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Week Six:
Battle Fear With Faith - Part 1:
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” 1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV).
Your battle against fear is not a physical one, it’s spiritual. So what is your greatest weapon against fear? The Word of God!Believe the Word when it says God has all power in Heaven and on earth. Don’t permit anxiety and fear to invade your body, which is in fact the temple of God. The battle against fear is a battle for our faith. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. Our faith must grow because it is only through faith in our unshakeable God, that we can possess the promises of God and step into each day with confidence to fulfill our purpose. It is only through faith in our unshakeable God that we can make what we know about Him bigger than what we don’t know about the future, bigger than any medical diagnosis or financial turmoil. Your faith can grow bigger than any fear shaking your world, bigger than any storm you will encounter. You can face any future opportunity with unshakeable faith. Fear will come in this life. History has proven that God is faithful. Our faith grows when we believe and declare God’s Word in our lives, fear is universal. His Word is one of the most powerful weapons we have in our fight against fear. When we fill our minds with his Word, we can silence the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s promises. The kind of faith that is impossible to change, shake, or beat down. And you can have that rock solid faith because God has given you a spirit of power and love and sound mind, not a spirit of fear. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV). Often our fears are little proclamations that God is not good enough or wise enough to handle the things we’re anxious about. And then we tend to focus on what we’re afraid of, which only causes our fears to grow. Overcoming fear is a lifelong process of confessing it to the Lord and asking Him for fresh faith to believe His promises.
Battle Fear With Faith - Part 2:
“I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me” Psalm 118:5-7(NKJV).
If we have faith that God is bigger than our fear, then conquering any battle we encounter will be following God's will for our life. God knew that the life we would live and the roads we would walk would be difficult. He also knew that we would tempted to fear His plans instead of having faith that He would carry us through. Throughout the book of Hebrews there are testaments regarding how to stand on steadfast faith. It helps us understand that we will be tempted and tested by fear, however, we are to stand with confidence and certainty.“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV). You must learn how place our fear before our faith, althought we are unable to see any proof. To doubt our God is to deny Him and His ability to protect us. “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace”Exodus 14: 14 (NKJV). After all, He sees everything we do, everything we are, and everything that we can be. He also sees the rocks we will trip over and the cliffs we will fear looking over from the fear of falling. But, God desires that we look over that cliff so that we are able toat our doubt in Him is what made us afraid to look over the cliff only to find solid ground a half a foot down. Fear will delay, distract, hinder one’s faith. Fear will cause you to stand back when God calls you forward in His mission for you. Fear will cause you to doubt God and ultimately, that is displeasing to Him. When we doubt God, we are unable to see his full grace and glory and the ability He has to propel us towards facing our fears. God expects you to have fears but He also expects you to remember your faith in Him. He expects you to remember that your fears were created by the world and the only real refuge from what you fear the most is to seek the One you should trust the most.
Battle Fear With Faith - Part 3:
The first step to fighting fear is to recognize when it creeps in. Sometimes, it creeps in slowly, forming a web that deeply entangles your thoughts. But other times, it comes in with a loud bang, leaving you crippled and afraid. Often times, we think that fear-filled thought is the first thought that is the problem. Many times, there is an original thought that begins far before you feel fear that leads you to the fear. Our hearts are constantly torn between fear and faith. It’s the bipolar nature of every Christian who still has sin inside of them, no matter how long we have walked with the Lord or how many feats we have seen our God accomplish. Maybe you can relate to some of these:
(1) We’re afraid that we won’t be able to pay our bills, so we don’t give joyfully and liberally to God’ kingdom.
(2) We’re afraid of what our neighbors, coworkers, or family members will think, so we don’t share our faith as vocally as we should.
(3) We’re afraid that we will be rejected, so we don’t lovingly confront a brother or sister in Christ when we need to.
(4) We’re afraid of looking stupid, so at Bible study or small group, we don’t ask the questions that have been plaguing our faith.
(5) We’re afraid of failure, so we don’t attempt to make the most of the gifts that God has given us.
(6) We’re afraid to leave the comforts of our predictable lives, so we don't step out into that ministry opportunity.
(7) We’re afraid of what people will think if they really get to know us, so we find it more comfortable to hide rather than be open and vulnerable. “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,Who delights greatly in His commandments ” Psalm 112:1 (NKJV). When our emotions are heightened, then our sensitivity level is on high alert when my fear is greater than my faith.
Battle Fear With Faith - Part 4 (Closing):
When our inner focus is rightly on Jesus, faith in God pushes our forward. His confidence rises in self, and there’s clarity in what lies ahead. You must continue to be more sensitive to the needs of others, and I see Jesus for who he is: the One who brings life, hope, healing, and joy. Oftentimes, faith collides with fear in our hearts more than we tend to think it does. Our confessional theology doesn’t always match our functional theology. Much of what we do is propelled by fear, and not motivated by a sure and restful faith in the presence, power, and promises of the Lord. The phrase “fear not” appears in the King James Version of the Bible 62 times. In the Bible, commands to “fear not” usually come from God or one of His angels. Before Joshua led the Hebrews into battle against their enemies, God said, “Fear not. ”“Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land” Joshua 8:1(NKJV). When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Messiah, he said, “Fear not.” “Fear not, for I am with you;Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand ”Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV). God knows fear is a problem for us. This is why God appeals to us to “fear not.”“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV). God doesn’t condemn us for our fear. He wants to free us from it, therefore, every time God says, “Fear not,” He adds a promise to be there with us, to help us. When God says, “Fear not,” it’s an invitation to trust, and grow our faith. “For they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid” Mark 6:50 (NKJV). Fear takes hold when we feel powerless.God invites us to rely on His power and not our own.God gives us the power to overcome fear. Fear binds us to an ordinary life. While we may not easily eliminate fear, we can overcome it. Each fear that we overcome opens the door to something extraordinary. Whenever we struggle with a fear that’s holding us back from fully enjoying life, it’s an opportunity to trust God and strengthen our faith. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” Matthew 10:28 (NKJV).