Fear's Foe: Faith

Fear’s Foe: Faith

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."  Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"  They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?“                                                                      Mark 4: 35 – 41

FEAR - A feeling of reverence, awe, and respect, or an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger.  ~  Nelson’s Bible Dictionary

Two kinds of fear

Healthy fear

A feeling of reverence, awe and respect.

Unhealthy fear

An unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger.

Fear is a natural consequence of sin.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, " Where are you?"  He said, " I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."                                          Genesis 3: 8-10

What causes fear?

Blurred vision

Spiritual amnesia

Misplaced trust

What does God think about fear?

 "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the son of man who is made like grass, that you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But is where is the fury of the oppressor?                  Isaiah 51:12, 13

Do not fear man.

1 Peter 3:13-16

Luke 12:4-5

Do not fear your needs for food, clothes or your home.

Matt 6:25-33 

Do not fear death.       

Heb 2:14-15

Do not even fear the unknown.

Isaiah 41:10

For the Christian, the opposite of fear is not courage…it’s faith.

1.God is completely sovereign

2.God is infinite in wisdom

3.God is perfect in love

4.Understand who we are as Christians.

Rom 8:12-17

We are sons and daughters of a loving heavenly father and Heirs with Jesus Christ.

 Trust in the LORD with all your heart (I will love Him completely because I know that He loves me completely) And do not lean on your own understanding. (because His wisdom is infinitely beyond mine) In all your ways acknowledge Him, (because He sovereignly controls all things) And He will make your paths straight. (that’s His promise to work all things for my good because I am His child.)                           Proverbs 3: 5-6