FEAR AND TORMENT AND COUNTENANCE
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Text: 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
There is a healthy fear and a very unhealthy fear. I had a terrible fear of water. I refused to go near the water to go swimming. First, my mom taught me don’t go near the water until you know how to swim? How can I learn to swim and not get in the water? Every time I got near the water others would splash and throw water on me. This increased my fear. Several times someone would throw me into the water. No one seemed to understand my fear of the water. They just made it worse?
One day at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, I saw a young mom take the diaper off a little boy and put swimming trunks on him. He jumped in the water and swam to the platform in the deep water. I felt so ashamed of my fear, so I prayed and confessed my sins and decided I was going to swim. I backed up about twenty feet, prayed again and ran with all my might and did my best dive into the pool. The water was only a few inches deep. I hit the concrete bottom so hard I peeled the skin off my face and chest. The life guards blew their whistles and made everyone get out of the pool while they doctored my bloody wounds. I had that old red medicine all over me. I was so ashamed. My fear grew worse. I learned you can’t learn to swim in ankle deep water. Water could never be fun for me?
I had an aunt that was understanding. She would not allow by brother and cousins to splash me. She slowly worked with me. The next thing I knew I was in ankle deep, then knee deep. My aunt worked with my fears and gradually my fears were abated. It took a whole summer, but I started swimming.
Now, my older brother, Charles, was just the opposite. He had no fear of water. We were at a lake in east Tennessee swimming. There was a rope to clearly define the swimming area. He decided he would swim across the whole lake, over a mile swim. Charles made it about half the way and was in great distress, he could not swim back, and he could not make it across. We all stood in alarm. Some prayed. A speed boat came out of nowhere and rescued my brother and brought him back to safety. He laid lifeless for a long time. We all knew his NO FEAR almost cost him his life. I think he learned a valuable lesson that day.
FEAR? THERE IS A GOOD FEAR: THE FEAR OF THE HOLY GOD. PERHAPS WE HAVE SO TAUGHT GOD IS LOVE THAT WE HAVE BENT THE STANDARD TOO FAR? THERE IS LITTLE RESPECT AND REVERENCE AND AWL OF THE MIGHTY GOD.
Today we twist God’s words and redefine truth to fit our situations. We have lost our fear of God and respect for his house. When I was in college a teacher knew I was a Christian. He spoke to me personally and said: IS GOD LOVE? Yes! Does God really love you? Well, yes. After several questions he asked: IF GOD IS SO LOVING HE WOULD NEVER SEND YOU OR ANYONE ELSE TO HELL! I told him: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, GOD SENDS NO ONE TO HELL. WE HAVE FREEWILL, WE MAKE CHOICES. GOD HAS NEVER SENT A MAN, WOMAN, BOY OR GIRL TO HELL. IF WE GO TO HELL IT WAS OUR CHOICE TO REJECT JESUS AS OUR PERSONAL SAVIOR. HEAVEN OR HELL IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON ACCEPTING OR REJECTING JESUS.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
*1. FEAR (GOOD) FEAR: REVERENTIAL AWE OF God, respect and wonder,
*2. FEAR: (bad) anxiety, panic, an unpleasant emotion caused by an awareness of danger, to be afraid, to expect bad, to worry, frighten, alarm, worry, fret,
MANY OF THE SOCIAL AND PERSONAL ISSUES WE FACE TEND TO GROW OUT OF TERRIBLE FEAR. TODAY WE WANT TO DISCUSS HOW THE BAD, UNHEALTHY FEAR WILL ALWAYS CHANGE A PERSON’S COUNTENCE AND CAUSE GREAT HARM TO THE PERSON’S EGO, ID AND PERSONALITY.
What is at the root of PANIC and ANXIETY ATTACKS? There are no simple answers but part of the root maybe found in a LACK OF TRUST, fear and or sin. Can we see often FEAR could be rooted in the lack of trust.
The Bible warns us THAT FEAR WILL BE A GREAT ISSUE IN THE LAST DAYS.
Luke 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
FEAR BRINGS GREAT HARM TO OUR SOCIETY, OUR CHURCHES AND OUR FAMILIES. FEAR HAS TORMENT!
