Judges Series #13
Life Cycles
“Facing Fear” Pt 4 (Trust More Fearless)
Review
Everyone experiences fear from time to time. Fear is a tangible involuntary reaction to a perceived or actual threat to my well-being that is either present or potential that requires some sort of intentional response. We live in a scary threatening world. Threats assault every aspect of our life all through our life. Our emotional well-being, our livelihood, our physical safety, our spiritual well-being. One phone call can disrupt our whole system. A single event can change the course of our whole day and even life. Endless possibilities for harm lurk at every turn.
The Bible records hundreds of threatening events that stirred fear in those living it. Fortunately, it also records numerous principles that enable us to not eliminate the threats but face the fear. So far, we have suggested two stages in dealing with our fears.
The first thing to do is to analyze the fear-triggering event.
Is the threat real or imagined?
Is the threat in the present or am I worried about some future possible threat?
What are the chances of this calamity happening to me?
Is there anything I can do about it?
If I can’t do anything about a situation, worry and fear is not going do anything either.
Real threats require specific action.
Imagined threats require renewal of our thinking and perspective.
The Second step is to consider an intentional response.
We need to train our thinking with the principles of the Scripture.
We need tune our hearts to God’s specific direction and application of those principles.
1. Fight
There are times we need to stand up against the threat I the strength of the Lord.
2. Flee
Other times we need to remove ourselves from a threatening situation.
3. Freeze
God may call us to wait for His timing.
Due to our lack of genuine trust, we may become paralyzed from doing anything.
4. Fret
Continual worry and fret about the real or perceived threat is never healthy.
We need to do something.
5. Faith -- TRUST
The primary response to fear must be faith.
By faith, I mean trust and obedience. Genuine faith always includes intentional action. I intellectually grasp the truth I emotionally embrace the truth. I willfully act on the truth. A healthy response of trust comes from the assurance of God’s person (Our Infinite God can deal with anything and has promised never to fail us), an awareness of God’s presence (He has promised never to leave or forsake us) and a grip on God’s promises (He has promised to perfect us). Repeatedly, God encouraged people in fearful circumstances to take courage and not fear base on the person, presence and promise of God.
FEAR REDUCING LOGIC
We serve an all-powerful, all knowing concerning past, present and future things and an ever-present God who is fully capable of addressing ANY fearful circumstance in which we may find ourselves.
Nothing happens in life that He does not skillfully and sovereignly orchestrate to accomplish His higher purposes.
He declares His unconditional love for us.
He promises NEVER to leave us or forsake us. He is with us.
Knowing these indisputable facts enables us (like it Jesus did) to continually entrust our souls in both the good and bad circumstances of life to a faithful Creator.
Jesus preached that people should not fret about the future because God cares deeply.
Rather, they should keep His kingdom and living a godly life at the top of their priority list.
Other Bible passages link other actions related to fear.
6. Pray with Thanksgiving
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
A few observations!
The focus on what we should do is clear. Rejoice realizing the Lord is near. Let your resulting anxiety-free state be evident by our refusal to worry about ANYTHING.
Instead, Paul instructed them to pray about EVERYTHING.
The alternative to anxiety and worry is prayer.
The more vital our communication with the God is, the less anxious our life.
Think about it.
Being in direct communication with the all-powerful, all knowing, everywhere present loving God when a threatening circumstance arises obviously diminishes the sting of the threat.
Talk to God about your feelings of anxiety. Let Him know how you feel. Be sure you express thanksgiving for the faith building opportunity. It is harder to be fearful and anxious when thanksgiving occupies our conversation.
The result?
A peace from God that defies human logic appears; a peace that garrisons, guards, protects your HEART (feelings) and your MIND thinking by reason of you connection to Jesus.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because with Him there is continual care for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
The prayer of humility is the act of entrusting everything in your life to a loving God in prayer.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18
The motivation is that He continually cares deeply about us as individuals. Understanding the depth of God’s love purges, throws out, casts off all fear. He can be trusted with your heart.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
Nehemiah faced threatening situations with prayer.
He spent long periods of prayer and fasting when he first heard about the deplorable conditions in Jerusalem even though he was hundreds of miles away.
He fired off a prayer when the king noticed his sadness for his people.
So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. Nehemiah 2:2-4
He prayed when his enemies threatened the work on the wall.
For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands. Nehemiah 6:9
Prayer isn’t usually my first response.
I usually stew and fret a bit before I get around to conversing with God about it.
It painfully exposes my lack of true trust in God’s person, presence and promise.
We need to be like those little ducklings that run to mommy at every perceive threat.
7. Pursue the truth
Many of our fears arise because of ignorance. You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free, even from fear.
A wise man is strong (not fearful), and a man of knowledge increases power. For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Proverbs 24:5-6
Jacob feared because of his ignorance of God’s presence. He ran in fear from his brother Esau in spite of the affirmation of God’s covenant. God spoke to him in a dream. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Genesis 28:15-17
Peter clearly spelled out the benefits of a proper knowledge and perspective.
What we need in threatening circumstance is power and peace.
Peter prayed for both in abundance for his readers.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2 Peter 1:2-4
Where do we find such power and peace?
Here God multiplies and increases grace and peace through a deeper awareness of God and Jesus who promise to provide everything we need pertaining to life and godliness.
Of course, continual interaction with the written word of God brings comfort and encouragement in stressful times.
Practical research can also dispel fear-triggering ignorance.
8. Encourage one another with words and touch
Courage in threatening situations often comes from an encouraging word from another person.
