No Fear

Summary:

Advice for handling the difficult times that come with every year.

1. Cast your burdens on God.
2. Take refuge in God.
3. Replace anxiety with thoughts of God.

Complete Teaching Notes without Transcript:

What is causing you to worry?

What if… Job, Relationship, Health, Economy, Government, Kids

It’s never too late to put your trust in God.

The best way to live without fear is to place your trust in God.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

We can trust God to help us when we are afraid.

There is no need to be STRESSED OUT. Take your concerns to God and leave them with Him.

GOD KNOWS AND WANTS YOU TO HAVE PEACE

All of us sometimes ask…

• How can God work out details when it looks impossible?
• Why am I not seeing anything happen?
• Why am I not getting an answer from God?
• Why is it taking so long?

QUESTION: What should I do when I have fear?

1. Cast your burdens on GOD

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Ps 55:22

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

Another version I memorized years ago... “cast all your cares upon him”

Not to our friends.

Not to our family.

Not to a stranger.

Not to that person behind the counter.

But to the only one who can handle it. GOD.

2. Take refuge in GOD

The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Psalm 27:1-5

3. Replace anxiety with thoughts of GOD

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

Feeling alone? Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Ps 23:4

Feeling in need of help? God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Ps 46:1

The New Year

I can guarantee you will not have a perfect 2010. The year will have its ups and downs, its joy and its sorrow.

But I can say with absolute confidence that if you do these things you will have a better year because you will have walked with God.

Decide tonight that you will walk with God into the year, and I know that next year at this time you will have a different perspective. The same circumstances will present themselves, but HOW you handle them doesn't have to be the same as it has in years past.

Don't carry the burdens yourself anymore. Don't go through life without a safe resting pace. And Don't think you can think through your anxiety all alone. I know for sure this doesn't work.

Decide right now to replace worry with prayer, to fear God and not the circumstances you face, and to set your mind on things above instead of focusing on anxious thinking.

PRAYER