Fighting with Fear
Mark 6:45-51
Series: Winning the Battle with Anxiety
May 19, 2013
Morning Service
Top five things children are afraid of
1. The dark
2. Death
3. Spiders
4. Needles
5. Thunderstorms
Top five things adults are afraid of
1. Terrorist attacks
2. Snakes
3. Spiders
4. Death
5. Heights
What are you afraid of?
Unknown
Failure
Rejection
Loss
Change
Discovery
Discomfort
Fear knocks at the door of our hearts every day. We make the choice to open the door and let it in.
Why is it so easy to be fearful? Why do we not have more courage?
Our human nature is to have fear. We see things from our limited perspective and encounter life through our limited strength, this is why we grow fearful.
Fear also seems to be a way of life for many. They have lived for so long dealing with fear that they believe it is the norm. God tells us again, and again: do not be afraid.
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, Mark 6:45-51
The disciples had already experienced a fierce storm of the Sea of Galilee previously. We studied that storm a few weeks ago. Many think that these stories are the same event. These are two different storms on two different days. Different days cause different storms that we will need to face. Storms of life toss us around, tear us up and trouble our spirits. The first storm created a spirit of panic and distress. The second storm generated a sense of fear and despair. Maybe the disciples were thinking, not now and not again. Our attitude often seems to look at recurring problems, thinking here we go again. That is when fear starts to set in and messes with our minds.
Fear is an age old problem
Fear originated in the Garden of Eden following the Fall. Before Adam and Eve sinned, there was no fear. There was no reason to be afraid. There was nothing to be afraid of. Can you imagine a life with no fear, no worries, no stress and no anxiety? Life in the Garden was free of all of those things. The moment of disobedience becomes their first taste of fear. In response to their fear, they hid from God. Fear is a byproduct of sin. Fear flows from the dominion of sin.
The promise of Christ is that He will make the world new again. Everything that was a result of the Fall will be reversed. Jesus will remove the nature of fear from creation, once and for all. Fear will cease to exist. Our human nature will be redeemed and the world will be set right. The nature of Eden will be restored and every reason to live in fear will be removed.
We try to hide from God. We try to avoid the consequences of sin. We try to hide the fact that we sinned. Sin means that we have done wrong and everyone has done something at some point in their lives. No one is free from the reality of sin and from the grim reality of fear.
Fear multiplies as we drift
The more that we drift in our relationship with God, the more likely we are to experience fear. The more we move away from God, the closer we move to our fears. We will never be able to overcome our fear without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. One reason that God desires to help us rise above the power of sin is to set us free from the bondage of fear. The more that we live in a state of spiritual drift, the more we have to fear.
Fear drains us of our faith
Fear and faith will never be compatible. When we live in state of fear, we cannot live in faith. Our faith gives us strength to on a daily basis but fear will sap that strength right out of our lives. Fear removes the spirit of courage from us and replaces it with alarm. The more often we give into fear, the more difficult it becomes to live with courage. Courage is not an absence of fear but an overcoming of fear.
Terror is a tactic from Hell
Fear is one of the most powerful tactics that works against our faith. Satan does not want anyone to live a lifestyle of bold faith. When we live in faith, we live above the bondage of fear. Satan will do anything and everything to keep us in a state of anxiety and fear.
Fear is a common reality
No one is immune to the influence of fear. There will be times in life when we experience fear but we do not have to be overcome by fear. Mark states that the disciples were terrified. This is not a normal or ordinary fear but rather is fear at the deepest level. There were two main reasons that the disciples were filled with fear. The first was the storm that they were dealing with and the second was the ghost.
The disciples saw Jesus walking on the water and became terrified. They believed that Jesus was a ghost. The Greek word is phantizmo, where we get our word phantasm. The word was used to describe the vilest of evil spirits. The disciples believed that what they saw coming out of the storm was an evil spirit. Fear made them see something that was not there. Fear caused them to almost miss the miracle happening in front of them.
Fear will paralyze us into inaction
Fear will prevent us from living in faith
Fear will promote discouragement within us
Jesus stands with us in our fear
Notice that Jesus speaks into the fears of the disciples. He knows they are afraid and look at what He says. “Take courage, It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus speaks into the storm, He speaks into the fear. Jesus takes the teeth out of the terror. He removes the power from the fear.
When we go through times that would generate fear, Jesus speaks to us. It is I, I am here. Jesus stands with us even when the storm overwhelms us. Jesus stays with us even when the storm scares us. Jesus strengthens us even when the storm weakens us.
How does Jesus bring calm into the chaos?
1. Jesus comes beside us
Jesus brings His presence into the midst of our fear. Jesus comes into our chaos to provide a sense of His clarity and brings us a sense of His calm. Jesus gives us courage, even in the most fearful situations. He floods our spirit with His strength and lifts us up in His power. Jesus infuses our fear with a His fearlessness. He gives supernatural strength for our moments of weakness.
Be encouraged because I am here
Be encouraged because you are not alone
Be encouraged because I am stronger than the storm
Be encouraged because I am God
2. Jesus brings the presence of God
Jesus tells the disciples to take courage but why? The words that follow are of amazing importance: It is I. At first glance this doesn’t seem incredibly significant. However, with closer examination, the words are echoing a previous event in scripture. Jesus is really saying Take courage because I am.
Jesus is drawing the disciples back to the calling of Moses at the burning bush. It is here that God tells His personal name for the first time – Yahweh: I am that I am. In the fear of God’s call, God gives Moses a promise. I am and I will be with you. The very name Yahweh speaks of His presence with Moses and with us. He promises that he will be there when we need Him. This is the Truth that Jesus speaks to the disciples.
Jesus echoes the call of God to the disciples. He proclaims the person of God. Jesus makes a bold claim here – I am God. The same God who called Moses is here with you. The same God who shut the mouths of lions is here with you. The same God who defeats giants is here with you. The same God who brings the dead to life is here with you. In the midst of their greatest fears, Jesus says: I am here don’t be afraid.
Jesus speaks to us in the midst of our fears – It is I. I am here, I am with you, You are not alone. Jesus stands with us even when the storms are overwhelming. Jesus stays with us even when the storm scares us. Jesus strengthens us even when the storm weakens us.
What fear has you in its grip today? What terror tactic is the enemy using against you? What do you need to give over to the strength of Jesus?
Today is the day to stop living in fear and start living in faith.
