How do we overcome the fear that is holding us back? Let’s face it, fear impacts us all. We all have things that create fear within us. But, when these fears hold us back and keep us from becoming the people God would have us be, it’s time to throw them off.
Key Verse: Hebrews 12:1 “… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
American’s top 10 fears list (What would be on your list?)
What about the fear of rejection / fear of getting involved / fear of really trusting God / fear of serving / fear of commitment / fear of close relationships / fear of failure
If you see fear as one of the weights that is holding you back, let me give you four all time tested and successful steps that will help you throw it under the bus and move ahead.
1. Develop a Lifestyle of Prayer
Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
(A) Process your fears with prayer
• Experiencing fear is just one of the many realities of life. We don’t try to avoid fear altogether, (That’s impossible). Instead, we need to learn what to do with it. Prayer is our first line of defense when it comes to fear.
• We can internalize our fear and allow it to become a weight, or we can take our fear to God and process it with Him. By process I mean tell Him about it / acknowledge that you feel it / don’t over spiritualize it / tell God what you need / thank God for all He has done – WHY? Reminds you of His track record!
• The reason we experience fear is that whatever the circumstances are, (perceived or real) they are bigger than us…bigger than our resources…we can’t see our way around them...they threaten our security.
• Prayer, reminds me that whatever I am facing God is bigger / stronger / more powerful / His resources are never ending / and He loves me! He wants me to come to Him because He wants to provide.
• In all honesty, I have had some moments of anxiety in regards to this expansion project. Satan has thrown the “what if” thoughts into my mind. What if we don’t get enough money? What if the economy gets so bad we can’t afford this? What if people aren’t supportive? What if the whole thing falls apart?
• There have been some days when I have woke up with a knot in my stomach. Know the feeling? In those times we need to run to God with these feelings and leave them with Him. Something happens in God’s presence….
(B) Prayer guards your feelings, emotions and thoughts
• These verses talk about God guarding our hearts (emotions) and our minds (thoughts). When we experience fear and anxiety, our minds can just run away with all kinds of “what if” thinking and terrible scenarios, and then our emotions just follow along. Pretty soon we’ve got ourselves so worked up we’re not even rational.
• In prayer, God reigns in our thinking and our emotions so that He can replace it with His peace. Prayer gets our thinking and emotions off of the circumstances and on to God.
• Prayer moves us from what if thinking to what God can do thinking…what God has promised thinking. Fear is a faithless response to life and circumstances while prayer is a faith response. Living out of fear is a life God simply can’t bless, but choosing to pray is a faith response that God blesses richly.
• The amount of peace we experience in this life is not connected to favorable circumstances, but to the amount of time we pray about the circumstances of life. Which are you doing? We first throw off the weight of fear with prayer.
2. Acknowledge The Presence Of God
• Summarize the story
Mark 4:39-40 “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Faith in ME! How can you be afraid when I’m in the boat?)
• If we are ever going to have success throwing off our fears, we must get into the habit of acknowledging the presence of God with us. WHY?
(A) Awareness of God’s presence calms our fears
Matthew 28:20 “… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
• The presence of God is promised for the expressed purpose so that we are not living life in fear! We have the God of the universe who experiences life with us. He is not at a distance watching us…He is with us! Take comfort in that!
• Whether we feel His presence or not is irrelevant. The fact is that He is with you right now! Whatever you are going through…whatever you are facing … whatever circumstance …
• Jesus looks at us in our fear and says, “Why are you so afraid? Why do you think the boat is going to sink with me in it with you?” Here’s the difference between those who perceive God as “watching” them or “with” them. Which have you been believing?
The amount of fear we experience will be connected to which you embrace.
I still get nervous every Weekend service (visualize Jesus on the platform)
• When we are in a fearful situation, the presence of the right person brings comfort. For example: If someone is breaking into your house and you call 911 and you hear the siren, you start feeling better. If your house is burning down and the fire truck pulls up, you start feeling better. The presence of the right person at the right time brings calm.
• God wants us to know that you can count on Him being the right person for every situation you are going to face in this life! I AM IS WITH YOU!
