OVERCOMING FEAR DURING CRISIS
Study Text: Exodus 14: 10 - 14.
Introduction:
- Everyone experiences fear during crisis in their life. There are big fears we are very aware of and little ones we may not even realize we have.
- It is very important to understand what fear is and how it works against us because if we don't, it can keep us from becoming what God created us to be, and prevent us from fulfilling our purpose in life.
- Fear is a weapon the devil uses against us to make us miserable and destroy our lives. It begins as a thought and then creates emotions that can rule us.
- It often becomes a strong, intense feeling that tries to move us to make a foolish action or tries to prevent us from doing something that would be good for us.
In our walk with the Lord there will be times of Crisis. There will be periods when our faith in God is tested.
- These are conditions of instability and fear of impending danger everywhere.
- Out of fear, series of questions come to mind. When will it end, where is God while all this is going on and why will God allow it to happen?
- In our Study Text, we see the case of the children of Israel who find themselves in a crisis trapped with nowhere to turn.
They could not see a way out, they were caught between Pharaoh and the deep Red Sea and asking the question where is God when we need Him?
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Meaning of Fear
2. The Mission of Fear
3. The Measures against Fear
1. The Meaning of Fear:
- Going through the scriptures, there are several ways we can describe fear. Some of these include:
1. Fear is a stronghold of the mind- (2 Timothy 1:7)
- God has not given us a spirit of fear—God gives peace, joy and love.
- Fear is a spirit of bondage, Satan specializes in binding people by fear, so that he can succeed in making them to do his bid against the will of God.
2. Fear is an opposite of faith— (Hebrews 11:1)
- Simply put, fear is the opposite of faith. God wants us to walk by faith, and Satan wants us to walk by fear.
- When we learn to live by faith and not let fear rule our life, we can live a fulfilling, satisfying, peaceful and joyful life in Christ.
- Faith sees the opportunity for God to turn every situation for ones good, fear sees the obstacles to receive something good from God.
- Faith sees possibility and confesses that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philippians 4:13, fear sees difficulties and confesses failures and disappointments.
3. Fear has a crippling and paralyzing power on man.
- It is manifested in our lives by stress, worry, burnout and depression.
- Fear has torment. It is overcome by the help of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:31)They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
4. Fear is a misunderstanding and misrepresenting of God (Matthew 6:9)
- Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Jesus came to teach us that God is on our side, that we don’t need to worry about tomorrow, because we know who holds tomorrow.
5. Knowing God’s Love is the remedy for fear (I John 4:18).
- Perfect love casts out fear. Knowing God loves us, knowing God cares about us, knowing that God is in control of our lives and this world, will cast out all fear.
2. The Mission of Fear.
- The children of Israel have just been delivered from the strong, oppressive hand of Pharaoh. God had demonstrated His power to deliver them from four hundred years of bondage and brought them out of Egypt the land of slavery and oppression.
- They had started their journey with high hopes and expectations toward the land of promise; but they have marched only a few days and suddenly they find themselves with the Red Sea in front of them and mountains on the side.
- How is it that God delivered them from four hundred years of bondage and the hands of Pharaoh, and they could make the statement, “… For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” They could not see God in the midst of their crisis.
Why could they not see God and why many times in our crisis we cannot see God? This is because fear has a mission to accomplish in the lives of its captives.
1. Fear comes to attack our faith in God.
- They were walking by sight, not by faith, they “…lifted up their eyes…” and saw the Egyptian army coming.
- They gave up in despair and cried out in fear. That is what happens to so many of us in the time of crisis, we give into fear and lose perspective of the presence and the power of God to deliver us.
- What we need to understand is that fear and faith cannot dwell in the same heart; if we trust God, there is no need to fear what life may throw at us because God’s presence is always with us.
- David said it this way:
Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
- When there is no fear you can feel the presence of God in the time of crisis.
2. Fear comes to give you a distorted view of your past and your situation.
- They could only see one result of their situation. We are going to die. They could not see themselves being delivered they could not see God working in their lives. All they could see was the grave. Exodus 14:11
3. Fear comes to confuse us on what the will of God is.
- Fear prevented them from seeing that they were in the place God had prepared for them.
- They were there not because Moses had misled them but this was the place where God had guided them.
4. Fear comes to replace our fervent prayer with violent grumbling and complaining.
- So instead of praying about their situation in order to get guidance for God, they complain to God and blamed Moses for their situation.
- Instead of looking up to God in faith through fervent prayer, they looked back to Egypt through violent grumbling and complaining. Exodus 14:12 .
5. Fear comes to attack our memories of the faithfulness of God in the past.
- Fear has not only given them a distorted view of their situation but it also gives them a distorted memories.
- Fear had them saying, “We were better off in bondage to Pharaoh!” What poor memories they had!
- They did not remember that God that had punished Egypt and delivered them with great power, could see them through this situation.
- In times of crisis we need to remember the faithfulness of God in our lives in the past, and believe that the same God will do something good for us again.
- We have the example of David, who was able to conquer fear by believing in the same God that kept him saved from the paw of lion and bear to deliver him from Goliath.
6. Fear comes to blindfold us about the love of God for us.
- Their fear distorted their view and they could not see the great love God has for them, and they could not see God working in their situation.
3. The Measures against Fear.
- How do we over come fear so that we may see God working in our situation?
- We can learn from the life of Moses, who also saw what they saw, and experienced what they experienced, but his reaction and confession was different.
- Moses was able to believe God who delivered them from Egypt and promised to take them to the promise land, for His words and refused to be moved by what he sees or hears.
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.
1. Identify the fear and resist it by confidence in what God can do.
- In order for us to see God working in our lives we must not be afraid of life circumstances.
- Moses had to deal with their fear before he could take them any further. We have a choice of allowing fear to dominate our lives or to trust God and walk in faith. 2 Timothy 1:7
- God has given us the spirit of power to deal with life crisis with faith and perseverance.
- God has given the spirit of a sound mind so that we don’t lose our minds in the time of Crisis. We are to fear not.
2. Hand over to God, by letting Him know that you are helpless without Him.
- We must be able to stand in faith before we can walk in faith. When we are in crisis we need to be strengthen in order to walk in faith. Isaiah 40:31
- While we are standing God is renewing our faith. While we are standing God is renewing our strength.
- In times of crisis sometimes we just need to stand still and hand over to God to take action. We saw the example of Jehoshaphat, who turned his fear to God. 2 Chronicles 20 1 - 12.
3. Develop a faith that can see the invisible, beyond the natural.
- They could not see God working as long as they were afraid, and we will not see Him working in our crisis when we are afraid.
- When we look to our faith and depend upon the Lord, He will strengthen our hearts. When we look to our faith and depend upon the Lord, He will strengthen our mind.
- When we look to our faith and depend upon the Lord, He will strengthen our will. When we look to our faith and depend upon the Lord, He will strengthen our emotions.
4. Confess your victory over the crises through faith in the word of God.
- Moses declared to them that they will not see the Egyptians again forever. He confessed their victory, and declared it to be total and permanent.
- God has given us victory over every situation and challenge of life through the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to believe and confess it, and we shall have it.
Conclusion:
- We will not see the presence of God in our crisis until we follow the example of Moses.
- Casting out the fear, handing over unto God, seeing the invisible salvation of the Lord, and believing in and confessing our victory in Christ Jesus.
- No matter what comes our way, Our God is able. We need not fear, we need to stand still and when we stand still we will see that God is still on the throne.
