Overcoming Fear

In Mathew chapter 4 we see the story of Jesus and his disciples in a boat during a great storm. One translation says windstorm, another tempest, and one simply says a great storm. The Greek word here is the word “seismos” which you may link to seismology.  There is very good chance based on the usage of this word an earthquake or even a tsunami was taking place.  Yet Jesus, asleep in the boat says, "why are you so fearful?"

 Let us look in Psalm 46:1-3. God is our refuge and strength, a very pleasant help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and thought the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea: though it’s waters roar and be troubled, though it’s mountains shake with its swelling. Here again we see an earthquake happening yet in ending this Psalm God says in vs. 10, be still and know that I am God.  Only God can tell us to be still in an earthquake.

One final scripture that I would like to point out for now is from Luke 21:26. In this verse God declares to us that in the last days men’s hearts would fail them because of fear.  Vast opportunities exist today to fall headlong into the grip of fear. Fear, anxiety, and worry are at an all time high as people place their trust in this world's system forgetting that God said, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Doctors have labeled more phobias then ever and many of us have grown accustomed to living our lives in fear.  We have everything from, ablutophobia- a fear of bathing (pray the person next to you in church is free from that one), to ecclesiophobia- which is defined as a fear of church- (so this is what attacks many of us on Sunday morning). The sixth highest rated fear is the fear of flying yet based on statistics you would have to fly once a day for 19,000 years to be an extremely high risk for a plane accident.

We have all this, not to mention fear of being laid off, further slowdown in the economy, more uprising in the middle east, housing values down, fuel costs up, the lump on your breast, the pain in your chest, your daughter’s new boyfriend, your son’s new friends, and finally the ultimate fear, the fear that "I don’t matter". I am not saying none of these things are potential events, I am just saying fear of them will paralyze you from your destiny in Christ.

Actually, three evil triplets that work together and feed off of each other are fear, worry, and anxiety.  All are based on an emotional reaction to a perceived or actual negative event. In the book of Job, he was so bound by fear he instituted a daily sacrifice in case his sons sinned (Job 1:5).

Fear is real, we will all face it, but we can defeat it. Fear is not more than faith in the wrong thing. Another way to say it is through an acronym, f.e.a.r. is false evidence appearing real. It is faith in the wrong thing.  If we can exercise fear, we can exercise faith.  Somebody once said heroes and cowards are both scared, but heroes run in the right direction.

 In the book of Revelation chapter two we see God admonishing us multiple times, to him who overcomes…… Once again this indicates we will have challenges, but God has ordained us to overcome them. Just like we have the three evil triplets, we have a three prong attack against them.  James 4:7 says, submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. In Joshua 1:8 we read, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to doo according to all that is written therein. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.

In these verses we see these three thoughts, submit to God, resist the devil, and meditate on the word of God. As the late Kenneth Hagin used to say, "what feeds your flesh will starve your spirit, and what feeds you Spirit will starve your flesh". Feed yourself on faith, not on fear, anxiety, or worry.

 In closing we find in Colossians 2 these words, set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. Our thinking leads to our believing, and our believing leads to our speaking, and our speaking leads to what we receive. Release your faith and enjoy your fears tumbling down.  This is the greatest day in the history of mankind to be alive. Thrive while you are alive.

Pastor Barry Ryan