Summary: this sermon is to encourage beleivers to overcome their fears and live joyfully as our Lord commands us not to fear

FEAR NOT - CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND LIVE JOYFULLY

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OUTLINE

1.REWARD

2.RESPONSE

3.REASSURANCE

4.RELAXATION

5.REPROACH

6.REVELATION

7.REJOICING

THE MESSAGE

FEAR NOT - CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND LIVE JOYFULLY

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1.REWARD

The Lord says fear not because He will reward us. We need not fear that our labour is in vain. Sometimes people may fail to reward us for ur labour and faithfulness.But God wants us to look to Him for our reward.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Genesis 15;1

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. "

Hebrews 6;10

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

2.RESPONSE

The Lord says fear not because He will respond to our prayers. Sometimes it may a take long time but the answer will surely come.We should not get discouraged and stop praying.The Lord keeps our tears in a bottle.We should keep on praying till our tears fill that bottle and then the answer will come. Sometimes prayers are answered quickly but sometimes it may take time. We need not fear that our prayers are in vain because the Lord will respond to our prayers.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Luke 1; 13

But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

Genesis 21;17

God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."

Luke 18:7-8

And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

PSALM 34:4

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 56:8

Record my lament;list my tears on your scroll - are they not in your record?

3.REASSURANCE

The Lord says fear not because He is with us.Many times we panic because we think everyone has forsaken us and we are all alone with no one to help us.But the Lord reassures us that He is with us to help us. He has not left us alone to face life’s battles and difficulties.We should face all trials with the assurance that God is with us to deliver us.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Psalm 27:1-3

"The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me,even then will I be confident. "

Isaiah 41:10-13

"So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

"All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.

For I am the LORD, your God,who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. "

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Mark 4:35-40

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Isaiah 43:1-2

But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

4.RELAXATION

The Lord says fear not but be still and rest in Him because He will fight the battles for us. Many times we are confused and tormented in our hearts wondering how we would solve our problems.We are restless and without peace.In such situations the Lord wants us to relax and cast our burdens on Him.We should stay calm and be in peace and see what glorious things the Lord will do for us.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Psalm 112:7-8

" He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. "

II Kings 6;15-17

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.

"Don’t be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

II Chronicles 32;7-8 ,

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

5.REPROACH

The Lord says fear not the reproach of men because the Lord will not allow us to be put to shame. He is the one who lifts up our head and honours us.Many times we fear whether we will be put to shame before the world. But we have the assurance that the Lord will help us to hold our head high before the world because He will honour us.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Isaiah 51;7-8,12-13

"Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.

For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations."

"I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass,

that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?

Isaiah 54;4 ,

"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

Psalm 3;3

O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!

Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah

But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.

Hebrews 13:5-6

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.What can man do to me?"

6.REVELATION

The Lord says fear not those things that we do not understand because He will give us a revelation about it. The disciples feared when Jesus came towards them walking on the water.They thought it was a ghost. But Jesus revealed Himself to them.Many times we fear situations because we fail to understand their true meaning.We fear things which do not exist.We fear dangers which will not happen to us at all.We are tormented by unneccesary and imaginary fears.We need a revelation about the situation.Joseph in the Old Testament had the revelation that the hand of God was guiding his life.All his trials were not just the work of his jealous brothers but was part of the sovereign plan of God for his life.We need such a revelation that all things are working together for our good.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Matthew 14:22-27

"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid."

Genesis 45;4-8

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping.

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

"So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

7.REJOICING

The Lord says fear not because He is going to do great things for us. We need not fear the future because the Lord has a glorious future for all of His children. We must put away all fears and worries about the future and be joyful because of God’s good plans for

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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Joel 2;21

Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things.

Luke 12;32

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

1 JOHN 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

JEREMIAH 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.