Graduated Faith (2)

Overcoming Fear

The biggest enemy of trust is fear. The biggest enemy of faith is knowledge and understanding. Fear is a paralyzer. It can stop the biggest man in his tracts, but here’s the kicker… Fear is in your head

The whispers of the enemy can become more real than what is actually taking place in reality.

We call Satan the Father of lies, but understand the best lies have a hint of truth. They seem real. They can even seem to come from God, but they are lies.

1 Thessalonians 5:21–22 ESV

21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

I’ve been given many powerful words in my life. God has sown into my life through many Godly people and some of those words I still hold onto today, but Satan has also used God’s people to sow words into my life. Some of them even sounded good, but they weren’t from God. Many of the words given to me were a tool of the enemy to cast doubt and fear into my life and I get asked this more times than I can count-

How do You know when God speaks?

What they are really asking is

How can I tell the difference between God’s voice, Satan’s voice, and my own desires?

The answer is time. Time with God and time in battle. You see Fear wants to destroy your trust in God, but God has given us 3 specific weapons to use against fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (Sound Mind, Sober Minded)

The Christians of those days were facing a large amount of persecution. If you drop down to V8 Paul is instructing the church not to be ashamed of him as a prisoner or as one who suffers for Christ. The reason is because the Christians were becoming fearful of the unknown. I can imagine some questions that popped into their heads—What if this happens to me? What if I suffer more than my faith can handle. What if someone finds out that the sins I commited before coming to Christ and uses that against me? How can I stand?

In times of suffering Satan will often times, try to plant seeds of doubt in your mind. If God loved you why did he allow this to happen. If you were truly saved you wouldn’t be suffering. If you were truly loved God would protect you, but the enemy is lying.

Isaiah 54:17 ESV

17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

The truth of Isaiah is that there are specific weapons Satan uses that have your name on them. They were formed and fashioned to fight against God’s call in your life, but God gave you weapons to use to protect yourself.

Three weapons specifically.

Power, Love, and self Control (or sound mind.)

Power

Definition of Power

The ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

This is a small part of the verses starting from 14 and ending on V21 where Paul is praying that the church have Spiritual Strength. Numerous times throughout this chunk of scripture Paul refers to the power of God that is inside of us, but in V 17 he tells us what the power is for.

Ephesians 3:17 (ESV)

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...

God has given us power so that we may remain in the faith. This tells us that the enemies biggest attack is going to be pointed at our position in Christ. our Salvation and our ability to share that salvation with others.

The term Power comes from the Greek word Dunamis which lis where we get our term dynamite from. You have within you dynamite power to defeat the lies of Satan in your life. Not just to over come them, but to completely demolish them.

2. Love

1 John 4:18 (ESV)

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…

But if you back up a little you get the bigger picture.

1 John 4:15–16 (ESV)

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16 So we have come to know and to believe (trust) the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Perfect Love…God’s Love cast out fear, but Love comes through relationship and trust. When my wife and I first met I was dating her best friend. Our first kiss was while I was dating her best friend. Beth didn’t have any reason to trust or believe that I wouldn’t cheat on her or that I would be faithful and that she could be secure in our relationship.

However, 15 years later, her fears of me cheating on her aren’t a problem. Why? Because over time we built up trust and love.

When in a relationship you only fear when true love isn’t established. God’s perfect love casts out fear why?

Romans 8:31 (ESV) 31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

God’s love puts us in position with God and nothing can stand against God. If nothing can stand against God nothing can stand against you.

Growing up, when I was 5,6,7 years old I had a mouth that would get me in trouble. More times than I can count my mouth would get me into fights. Most fights I could handle on my own, but there were a few where my brother had to step in and no matter how much we fought I understood that my brother my kick my butt, but no one else was allowed to.

I would speak my mind and step aside. I had no fear. Later, my brother stopped fighting battles, I learned to stand on my own, but God never leaves us nor forsakes us. When it comes to Satan we can talk big and step aside because God will step in. We can cast big dreams. We can make big challenges because God’s love for us puts us in a position that God will take care of the fight. What could you accomplish if you allowed God to fight the battle for you?

Love in the bible is one of the most described words. It’s the only word so vividly described because, I believe, it’s that important that we comprehend God’s love so that we can channel its use for his glory. I believe this is why love is so attacked and screwed in the world today. We see love distorted because

If Satan can distort our perception of love he can dilute our power.

3. Self Control/Sound Mind

God granted you authority over what enters your mind. Satan wants to take your mind on a wild rollercoster.

One of the biggest dangers of surfing isn’t the sharks. It’s disorientation. disorientation has drowned more people than sharks could ever eat. When the surfer falls of his board the waves toss you around, throwing you from side to side and rolling you head over heals. The danger is when you can’t remember which way is up. You don’t know where you are and don’t remember how to get to air. Then your drown.

Satan wants to do the same thing with your mind. He wants to flood your thoughts so that you panic, have anxiety attacks, get lost in depression, lost in lies, and drown in fear and paralysis.

The greek word for self control or sound mind is.

Sophron

Made up of two words

Sozo and Phren

Sozo means to save, deliver, and protect.

Phren means mind.

The idea is that a saved or protected mind is a sound mind. It is a mind is thinking clearly because you took the time to submit every thought captive to the word of God measuring for truth and validity in your life.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,