Grace Community Church Downham Market

Grace Community Church Downham Market


Fear Not

August 25, 2019

“Fear not” Be anxious for nothing” “Do not worry about anything”

Where are these phrases from?
Why all 3? It’s a very important instruction from God to us.
I’m here - obedience to my Heavenly Father.

Worry and anxiety,fear
Very prevalent today! A lot of physical and mental illnesses - rooted in anxiety about family, health, finances, making a living, the future, the mad world we live in etc..

Famous scripture:
Philippians 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Choose: Instead of having anxiety as a first response, we are given Godly instruction here to follow to end up having peace in everything!

Biggest command repeated most often in the Bible is “fear not”.
366x one for every day incl leap year!
Commands us first not to fear as this disables us and our calling to impact the world around us

Parable of the talents. One with only one talent stated “fear” as his reason for burying it. So even this got taken away in the end.

Fear not only makes us inefficient - it is the biggest tool of the Enemy to oppose and neutralise our faith.
To come against God....
Enemy’s goal is to “Steal kill and destroy” our faith and God’s plan for our lives.
God’s will is that “ no one should perish but all should come to repentance” - 2 Peter 3:9
Repentance is not just for the lost- far from it! It’s for all of us all the time and it’s a wonderful gift.

Satan wants “everyone to perish before they get a chance to come to repentance” Also to destroy obedient Christians who lead others to repentance” as this goes directly against his plans. He can’t destroy Christians as God’s Protection is on them so he works his plans by instilling fear, worry, anxiety and this distracts the person or delays them or causes them to avoid and shrink back from situations that are “scary” to them

FEAR - “false evidence appearing real”
Fear is the opposite of faith which is the “substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11)

Fear attracts more fear - like flies to a poo- not only in your own mind but affects your actions, your family your children and passed on to the next generation. Ultimately affects your destiny ( see the one talent man). and the destiny of your children - only an inheritance of fear is left to them.

Kids that worry excessively and can’t sleep etc- often have parents with anxiety. I see it every day in clinical practice. It’s not genetic it’s demonic.
And demons are very territorial they want to hold on to the people whom they’ve possessed and to their families.

Only one way to get fear out-
“ perfect love casts out fear.” 1 Joh 4:18 perfect love? Only the perfect love of Christ.
Love is not only the antidote but - casts out fear. We can’t “ keep our own fears under control ” it needs casting out!
Demons can’t hang around and operate and attract more fear in a heart that’s full of love.
The more fear in your heart, the less love can rule. You can’t operate out of both love and fear...
Do not fear!
For example if your child is drowning your love for that child will move you more than the fear of the consequences of putting yourself in the same danger.
Happened to me and my mum in Mexico Sea. She nearly drowned and I (weak swimmer, unfit and untrained just went after her to save her) no consideration of the danger I put myself in. My love for my mum cast out any legitimate fears I could have had for my own self preservation. Luckily God sent 2 lifeguards and we were both saved that day.

As Christians we need to CHOOSE as first response NOT not worry and be anxious but we can be full of joy and trust in God’s word, His love and goodness, his eternal grace. His plans will never fail! He speaks only the truth and He won for us on the cross and He will win for us in the end. The church is his body - a bod