No Fear: Pastor Don

Introduction:  Can you believe we are kicking off our 14^th Spiritual Emphasis Week??  I believe this week is going to be epic in so many people’s lives and families.

Theme:  NO FEAR

Theme Verse:  Mark 5:36-37 “Do not fear, only believe.”

ESV

No Fear Means Victory

No Fear Means Freedom

No Fear Means Life

Josh 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

NKJV

Introduction:  We are potentially living in the most Fearful times in our lifetimes.  Even when you consider that as a child, we would do nuclear bomb drills by putting our heads under our desks.  

Covid however has done something deeper in the hearts of humanity…and church folks haven’t been exempt.  

We have so many in our society gripped with Fear.  

But can I ask a question…what are we truly afraid of

• Getting sick?
• Are loved ones getting sick? 
• Death?

Transition:  People are asking everywhere…”When will this end.” 

• The end of the pandemic
• The end of the quarantine
• The end of the world
  • So many people are leaning into and listening to prophetic people and end-time teachers…I know people who are churchgoers nor Jesus followers that are watching Youtube of End-times teachers. 

We all want to know the end of things and they are usually things we have no control over…

Jesus was asked the same question…so it isn’t a new question….and his answer may shock some of you…he said, “I Don’t know.” 

If the son of God didn’t know when the end would be and from the text, it seems like he didn’t even care!

1. Wrong Question
   1. I think we may be asking the wrong question.  
   2. We all want to know when something is going to end and we should be asking…what should I begin.
      1. See we can worry ourselves sick trying to control things that are out of our control.
      2. So, we should ask:  When am I going to end the Power of Fear over my Life. 
   3. Definition of Fear
      1. Fear is defined as to be afraid of someone or something. … A feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc.; timidity; dread; terror; fright; apprehension

1. 1. 1. Fear and Faith are subjectively the same things:  Both are believing in something that isn’t seen and expecting it to be seen.  One is good (faith) and one is evil (fear).

1. 1. 1. 1. Enemy Attacks Through the:
         2. Eye gate – what you see or what you perceive that you see.
         3. Ear gate – what you hear or think that you hear  (A bump in the night)
         4. These attacks find a resting place in our minds where they grow and become larger or bigger than what they really are, even if they are real.
         5. Fear is very subtle most of the time.

1. 1. Command You
      1. Josh 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

NKJV

1. 1. 1. Have I Not Commanded You…
         1. Commanded you carry the same power and effect as the 10 Commandments
         2. The space between where you are, where you live and the space we dream to one day filled is full of fear
         3. No matter your dream the thing that fills the space between is fear
   2. Courage is essential
      1. Joshua was afraid and discouraged….and God told him you will have to Choose Courage and No Fear….
      2. Now when you live by courage, you feel fear
      3. No Fear by the very title is not the absence of Fear….it is saying I will not choose fear.
      4. If you live a life of fear; you’ll feel fear.
      5. If you live a life of courage; you’ll feel fear.

Transition: So Choose Courage

1. What are You Afraid of
   1. When I ask the question…all these images flood your mind
      1. Spiders
      2. Snakes
      3. Heights
      4. Lows
      5. Dark
      6. Dogs
      7. vii.Cats
      8. viii.Etc….
   2. We think those objects are the source of our fears….
      1. That object is not the source of your fear
      2. You are the source of your fear….and if you are afraid of spiders…you’ve chosen to place spiders as your choice of fear.
   3. We then get information and data to reinforce our fears…it’s called confirmation bias.

Transition:  Before Covid, there were still plenty of things out there that can kill you…Covid was the instrument that has stripped away the illusion of safety and security.  

It has always been a dangerous world, that is temporary and Covid exposed that in the truest way.

1. Fuel For Life
   1. Gen 3:10-11

10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 

ESV

1. 1. 1. This is the first Place Fear is mentioned in the scripture…
      2. Here humanity is motivated by fear because of an exposed inadequacy
      3. It is our inadequacy to cover ourselves that set off all these emotions…
   2. Inadequacies fuel our fears….
      1. Afraid to love
      2. Afraid to trust
      3. Afraid to change jobs
      4. Afraid to engage the dream
      5. Afraid of success
      6. Afraid of failure
      7. vii. Afraid of being in or out of control
      8. viii. All these things and so many others expose our inadequacies…
   3. Number one question asked by Believers:  What is God’s will for my life….
      1. Listen, if it doesn’t scare you, it’s not God’s will for your life…
      2. If you’re not afraid to lose that relationship, there’s not much to the relationship
      3. If you’re not afraid to lose that job, you’re not passionate enough for that job
   4. At the Core, we fear we aren’t enough…
      1. Matt 10:26-31

26 “So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 

NIV

1. 1. 1. Our inadequacies are a lie, when we read God has said “You are great value….”
      2. God knew what Adam and Eve did and God went looking for them, though they were hiding from God….
2. Absence of Love
   1. Fear is the Absence of Love
   2. 1 John 4:18

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

NIV

1. 1. 1. The choice isn’t between fear and courage…
      2. The choice is between fear and love….
      3. When we fully embrace and fully accept Love it drives out all fear….
      4. We’ve prayed for years for a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit…I’d tell you we need a Fresh Baptism in Love…
   2. If you want to live a life where fear does not control you, then you have to live a life filled with Love.
   3. Love is what Transforms fear into Courage…Courage is the manifestation of Love.
      1. Illustration:  if there is a group of people and a mom sees her child in danger…in the split seconds where you thinking, I should jump in and help…mom has passed you by and sprang into action…Love manifested in courage.
2. Expressing Courage and Love
   1. It’s interesting to me that men and women can be extremely brave in business environments and cowardly in relationships
   2. Courage where it comes to wealth and a coward when it comes to character.
   3. What are we running from and what are we running to.
      1. Scripture says, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…”
      2. Perfect love casts out all fear…but here is the deal…God is love. 
   4. What scripture is telling us is:  Whatever we fear, has mastery over our lives…
      1. Whatever you fear establishes the boundaries of your freedom
      2. So when you and I fear God…He establishes our boundaries and our potential…