Sermon # 38 - Freedom From Fear Series

We read in Hebrews 2:14-15, “Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (RV)

There are many kinds of bondages that people are enslaved to, one of which is the bondage to fear. The primary fear that grips many people is the fear of death, which translates itself into various aspects of their lives. The above mentioned verse in Hebrews speaks about those who all their life are dominated by the fear of death. There are so many who are constantly gripped with this sense of fear, most of which is insubstantial, which is evident in every walk of their lives. The Lord’s will, and desire is that anyone who is overcome with this kind of fear, should be liberated to live with the boldness and confidence that the Lord is with them.

When Adam was fearful

The Lord has bestowed us with emotions and one of these is fear. In the bible, this emotion of fear is displayed for the first time in Genesis 3:9-10, But the LORD God called out to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden; I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked." (GNB)

Adam and Eve were in constant communion and fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden. But, on that particular day when God came calling out to Adam, he did not come running to God’s beckoning, but was found to be hiding from God. For the first time Adam experienced this emotion of fear, and responded back to God saying, ‘I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked.’ It was only after Adam disobeyed God’s command that he could not face God, and was filled with fear.

Fear can be defined as a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat. All fears are not valid, and yet many are seized by this strong emotion. For instance, there are those who are fearful of travelling by bus, and from the moment they board the bus, to the time they get off they are gripped with unrest.

In order to overcome this emotion, it would be good to comprehend the source of fear, and also the way it controls us. Here’s another example from our day to day life. Some young people don’t wish to wear helmets as they don’t like their hair style’s to get messed up. What they do therefore, is to carry the helmet in their hand sometimes, without wearing them to cover their head. However, when they spot a traffic cop at a distance, they immediately stop to wear their helmet for fear of being caught and fined. If that same young person, was wearing the helmet as they should, they would pass by the same cop with total confidence, and no fear whatsoever. So we realize that fear can also overtake us when things are not in order, and we are not adhering to certain rules or principles, as we should in our lives.

Every time we are tempted to do wrong and give in, we may console ourselves with the thought that no one is watching, but every time we sin we become more fearful, and vulnerable as these sins become heavier bondages in our lives. Samson is an example of this kind of behavior; he fell into this trap, when he fell head over heels for Delilah, and if we read the account, every time he revealed something more of himself to Delilah, the ropes that were tied around him became thicker and stronger, until he was finally overtaken by the Philistines.

How the process of death began

We read in Genesis 2:16-17, The LORD God commanded the man. He said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die."

There were two commands the Lord gave Adam and Eve, one was that they were free to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden, and the other was that they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God also cautioned them that if they disobeyed, and ate of it, they will certainly die. In spite of the warning Adam and Eve deliberately chose to disobey God, and ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam and Eve did not die immediately that day, but after they sinned they realized that something drastic had happened to them, which prompted them to hide from God’s presence. They realized that their disobedience had severed them from the presence of a holy God, and that they had forfeited the beautiful relationship they enjoyed with Him. Adam and Eve who were so bold in God’s presence before the fall, were suddenly overcome with fear, and shame for the first time.