control us and stop us.
As a kid, the monster under the bed is real, until mommy or daddy convinces us otherwise and we know that they have taken care of that fear.
Illustration
little boy, who was afraid of the dark, was told to go to the unlit back porch and get the broom. He told his Dad he couldn’t because it was so dark and his Dad said, Son, don’t be afraid, Jesus is out there. So the little boy went to the back of the house, opened the door, stuck his hand out into the porch and said, Jesus, would you give me the broom? And much like that little boy, much of what we fear is not real. One study showed that 92% of things we fear never come to pass.
Watch this:
Faith is believing what we cannot see to come to pass.
Hebrews 11-
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen”
Fear is believing what we cannot see to come to pass.
Did you catch that
They can be the same definition.
The only difference is how we look at it.
It makes a difference of what your focus is on.
Hope by definition is expecting what is desirable to happen.
Fear directs our attention to the past or to the future- based on what we believe will happen in a negative way.
I like the acrostic, Fear is: False Evidence Appearing Real.
Faith directs our attention to the past or to the future- based on what we believe will happen in a Godly(positive way)
Hope is expecting and anticipating good and positive things in front of us.
Don’t mix fear and faith- they cannot survive together. Fear will remove faith or faith will remove fear.
My question to you this morning:
which way are you going to live your life?
There are 2 kinds of fears:
Nenien C. McPherson, Jr., says that the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises are the only fears that are natural to us. There are only two, he says, and all the rest are learned. McPherson then quotes well-known psychiatrist Dr. William Sadler who said that the only known cure (for fear) is faith.
Good fear- keep us from extremes that could harm us- like having a pet rattle snake., maybe seeing that a pet chimp is not good.
Bad fear- the fear that paralyze us and keeps us from being or doing what we should do or be.
God wants us courageous with Godly fear.
Satan wants to beat us down so we are not what God intended us to be.
2 Timothy 1:7-
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of a self control.”
Satan centers in using our fears to stop us, to bind us, to rob us. Causes us to fall short of what God intends for our lives.
God gives us courageous fear- that says we cannot do it in our own strength, but trusting God to work it out in our lives.
Phil 4:13
“I can do all thing through Christ that strengthens me.”
Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
God gives you the power of salvation
God gives you the power to be a witness.
God gives you the power to be a strong Christian.
God gives you the power to endure life’s setbacks.
We do not have to be afraid, because the power of God is active in your lives.
Closing:
Conquering fear is not a self determination.(I will not be afraid)
It is not about will power. (I think I can.. I think I can.)
It is not about saying the right things.(This will not happen to me)
It is about depending on God and putting our trust and love in God.
There is no fear in Love. But perfect love drives out fear. (1John 4:18)
Trusting in God cast out fear.
It is about exposing the lies, that we have allowed to dictate our lives.
I will not become fearful over lies of the devil.
I will not jump to conclusions and go to the negative and forgetting the positives.
I will not dwell on what might happen
There is a difference between fearful and fearless.
One says I can’t move forward.
One says that I can’t be stopped.
Illustration
The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
“To get what you have never had, you must do what you have never done.” I don’t know who said that, but that is what it is going to take.”
Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.
1.God wants to expose our fears
Illustration
Luther on Fear
Martin Luther made this interesting observation in his Table Talk. God and the devil take opposite tactics in regard to fear. The Lord first allows us to become afraid, that he might relieve our fears and comfort us. The devil, on the other hand, first makes us feel secure in our pride and sins, that we might later be overwhelmed with fear and despair.
2.Eliminate our fears
3. Connect you to the power of God
Look beyond the storm to see Jesus.
Choose to trust Jesus.
Submit yourself to God and resist the devil and his lies.
Illustrations-
A ship’s captain looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send this message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” A prompt message came in return, “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” Captain angered that his command had been ignored sent a second message, “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am a captain ” A message came back in return, “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am seaman 3rd class Jones ” The captain sent a third message knowing the fear it would evoke, “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am a battleship ” Then the reply came, “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse ” An authentic biblical community submits to the authority of Jesus.
Phobophobia: fear of being afraid.
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. — George Muller
Every tomorrow has two handles; we can take hold by the handle of anxiety or by the handle of faith.
Altar call;
Which will you live your life bye? Starting today.
