Faith When Fear Deceives
Isaiah 36, 37
Introduction
1. Zach Williams has a popular Christian song entitled FEAR IS A LIAR. It’s a great song that identifies the lies that we believe about ourselves. Beginning Lyrics: When he told you you're not good enough, When he told you you're not right, When he told you you're not strong enough, To put up a good fight, When he told you you're not worthy, When he told you you're not loved, When he told you you're not beautiful, That you'll never be enough - Fear is a Liar.
2. Fear is a deceptive emotion that captivates our thoughts and keeps us from depending on God - and that is what almost happens in our text for today. Isaiah has a message about how to have Faith when Fear Deceives.
3. Isaiah 36 and 37 is a tale of two kings.
King Sennacherib, king of Assyria, is forcefully taking city after city, and it doesn’t appear that anyone can stop him. King Hezekiah, King of Judah, is in Jerusalem and facing down the enemy forces of Assyria. Now the Assyrians are at Jerusalem’s door, surrounding them. Sennacherib’s message to the people of Jerusalem was:
-You don’t have what it takes to defeat me.
-The Lord told me to march against you and destroy you.
-Hezekiah is lying to you.
-…Each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree \and drink water from your own cistern.
-God hasn’t delivered anyone else from our hands, and he won’t deliver you.
That’s a fearsome message - King Hezekiah turns to the prophet Isaiah as he considers how to respond. This story is a great reminder that the Enemy uses Fear to defeat our faith! He will stop at nothing! Fear is a liar!
1. The Impact of Fear
Though the Bible tells us often not to fear, it is something that finds its way into our lives anyway.
Among the things that we fear:
Financial Loss. Job loss. Financial hardship.
Pain. Suffering. Loss of Comfort.
Illness. Sickness.
Death. Dying. Death of yourself. Death of a loved one.
The Future. What will be or will not be. Being prepared.
People that mean you harm. Injustice.
The list of things that we fear can be endless.
Fear Impacts our Christian Walk
-Fear freezes forward motion.
-Fear compromises our convictions.
-Fear interferes with our relationship with God.
-Fear is evidence of the Enemy’s efforts to derail your faith.
King Hezekiah was afraid, but he did the right thing. (Isaiah 37:1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his
clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord.)
What can we learn from King Hezekiah that will help us overcome our own fears?
2. How To Have Faith When Fear Deceives
-Turn Away From Fear in Repentance
Hezekiah’s first response was to repent - he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. (Remember what he’s facing)
We may need to repent of letting fear control our lives. We may need to repent of sin in our lives that has contributed to our being fearful: shame, regret, hurting others. Turning our back on fear is a first step to having faith when fear deceives.
-Turn Away from Fear And Toward God in Listening. Hezekiah sends his leading people to the prophet Isaiah for
a word from the Lord. We can listen to a lot of voices … experts … friends … media … self-help books … but in the end, we need to hear from God more than any other source. Isaiah 37:6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard…”
-Turn Away from Fear and Toward God in Prayer. Hezekiah’s prayer of faith (Isaiah 37:15-19). Three elements of this prayer that releases fear:
Praise (16 “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.)
Appeal (17 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.)
Glory (20 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God)
God’s answer began with “because you have prayed to me…” God gave him a miraculous victory!
Conclusion
Remember when fear arises that this is the deception of the enemy. Turn away from fear in repentance, Listen to God, and Express your needs in prayer.
Zig Ziglar said, “Fear has two meanings:
‘Forget Everything And Run’
or
‘Face Everything And Rise.’
The choice is yours.
Face Everything and Rise - Let’s do that!
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LifeGroup Questions For Isaiah 36,37
1. The approaching army of Sennacherib seemed unstoppable to the remnant of Israelites left in Jerusalem.
2. What empty promise did Sennacherib make to the remaining Israelites cowering behind the wall of Jerusalem (Isaiah 36:16-17)? Do you think it was an empty promise that the Enemy made to Jesus in Matthew 4:8-9?
3. What are some of the Enemy’s propaganda lines when it comes to some of the vices we face such as: drinking to excess / drug abuse / overeating / gambling / sexual sin?
4. Why are the voices of fear sometimes easier to hear than the voice of God”? How can we discern the source of the voices we are hearing? Are they from the Enemy or from God? Why is that sometimes difficult to do?
5. Amy Oden writes, “While telling people not to be afraid does not banish all fear, it is the first step to interrupting the false narrative of intimidation. “Be not afraid” is the word of truth in the midst of lies. We must proclaim this word to one another again and again.”
-Why do we need to be reminded not to be afraid?
-How does fear express itself in our daily lives?
-Why does Jesus tell us so often to “fear not”?
-How can we fight a spirit of fear in our own lives?
6. Why is repentance a significant act when attempting to overcome fear?
7. What role does prayer play in overcoming fear?
8. Is there anything we can pray for you today? Anything you wanted to talk about?
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Resources
Bradley, Jayson. Five Things Christians Fear (But Shouldn’t)
https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/278149-christians-fear-jayson-bradley.html
Davis, Andrew M. Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Isaiah. Holman, 2017.
Nowak, Paul. Ten Things Christians Fear that they Should Not
https://eternalrevolution.com/10-things-christians-fear-that-they-should-not/
Oden, Amy. Commentary.
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/swords-into-plowshares/commentary-on-isaiah-361-3-13-20-371-7-21-4
Unknown Author. Overcoming the Spirit of Fear.
https://thefaithspace.com/overcoming-the-spirit-of-fear/