Besides a specific word from the Lord, the words of other people encourage us.
God instructs all followers of Jesus to be encouragers rather than discouragers.
Let no worthless (discouraging) word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it empower or energize (give grace) those who hear. Ephesians 4:29
Examples of encouragement in threating circumstances appear all through the Bible.
And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God. Thus he said to him, "Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also." So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house. 1 Samuel 23:16-18
God told Moses to encourage Joshua.
The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, 'Not even you shall enter there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. Deuteronomy 1:37-38
The people encouraged Joshua.
"Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous." Joshua 1:18
The prophet Azariah encouraged Asa.
Now when Asa heard these words and the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah. 2 Chronicles 15:8
The subject of encouragement warrants a whole series in itself.
God called us to bless others.
Blessing others includes speaking words of blessing.
Paul began his letters with the two most needed elements: grace and peace.
Along with encouraging words, an encouraging touch often accompanies words.
A pat on the back, a holy hug a loving touch greatly encourages the fearful.
9. Prepare
Few things generate fear than unpreparedness.
The more prepared the less reason to fret.
She (godly woman) is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21
Peter does not promise protection from persecution but courage in it through a proper focus and preparation.
Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:13-16
10. Rejoice
Then Nehemiah said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10
Paul, who was in prison when he wrote it, told the Philippians to REJOICE.
That is what he did in prison. Rejoicing in life-threating circumstances.
Rejoicing is an outwardly expression a God-implanted joy in spite of my circumstances.
Legitimate threats require a Spirit-directed response.
Perceived threats require a Spirit-directed renewing of our thinking.
It boils down to this.
Either we live in continual fear and turmoil because of threatening circumstances that are happening or might happen or we live in a peaceful Fear of the Lord who has it all under control, loves us and promises NEVER to leave us, forsake us or fail us.
Briefly, I want to touch on a few things that intensify fear.
FEAR INTENSIFIERS
1. Sin / disobedience
Adam hid from God because of fear do to his deliberate disobedience of God.
Moses warned the Israelites of the consequences of disobeying the law.
The latter part of Deuteronomy clearly spells out the blessing of obedience and the curse of disobedience.
Not only would they experience devastating calamity and exile, but experience devastating fear.
"Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, 'Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, 'Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see. Deuteronomy 28:65-67
For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. Romans 13:3
Fear may feel more intense because your relationship with God is not quite right.
The antidote is restored communication and trust.
When you deliberately refuse to take God’s action, you will feel more threatened by life.
He tells us to pray. We don’t pray. We don’t get his incomprehensible peace.
2. Previous Trauma
For many, our present fear connects to some past intense threat or traumatic event. The antidote is a healing touch from God. The past does not have to dictate the future. Learn from the past, don’t live there.
3. Pride
God resists the proud but empowers the humble. A refusal to humbly yield to God’s agenda in your life will leave you feeling vulnerable. A self-centered life will actually cause you to be more vulnerable to threat. When you purposely walk out from under the umbrella of God’s protection, you are still under His watchful care but you become a target for the enemy. The antidote is humble submission to God.
4. Doubt
When Jesus addressed the disciple’s fear in the storm battered boat, He directly questioned their faith.
And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40
You either have faith or not. You either trust or not. The antidote is faith / trust. Much of the fear in the Gospels came from a failure to trust God fully.
5. Ignorance / hardness / lack of preparation
Often fear results from ignorance of truth. This applies to spiritual and physical realms. We label some fears irrational because they develop because of ignorance of basic truths. Mark identified the reason for the fear the disciples experienced in one of the life-threatening encounters with nature.
But when they (the disciples) saw Jesus walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened. Mark 6:49-52
They should have realized that Jesus possessed absolute power over nature.
They failed to learn anything about His person or His presence or His promise because hardness of heart.
Antidote to Ignorance is to pursue the truth with a teachable heart.
6. Demonic stronghold
When we continually doubt God’s person, presence and promise, we allow Satan to bring fear. Not only do we battle fear of demons but demons fears. They have the ability to manipulate our emotional system an implant fears left unaddressed become fortresses. The sick thing about their tactics is that they often run a double scam.
First, they implant fear and then they condemn for having fear. Demons implanted the fear of having committed the unpardonable sin in Betty’s (not real name) mind. Due to ignorance and a number of other factors (there are usually multiple factors involved in the development of a paralyzing fortress) Betty became incapacitated in life. Demonic forces gained influence over every aspect of her life. Sharon had extreme fear of heights intensified by demons from a childhood trauma. The antidote to a demonic stronghold is spiritual warfare. Both of these found significant freedom from their fears when they recognized and fought the right enemy.
7. Failure to fear the Lord
I briefly mention this because we will spend several weeks on the subject. When we fear the Lord, we need fear nothing else. When we fail to fear the Lord, we end up fearing everything else. I will elaborate on the antidote to a failure to fear the Lord in the weeks to come.
Today
Use your fears to expose areas of your life that need attention: disobedience, doubt.
Allow your fears to motivate a godly action or response; a chance to trust God.
Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 28:20
Should I Stand and fight in the strength of the Lord or flee from the imminent danger?
Should I freeze or act?
Confess our unbelieving fretting and entrust our soul to our Faithful Creator.
Pray with thanksgiving.
Pursue the truth and prepare in order to dispel paralyzing ignorance
Encourage others or enlist the help of encouragement from others.
Rejoice in the Lord for the joy of the Lord is will be your strength.
Trust and obey the infinite God who deeply loves and cares for you!