*TORMENT: to cause severe and persistent or reoccurring distress, agony, misery, extreme physical or mental pain, something that causes extreme physical or mental pain, anguish of body or mind, source of vexation,
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 (MSG) There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
GOD HAS DESIGNED MANKIND THAT FEAR CAN HAVE ITS ROOTS IN THE LACK OF TRUSTING GOD’S WILL, THE LACK OF LOVE, THE LACK OF GIVING, AND THE LACK OF OBEDIENCE TO THE PLAN OF GOD…
*Countenance: The appearance of a person’s face, your body language, demeanor,
*AURA: the energy field surrounding that emanates from a living being, the atmosphere surrounding a person, place or thing.
FEAR MAKES A CRIPPLING ENTRANCE TO FALLEN MANKIND… WE FIND FEAR BECOMES ALIVE AND WELL… FEAR CHANGES EVERYTHING… FEAR’S ROOTS CAME IN THE FALL…
ADAM and EVE made some poor choices that changed them and the world around them. FEAR MAKES A GREAT ENTRANCE THAT WILL RULE TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S COUNTENANCES
FOREVER…
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
THEN COMES OFFERING TIME, ABEL GAVE HIS BEST, CAIN GAVE “OF THE FRUIT.”
GIVING GOD LEFTOVERS WILL ALWAYS BRING FEAR. JEALOUSY COMES IN THE FIRST FAMILY.
Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
This is a sad day in the history of the ROOTS OF FEAR. FEAR BREEDS FEAR.
Genesis 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
A FALLEN COUNTENANCE DISTORTS THE FACTS AND REALITY AND TWISTS ONE’S PERSPECTIVE... RUTH SAYS SHE LEFT FULL, SHE LEFT EMPTY BECAUSE OF A DROUGHT.
Life has been a terrible battle for RUTH, FEAR HAS GAINED ROOTS. Her husband dies, her son dies, her other son dies… HER COUNTENANCE HAS FALLEN… THERE IS NO HOPE.
Ruth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
HOW WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BEEN THE EVANGELIST FOR ONE OF THE GREATEST REVIVALS IN HISTORY? WOULD YOU BE HAPPY? DISOBEDIENCE AND A BAD ATTITUDE WILL ALWAYS RESULT IN A FALLEN COUNTENANNCE.
Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Jonah 4:9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
YOUR COUNTENANCE WILL TELL MANY THINGS ABOUT YOU… Yesterday on Dr. Phil he said. YOU ARE NEVER ANY WEAKER THAN WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY. I SAY: Many people with wilted countenances are teaching GET EVEN or REVENGE. Anger and bitterness will always backfire.
PRAYER CAN CHANGE YOUR SITUATION AND YOUR COUNTENANCE. HANNAH’S LIFE WAS IN A BIG MESS. SHE WENT TO CHURCH… PRAYER CHANGED HER COUNTENANCE. HANNAH TRUSTED GOD BEFORE SHE RECEIVED HER ANSWER.
1 Samuel 1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
CONCLUSION: HAVE YOU EXAMINED YOUR COUNTENANCE? HOW ABOUT A GOOD SELF EVALUATION? What aura do you project to others? Do you have some issues to correct? Are you pleased with your countenance? Is God pleased with your attitudes?
Grace and forgiveness was demonstrated recently. BOTHAN JAMES was killed recently by AMBER GUYGER, a Dallas police officer. In court AMBER was found guilty of murdering Bothan James. Bothan is dead. GUYGER ADMITTED TO KILLING BOTHAM OUT OF FEAR as she entered the wrong apartment.
BRANDT JEAN, A young man embraces his brother’s killer asked the Judge: “CAN I HUG HER?” and as he hugs her he says: “I FORGIVE YOU.” He went on the say: I LOVE YOU AS A PERSON AND I DON’T WISH ANYTHING BAD ON YOU.
JUDGE TAMMY KEMP walked over in her black judges robe and gave AMBER a Bible. The world saw HOW WE CAN CHANGE OUR COUNTENANCES WITH CHRIST JESUS’LOVE. This is a powerful message of faith, love and forgiveness.
Not all agreed with the Judge and the little brother, but the world saw the countenance of those that accepted change that day.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I appreciate every person that reads my work. Thank you so much. May God richly bless and keep you. Keep your countenance pure before God.
