FIVE WAYS TO COMBAT FEAR PT 2
EPH 4 VS 4-9
Philippians 4:4-9 (NKJV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
1. INITIATE A CONVERSATION WITH GOD- PRAYER, SUPPLICATION, PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING, AND MAKE SPECIFIC REQUESTS KNOWN TO GOD:
Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
A. PRAY- THIS IS WHEN WE SET ASIDE A SPECIFIC TIME OF DEVOTION AND WORSHIP- PRAYER IS WORSHIP! I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IN OUR HUSTLE BUSTLE GENERATION, PEOPLE HAVE LAID DOWN THE “OLD FAMILY ALTAR” AND HAVE ONLY PRACTICED THE “FEEL GOOD” PRAYER LIFE WHICH IS “GOD WHEN I NEED YOU I WILL CALL.” MENTALITY. WE NEED TO INTENTIONALLY SET ASIDE A TIME WITH GOD, EVERYDAY TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP HIM, AND THAT WILL BRING FORTH PRAYER THAT HAS NOT BEEN HEARD OF IN OUR GENERATION!
EXAMPLE:
Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
B. SUPPLICATION- THIS IS A DEEP FORM OF PRAYER IN WHICH WE POUR OUT OUR SOUL UNTO GOD- NEED, GREAT NEED CONFRONTS US AND WE COME AS A CHILD, CRYING, BEGGING FOR HIS HELP, DELIVERANCE, AND PEACE.
EXAMPLE:
Luke 22:39-46 (NKJV)
39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.
40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."
41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."
43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.
44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.
46 Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."
Acts 1:8-14 (NKJV)
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."
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.
13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
C. WITH THANKSGIVING- OUR PRAYERS SHOULD ALWAYS BE SEASONED WITH THANKSGIVING, NO GREATER EXAMPLE OF PRAYERS LIKE THIS WERE MADE THAN THOSE BY JESUS:
EXAMPLE:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
D. REQUESTS- THESE ARE SPECIFICS THAT WE APPROACH GOD WITH, THEY ARE NOT SOME GENERAL MEANINGLESS UTTERANCE, BUT SOMETHING TANGIBLE THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO GOD AND TO US!
Matthew 6:11-13 (NKJV)
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Luke 18:1-8 (NKJV)
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'
4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' "
6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
2. MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD- WE ARE OFTEN CONSUMED BY FEAR, ANXIETY AND STRESS BECAUSE WE FIX OR MEDITATE ON THE “UNCERTAINTY” OF LIFE- THE “WHAT IF’S” IF YOU WILL, BUT WE CAN OVERCOME THESE THINGS WHEN WE FOCUS ON WHAT IS CONCRETE, STEADFAST, INFAILABLE AND INERRANT WORD OF GOD:
Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
**IN A TIME OF GREAT WORRY AND STRESS FOR “HIS” PEOPLE JESUS SAID THIS:
Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
**IF WE KEEP OUR EYES FIXED UPON JESUS AND MEDITATE ON THE LOVE HE HAS FOR US IT WILL KEEP FEAR, STRESS AND ANXIETY AT BAY—
**ITS BEEN SAID THAT A BIBLE THAT IS “FALLING APART” IS OWNED BY SOMEONE WHO’S LIFE ISN’T!
3. WE NEED TO IMITATE THOSE WHO HAVE A CLOSE WALK WITH CHRIST, NOT TO A POINT AS TO BE THEM, BUT TO “BE LIKE THEM” IN THE STRONG AREAS OF THEIR WALK.
Philippians 4:9 (NKJV)
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
**IF THERE WAS EVER A PERSON WHO FACED SEVERE ADVERSITY, IT WAS THE APOSTLE PAUL. LISTEN TO HIS VERY OWN TESTIMONY:
2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NKJV)
23 Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
**HIS PARTING WORDS TO YOUNG TIMOTHY:
2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NKJV)
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
**INITIATE, MEDITATE, AND IMITATE** KEYS TO BEING AN OVERCOMMER IN CHRIST!!