(B) Awareness of God’s presence is a choice
• We must make a conscious choice to acknowledge God’s presence with us when we are fearful. This is a declaration of faith in the midst of our fear. I love what the prophet Jeremiah says … Jeremiah 20:11 “But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail …”
• God’s presence is so real He is like a dreaded champion that everyone fears, therefore no one messes with me! If you mess with me you are messing with God!
• Next time in your fear and anxiety, instead of asking God to be with you, why not by faith thank Him that He already is. Why not thank Him for His provision / protection / defending you / thank Him that He is with you
• Maybe you can even speak at your circumstances that are creating fear and anxiety in your life and say; “I refuse to be afraid of you any longer, for the Lord is with me like a dread champion!”
Whatever you may be facing, will you begin acknowledging the presence of God?
3. Claim The Promises Of God
• I believe much of our fear comes from simply not knowing the promises of God. Psalms 119:49-50 “Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.” Notice that God’s promises produce comfort. Psalms 18:30 “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” God’s promises cannot fail! They will always come true! 100%. 2 Peter 1:4 “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” God’s promises are transforming! God’s promises change our lives!
• Essential parts of claiming God’s promises.
(A) Knowing the promises of God
• It’s tough to claim promises you don’t know about. But, the promises of God have been given to us to give us peace / comfort / and courage instead of fear.
• I have an assignment for you.
Spend time this week reading, believing, and rejoicing in the promises of God!
(B) Trusting in the promises of God
• It’s one thing to say you intellectually believe something. It’s another thing to put your trust in it. Now that you know more of the promises for God, it’s time to start trusting them.
• HOW?
• Find promises that relate to your fears and anxieties.
• By faith pray those promises back to God. Tell Him you believe those promises.
• Be willing to speak those promises out loud when you are filled with fear.
• Be willing to walk in obedience to these promises. Sometimes God gives us conditional promises. If we are willing to trust Him and obey His condition He will in turn bless us for that obedience.
• 2012 had been one of the most emotionally / mentally / spiritually grueling years of my life. It has been the promises of God that have gotten me through. If we are willing to claim the promises of God, something amazing will begin to happen.
4. Walk In The Power Of The Holy Spirit
• Often our fears come from feeling overwhelmed and powerless. (I can’t do this!) BUT power is something God has an inexhaustible supply of and He promises this power to us!
Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Power is promised!
(A) Believe God’s power is for you
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
• If you have invited Christ into your life then you have His Spirit living inside you. You have His power source inside you. God’s power is not for a select few but for every person who has a relationship with Him.
• God’s power is in you so that you don’t have to live a life of fear always feeling overpowered by life and circumstances. There are powerful, unlimited resources at your disposal to live life.
• You can’t experience something if you refuse to believe in it. The first step in experiencing God’s power is simply believing it is real and it is for you!
(B) Learn to walk in God’s power
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
• HOW? I used to think that doing everything through Christ’s strength meant I would feel powerful. Most of the time this is not the case. Most of the time it means being obedient and dependent on God regardless how we feel.
• Last October I was at a very low point. (Ministry stress / construction project / office move / death of a dear friend / very hectic schedule / I came home from a Saturday morning elder meeting just exhausted and empty. I had one hour before I had to do a wedding. I had nothing left. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
• God’s power becomes a reality in our lives when we believe and claim His promises and then by faith walk forward in obedience regardless of the fear / anxiety / weakness / regardless of our feelings. This is when God’s power shows up!
• Obedience is like the light switch to God’s power showing up in our lives. 2 Corinthians 4:7 “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
• Overcoming our fears is not about us … it’s all about Him. It’s all about whether you will allow God to be more than enough for you! If you will, then you can cast your fears behind you and in freedom become all that God desires you to be!
• Some of you are just dominated by fears and anxiety. Wouldn’t you like to be free from this weight you live with every day?
Application: Will you …
Practice praying to God
Acknowledge the presence of God
Claim the promises of God
Walk in the power of God
Don't let fear rob you from the abundant life that God has planned for you.
