The Tongue Series

Title: Fear vs. Faith – 3

“The Tongue”

Text: II Timothy 1:5-7

Last week we started a series entitled, “Fear vs. Faith.” Over the next several weeks we have decided to declare war on fear. No fear here!

Fear is a very serious attack that the enemy uses against the human race. It is imperative that we learn how to defend ourselves against this attack of fear. Fear intends to destroy our faith. Fear comes in many shapes and sizes, but the final outcome is always the same and that is to steal, kill and destroy.

Keep in mind throughout this series; it is NEVER God’s plan for a child of God to live in fear, no matter what the circumstance is. I would like to use the Webster’s definition of fear.

Fear is: 1 an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger 2 anxious concern 3 reason for alarm: The synonyms for fear are: dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation.

All of these definitions from Webster’s are accurate and true. No one can argue this definition because fear is all these things. However, from a Biblical standpoint, fear is more than a feeling. According to God’s Word, fear is a spirit. Some say, “Well I certainly don’t agree with that. You know, Pastor not everything is from the devil.” Well I agree, not everything is from the devil, but the Bible makes it very clear that fear is one thing that is straight from hell.

II Timothy 1:7; “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Jesus Christ wants each and every one of us to stay free from fear. One of the greatest tools that the devil has to get an open door in our lives is through fear. When you allow the presence of the spirit of fear in your life, it brings a negative, destructive power. Instead of giving you power as the Scripture says, fear paralyses you. Instead of giving you wisdom, fear causes you to make poor decisions. Instead of the blessing flowing in your life, the demonic presence of fear brings a curse.

There are two spiritual laws that are in effect today. Every one of us falls under one of these two laws. You are either under the law of life or the law of death.

Romans 8:1-2; ¶ “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

It is important to know that just because you are a born again Christian does not mean that you are automatically entered into the law of life. The force that activates the law of life is faith. The force that activates the law of death is the opposite of faith, which is fear. Each of these pairs represents a team, and no matter who you are, one of these teams is working for you right now.

I. THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS

The determining factor of which team is on your side is your choices. It is especially your choice of words that determine if you are going to be under the law of life or the law of death. Fear can even change your speaking.

Fear makes you fumble. When you are afraid, you have a tendency to not do well. The pressure is so great that it causes you to mess up. It’s like the guy who was out of money. He decided he was going to rob a bank because he couldn’t think of any other way to get the money. He didn’t know anything about robbing banks so he practiced what he would say over and over. He got a revolver and a sack for the money. Then he practiced sticking the sack over the counter and pointing the gun in someone’s face saying, “Don’t mess with me, this is a stick-up.” When it came time for the real thing, he was really nervous but he was confident he had it down pat. However, when he got in the bank, fear took over and he handed the lady the revolver, pointed the sack at her and said, “Don’t stick with me, this is a mess up.”

If this story were true, this man’s life would have been drastically altered by his words. The devil wants to paralyse you through fear. Your words determine whether you will be on the winning side or the losing side.

I just want to take a few minutes to share a few Scriptures with you to let you know how powerful your words are in your life. There is power in every word that Jesus spoke and we have been given the same power and authority that Jesus had while He was upon the earth, so that means that there is just as much power in the words that we speak. He said, “Greater things shall you do then me.” He has given us all the power that He ever possessed and more.