HE WILL HAVE NO FEAR OF BAD NEWS ; HIS HEART IS STEADFAST , TRUSTING IN THE LORD
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1.THE LORD WANTS US TO BE STRONG IN FAITH EVEN WHEN WE HEAR BAD NEWS . THE DEVIL ATTACKS US WITH FLAMING ARROWS OF BAD NEWS TO SHAKE OUR FAITH AND TORMENT US WITH FEAR . THE LORD WANTS OUR MIND TO BE STAYED ON HIM AND NOT BE OVERWHELMED BY ANY BAD NEWS THAT THE ENEMY MAY CAUSE US TO RECEIVE . WE MUST NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING. INSTEAD WE MUST CAST ALL OUR CARE UPON THE LORD IN PRAYER . THEN WE WILL BE FILLED WITH THE PEACE OF GOD IN OUR HEART AND MIND.
" 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. " Psalm 112:7-8
"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. " Isaiah 26:3
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16
" 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." I John 4:18
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "Philippians 4:6-7
2. THE LORD WANTS US TO BE FREE FROM IMAGINARY AND UNNECESSARY FEARS AND WORRIES . THE DISCIPLES WERE TERRIFIED WHEN JESUS CAME TOWARDS THEM WALKING ON THE WATER . THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GHOST AND WERE IN GREAT FEAR . IT WAS A TOTALLY UNNECESSARY FEAR . MANY TIMES OUR FEARS ARE BASELESS AND UNNECESSARY BECAUSE WE FAIL TO RECOGNISE THE HAND OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. WE NEED DISCERNMENT TO RECOGNISE THE TRUTH SO THAT WE DO NOT LIVE IN NEEDLESS FEARS. THE DEVIL OFTEN MAKES MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS. HE WILL MAKE SIMPLE PROBLEMS APPEAR AS THOUGH THEY ARE INSURMOUNTABLE MOUNTAINS . THE LORD WANTS US TO TRUST HIM AND NOT LIVE IN NEEDLES FEAR.
"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." Matthew 14:22-27
3.THE LORD WANTS US TO BE FREE FROM FEAR EVEN WHEN WE FACE REAL STORMS AND DANGERS . HE ASKED THE DISCIPLES WHO PANICKED IN THE FACE OF THE STORM , WHY THEY WERE SO AFRAID AND HAD NO FAITH . HE EXPECTED THEM TO BE STRONG IN FAITH EVEN IN THE FACE OF A REAL AND FIERCE STORM. THE LORD WANTS TO BE STRONG AND CONFIDENT EVEN WHEN WE FACE MOUNTAINS BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOD WHO CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS. WHEN WE PRAY , THE LORD ANSWERS OUR PRAYER AND CHANGES THE SITUATIONS . THEREFORE WE CAN TRUST IN HIM EVEN IN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS .
"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?" Mark 4:35-40
4. THE LORD WANTS US TO FREE FROM FEAR EVEN WHEN WE FACE SHOCKING NATURAL DISASTERS AND CALAMITIES WHICH WILL INCREASE IN THESE LAST DAYS . THE UNGODLY PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE TERRIFIED WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE THE TERRIBLE CALAMITIES OF THE WORLD AS THEY HAVE NO ANCHOR FOR THEIR FAITH. BUT THE LORD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO BE ROOTED IN HIM AND TRUST IN HIM EVEN IN TIMES OF DISASTERS AND CALAMITIES.
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken." Luke 21:25-26
5. THE LORD WANTS US TO BE FREE FROM FEAR EVEN IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND TRIBULATION BECAUSE HE IS A GOD OF MERCY AND GRACE AND WE CAN HOPE IN HIS MERCY . THE APOSTLE PAUL EXPERIENCED THE MERCY OF GOD IN THE HEALING OF HIS HELPER WHO WAS CLOSE TO DEATH. THE MERCY OF GOD PROTECTED HIM FROM EXPERIENCING SORROW UPON SORROW . SOMETIMES THE LORD MAY NOT GRANT OUR REQUEST TO REMOVE THE THORN IN OUR LIVES . BUT EVEN IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES , WE CAN TRUST IN HIM BECAUSE HIS GRACE WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR US. DANIEL HAD TO GO THROUGH THE LION’S DEN ,BUT THE GRACE OF GOD WAS SUFFICIENT FOR HIM. WE MUST TRUST IN GOD EVEN WHEN HE ALLOWS US TO GO THROUGH DIFFICULT TRIALS BECAUSE HIS GRACE WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR US.
"Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. " Philippians 2:27
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. " II Corinthians 12:7-9
6.THE LORD WANTS US TO TRUST IN HIM WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN BY PEOPLE WHOSE LOVE HAS GROWN COLD. IN THE LAST DAYS THE LORD HAS WARNED US THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE OF WICKEDNESS , THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD . PEOPLE WHO USED TO LOVE US WILL SUDDENLY BECOME COLD TOWARDS US. EVEN OUR FRIENDS MAY BECOME OUR ENEMIES . IN SUCH TIMES WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN BY THE DISAPPOINTMENTS OF HUMAN LOVE , WE MUST TRUST IN THE LORD WHO LOVES US WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.
" Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold," Matthew 24:12
7. THE LORD WANTS US TO FREE FROM FEAR CAUSED BY THE THREATS AND DANGERS FROM EVIL AND WICKED PEOPLE . IN THESE LAST DAYS , PEOPLE WILL BE SELFISH AND WICKED AND CRUEL AND THEIR EVIL MOTIVES AND ACTIONS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO US. BUT THE LORD WANTS US TO TRUST IN HIM TO PROTECT US FROM WICKEDNESS OF EVIL MEN.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. " II Timothy 3:1-5
"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?" Hebrews 13:5-6
"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. " Psalm 27:1-3
"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. " Isaiah 41:10-13
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