ARE YOU AFRAID ?
TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE GIVEN SECURITY FROM FEARS.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Psalms 27:1 « A Psalm of David. » The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
FEAR IS A CONSCIOUS CHOICE.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
GOD GIVES YOU OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER BE AFRAID, OR TO TRUST HIM.
Judges 7:3-7 “Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.”
TRUE BELIEVERS CAN CHOOSE TO FEAR.
JOB FEARED CONSTANTLY, AND OBVIOUSLY, HIS DAILY LIFE WAS NOT ONE OF PEACE. FEAR CAN SET YOU UP FOR LOTS OF MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PROBLEMS.
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
SOMETIMES WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE AFRAID, SO GOD GIVES US INSTANCES WHERE WE SHOULD CHECK AND SEE IF WE ARE TRULY AFRAID.
–A GENERAL CONDITION WHICH COVERS EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO US,. SICKNESS, DEATH, FINANCIAL NEEDS, LACK OF NECESSITIES, ETC.
Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
–WHEN PEOPLE COME AGAINST YOU, WHETHER BY WORDS, OR PHYSICAL ATTACK.
Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
–BY DREAMS AND NOT ACTUAL EVENTS, OR BY VERY REAL THINGS, LIKE WEAPONS AGAINST US.
Psalms 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
–FEAR OVER BAD NEWS. FROM A DOCTOR, A BANKER, AN EMPLOYER, AND ANYTHING CARRIED IN THE NEWS MEDIA.
Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
–AN HONEST FEAR, OR AWE OF THE LORD.
Psalms 119:120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
WE ARE TOLD THAT OTHERS HAD TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS OF FEAR, AND THEY OVERCAME THEM THROUGH FAITH IN THE LORD.
–Proverbs 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
–Proverbs 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
–Psalms 3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
GOD’S COMFORT IS WITHOUT LIMITATIONS OF TIME.
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
AFRAID THAT GOD WON’T DO RIGHT. MANY HAVE IN MIND THAT GOD WILL NOT HONOR HIS WORD.
Matthew 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
BEING AFRAID MAKES US ACT FOOLISHLY SOMETIMES.
PETER DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID HE WOULD SAY THE WRONG THING. HE DID, ANYWAY.
Mark 9:5-7 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.