Fear
When I was a child, physically. I still am mentally. I remember the biggest fear I had. Mom could freeze me in my tracks with this one phrase.
Wait until you daddy comes Home!
Later In school, I believe the phrase “Take out a blank piece of paper and a pencil” would make my face turn pale.
Now as a grown up I tend to be afraid of a lot more things. Experience is a good teacher. When the phone ringing late at night. Not really the phone but the potential conversation. I fear the bills, taxes, Youth Lock in’s, and Traffic in Atlanta.
So, what are you afraid of? Snakes, heights, spiders, enclosed spaces?
Columnist Dave Barry wrote "All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears--of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before a Rotary Club, and of the words "Some Assembly Required."
Have you seen the show FEAR FACTOR? To be honest I have not watched the show all the way through. I think the concept bothers me. The way it works it began with six contestants, three guys and three girls. And it would appear that these contestants must first pass through a whole series of interviews to make sure that ugly people don’t get on the show. During the hour these people will compete to see who will win the $50,000.00 prize.
Since last June the contestants have jumped between moving trucks, have leapt out of twelve stories buildings, bobbed for plums in a tub of snakes and been buried in 300,000 worms. Add to that they’ve eaten all kinds of disgusting things.
I did not realize that I was afraid of something’s until I saw the commercials.
I don’t think I would make to the first commercial break if I were on the show. I am scared of heights. Well not height but falling, scared of snakes to a fairly high degree and really my idea of exotic foods is putting hot sauce on my hamburger.
I believe, fear will always be with us, it’s one of the base emotions along with hunger, love and hate, and it’s not just limited to the human animal but is instinctive and crosses throughout the animal kingdom. I think that you could say that fear is a gift from God, because it keeps us alive. *****
For most of us fear plays a part in the way we do things everyday. It may be in how we act around other people- so they don’t just kill us. It may be the way we drive to how we use power tools – safety first. It probably influences us on the places we shop and the friends we have – we want to feel safe. Every part of our life can be influenced by how we deal with FEAR.
The Bible talks about fear, the word fear is mentioned 266 times and the word afraid is mentioned 223 times. ( I love electronic bible resources.) Let me read all those to you now. (Just kidding ) The first time fear is mentioned is in Genesis and the last time it’s seen is Revelation. So much for bible statistics. That is the in the beginning and the end….
Most of the encounters with a Holy beings start with the statement do not fear. Even the hardy people of the olden days had fear in their lives. And God was always trying to calm the people he spoke with down so they could listen and understand to his message.
The general point is that fear is part of our survival instinct. We need fear to make us feel uncomfortable in certain situations so we will get out of them. Fear is not unnatural or unhealthy.
I found a list of Phobias – Fears that were listed in a medical book. That I thought were interesting and many were strange: ( could not pronounce the medical names)
Fear of failure.
Fear of dancing
Fear of plants
Fear of dust.
Fear of walking.
Fear of looking up.
Fear of England, English culture, etc.
Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Fear of opening one’s eyes.
Fear of bald people
There are over 500 phobias defined medically. When something becomes a phobia, it means we have let our healthy fear that protects our lives, become something that keeps us from living. Many people have fears that become phobias.
My sister has a phobia about spiders. If she sees one anywhere. She goes into panic, screams and runs and generally acts crazy. From the way she acts I am afraid she will crash her car someday if when sees one on the window or floor board.
Most of the time we learn to automatically use our natural fear otherwise we would probably not be here tonight. We would be hiding in our homes afraid to be seen or use a car or even be with other people.
And the way the world is getting with crime and gas prices, war and so many other things to worry about it is getting so none of us feel really safe anywhere. It is hard to know when you are moving from normal to phobia.
5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother making supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her the white can with a picture of a tomato, but he didn’t want to go in alone. "It’s dark in there and I’m scared." She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, "It’s OK--Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: "Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that white can with a picture of a tomato?"
I believe Little Johnny’s story is like a lot of ours. His imagination is very good, his fears keep him from swinging the door open wide to allow the light in because he does not know if his fears will run out.
He does demonstrate the beginning of faith. He calls on Jesus help. That is what we need to do.
We don’t have to have much of the fear we currently do. What we have to do is change our view of our fears. Many times the light of day, or a good night’s sleep or finally stepping out and facing our fears is the best thing to do.
Some people face fears head on and actually thrive on the event.
There are people that will go up in airplanes just to face their fear of flying. Some people jump out of perfectly good airplanes and trust a table clothe and strings to give them a safe landing.
We have to face the pantry door and open it wide to allow the light in. We often have to depend on God to support us in that action.
I will read to you from “The Message” Isaiah 41:10
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.
God is saying to us, “Don’t be afrad, I am right there with you on this roler coaster life. I am here to protect you and save you even if you mess up.”
Why can God say that?
Why can God say that? Because he has the whole picture, he sees everything, knows everything, and has control over everything! When fear comes and you feel that panic coming on, stop and think about the situation.
Does God want me to be afraid of this situation? Of course not, God says “Fear not, I am with you.”
The second point in dealing with fear is to remember who you are.
Romans 8
37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. 38 I’m absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, 39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
God is saying to us that “Even though you go through frightening situations and the world that you live in is full of uncertainty, be sure of this, that nothing will separate you from my love. God wants you to know he is tighter than super glue. He is with you.
That is our promise as children of God. He is the power we need to over come even the worst of our fears.
Remember though that these promises are for God’s children. If you do not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, then it is not a promise to you.
It can be, no one is excluded from being adopted into the family.
The third way to deal with fear is to Trust in God.
Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. "Keep calm" the first explorer whispered. "Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run." "Sure," replied his companion. "You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?"
When God is with you it doesn’t matter if the most lion sized of your fears is breathing down your neck, you can “control your fear!”
Psalm 9
7 God holds the high center, he sees and sets the world’s mess right. 8 He decides what is right for us earthlings, gives people their just deserts. 9 God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. 10 The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.
To become a child of God we at some point had to turn to God, realizing that our fears of death were true. That we were on the wrong track and had to change before the train comes and runs us over.
At that moment, if we turn to God, He marks us with the sign that shows we have a claim on the promises he gives. It is the moment of faith in him that makes all the difference.
When we become his child and seek refuge we can put the unnatural fear of this world away because God’s promises are eternal. Once we make the leap to faith, we can and will relax. The new relationship is natural and comfortable and safe.
But we are human it is natural for us to have fears of things in this world. We find it hard to leave stuff alone… The war, terrorism, strangers, the IRS, and some assembly required. But God will help us control the earthly fears so we can live our lives in his sanctuary his safety.
This evening I would like to close with a prayer. O would like for you to hold your hands like you have a coffee cup or small bowl. The idea is, focus the thoughts you have of you biggest fears into the imaginary bowl for God to take away. Separate yours fears and mentally put them in the container.
PRAYER
Abba Father, Daddy
We come before you this evening, all of us having fears that we have trouble dealing with, things that control our lives in negative ways.
Father , empty us of the fears that do us harm. Fill us the understanding of promises that you are with us and love us and even carry us when we can’t seem to move on our own.
……. Close
