THE IMPERATIVE COMMAND FEAR NOT---
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
*Will you agree with this: The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith? The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety?
Ever ponder DRIFTING? You know about RIP TIDES? How did we get here? Years ago we sang a song: WE ARE DRIFTING TOO FAR FROM THE SHORE. I PONDER THIS DRIFTING? Is it possible to drift away and not even realize it? I read recently that 87% of Kentuckians are not in church on any given Sunday. That means only 13% attend. Of that 13% it is stated only 3% pay tithes? I don’t mean to be offensive, but at what point to we consider this Bible Belt to be drifting too far from the shore?
WE MUST ASK: DO WE HAVE FAITH? DO WE HAVE FAITH THAT GOD REALLY CARES ENOUGH TO HEAR OUR PRAYERS? WILL GOD RESPOND TO MY NEEDS?
WE HAVE AN ENEMY? HE IS A COMMON ENEMY… Often our enemy disguises himself. He is not a red, horned, pitchforked person. HE IS A SLICK WILLIE. One of our enemy’s goals is to destroy and shatter our FAITH. One of our enemy’s greatest goals is to get us in PANIC ATTACKS and ANXIETY BATTLES that will distort our minds to worry, fear, anger, bitterness, fret… THE QUESTION BOILS DOWN TO ONE SIMPLE TRUTH OR ONE DISTORTED FACT: WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
ALL THE ENEMY HAS TO DO IS TO GET YOU TO FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE REPORT OF PEOPLE, MATERIAL THINGS OR OF OUR ENEMY. GOD SAYS: TRUST ME…
WHAT FEAR ARE YOU FIGHTING? ARE YOU FIGHTING FEAR? FEAR WILL UTTERLY DETROY FAITH.
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Job 3:25 (MSG) The worst of my fears has come true, what I've dreaded most has happened.
My second year in college God opened the door for Linda and I to find a small apartment for $35 a month. They were government apartments for low income families. It was a very rough neighborhood and there was crime all around us. Our little three room apartment was cozy and we had some very nice neighbors in our building. No one had air conditioning and it was so hot in the summer. So we left our windows open and we often had some strange things occurring late at night.
One night, Linda woke me up with the covers pulled over our heads. She whispered ever so quietly. There is a man in our bedroom. I was scared spit less. A man? Are you sure? Did you lock the door? I started earnestly praying. My blood pressure and heart rate was high. Please God, let the man leave. Linda peeked out of the covers again and said he is still there and he is big. I asked Linda to give me my glasses so I could see him? She said: NO! I am not going to get out of bed for him to grab me! I prayed again. I asked Linda: Where is the man? She said he is about 2 to 3 o’clock. We were under the covers praying and I asked God for the strength to defend my home. I kissed Linda just in case he were to kill me. I prayed the third time. I jumped with all I had. I grabbed him and I jerked him down to the floor. I was so surprised, there was little fight in him. I turned on the lights and I had jerked the curtains off the wall. The man was no more than the curtains blowing in the wind. It took me hours to go back to sleep. FEAR DOES STRANGE THINGS…
COME LET US UNDERSTAND IMPERATIVE COMMAND… AS IT RELATES TO FAITH OR FEAR. The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith? The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety?
* An IMPERATIVE COMMAND is easily identified in structure. Often in a command the subject of the sentence is absent. WE CALL THIS “YOU UNDERSTOOD.” As we hear the imperative command we identify in our mind that we are the subject of the sentence.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
* Imperative commands are often used to give a command, or instruction, to make a request or offer advice. They are considered DIRECTIVES because they provide directions to whoever is being addressed.
Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
FEAR CAN COME FROM SEVERAL SOURCES.
Remembering something from the past, I call this THROW UP… The past can bury us…
Maybe something from the present that has made one bitter and or angry…
Or maybe one is worried over something in the future….
Do we realize fear can come from all three sources, past, present and the future…?
The beginning of anxiety is the end of FAITH? The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety?
Fear has torment, terror, or maybe dread. Fear comes out of the word PHOBIA. We can handle our PHOBIA’S several ways. 1.) We can IGNORE or DENY them. 2.) We can develop a RUN AWAY SPIRIT, some call this FLIGHT.
3.) Another way to handle fear is FIGHT, stand your ground.
4.) Still another way to handle fear is to TRUST GOD. There is a simple imperative command in God’s word.
MOSES HAS AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND WHEN PEOPLES’ FEARS WERE KILLING THEIR FAITH AND TRUST? FEAR IS SO REAL… THEY FEARED STARVATION, PHAROAH, HIS ARMY, AND THE RED SEA… THERE IS NO WAY OF ESCAPING THIS MESS? MOSES HAS AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND… FEAR NOT… STAND STILL… WHERE CAN I GO?
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
THE BIBLE IS FULL OF IMPERATIVE COMMANDS THAT DEAL WITH FEAR. THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR…
God’s word gives us a clear imperative command: HAVE FAITH IN GOD. Have you ever heard of a football player getting hit so hard that he becomes so confused?
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
WE SAW GIANTS? YOU HAVE A CHOICE BEFORE YOU…? THE IMPERATIVE COMMAND IS CLEAR: TRUST GOD VS. WE ARE NOT ABLE WE REFUSE TO TRUST GOD?
Joshua and Caleb saw the same things that the 10 other spies saw. There was less than 1% of giants. The 10 spies focused on the giants… JOSHUA and CALEB focused on the imperative command: LET US GO RIGHT NOW!
Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
JOSHUA AND CALEB focused on a BIG GOD, THE NEGATIVE CROWD FOCUSED ON THE 1% OF GIANTS… It is good BUT! The imperative command is clear: LET US GO RIGHT NOW AND POSSESS IT, WE ARE ABLE… DECLARE BY TRUSTING FAITH... OUR GOD IS ABLE…
WILL OUR FEAR KILL OUR FAITH? WILL WE TRUST GOD COMPLETELY. FAITH IS A REQUIREMENT, IT IS NEVER OPTIONAL.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 (MSG) It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.
Will you agree with this: The beginning of anxiety is the end of FAITH? The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety?
LOOK AT ALL THE IMPERATIVE COMMANDS GOD GIVES TO JOSHUA. MOSES HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST LEADERS EEVER KNOWN… BUT MOSES IS DEAD! NOW WHAT? LOOK AND SEE THE IMPERATIVE COMMANDS GOD GIVES JOSHUA…
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine… GOD SAYS TO JOSHUA AND TO US… NO WEAPON…
Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
CONCLUSION: THE BIBLE IS FULL OF IMPERATIVE COMMANDS THAT DEAL WITH FEAR. THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR… WE WALK BY FAITH. FEAR KILLS FAITH. FAITH KILLS FEAR. YOUR CHOICE.
God’s word gives us a clear imperative command: HAVE FAITH IN GOD!
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10 (MSG) Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Thank you for reading my work. Could you help me and pass it on to others?
Will you agree with this: The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith? The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety?
