How To Climb Out of the Pit of Fear

my fears:

ocean/sharks

Zae being a PK

miscarriage

spiritual warfare

failure

We fear that which is more powerful than us, or that which we are unsure we have the ability to control or subdue.

Fear is proof we recognize the power of something else or the recognition of our lack of control. What we fear gives us insight to what we honor/esteem/recognize has power. What we fear is to some extent worthy of fear, worthy of recognition for the power it holds in of itself.

If you fear a lion, that says something about the lion, that it is powerful and dangerous.

vs 2 not only do we fear that which we can’t overcome, but sometimes the reason we cant overcome it is because we feel alone. It can be terrifying to feel alone and without aid in times of trouble.

Story when I was fearful and wondering if God was with me,

How do we overcome fear?

Not by eliminating the source of our fear - sometimes it’s necessary that we still fear.

The solution is by fearing God more than our circumstance. When we have one who is more powerful than that which threatens us, it mitigates the feeling of danger we experience.

vs3 God is our shield.

What if the felt need isn’t fear, but that “I won’t be saved”.

What if the character of God is to rescue, to protect, to save.

Perhaps our fear of circumstance is a result of a deficit in how we view God. When we see God rightly it gives us confidence that we have one who is able to save and deliver us from our fear.

JO’s Outline

Felt need: fearful

Solution: God is a protector

Main Point:

Intro - MO - Mountain Lion story

Many of us have a tendency to run from that which we’re afraid of - but rarely is it something physical.

Run from :

responsibility (grades),

commitment (relationships) ,

failure (athletics and academics),

truth (exposed)

Lord

The text

Psalm 3 ESV

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. 1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4 I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Vs1 and Context

Psalm 3:1 ESV

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;

David was fleeing from his son Absalom, 2 Sam 15. Why? Because he hadn’t been the best father.

Briefly summarize their history, including David’s mistakes and how his fleeing caused the Israelites to view him as 1) in the wrong and 2) the favor of God having left him as king (abandoned by God).

We fear that which we perceive to have power.

Sometimes that which we perceive to have great power is accurate and appropriate. (the power is innate)

Example: Shark, Lion, Gravity during free fall - you won’t win

David: feared Absolom and his army - and was justified (to some extent) in doing so - the army was great in number. His life was genuinely under threat.

Sometimes that which we perceive to great power is unworthy of it; we give things more power than they deserve by our chosen perception of them.

Personal example: football

Example: Singleness, MCAT/entry exam, bondage of sin

I don’t want to read into the txt too much, but it is possible David was fearful he was going to lose the throne. If so - why would that have been scary for him? Is it possible he found too much worth in his position as king?

V2

We fear also because of our own lack of power. We are afraid to be alone - because in of ourselves we know we are insufficient to overcome that which we face.

Psalm 3:1 “1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;”

Psalm 3:2 ESV

2 many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

Afraid that you’ll be abandoned, left behind, left out, alone, unable to overcome

Personal: Depression and Suicide - tempted to flee to run, from what? Loneliness, rejection. How? by taking my life.

V1-2 - How do we respond to our fear? Flee?

David fled.

What are you running from?

If you trace your footsteps backwards, what is it that you fear?

Why do you fear it?

Does it have legitimate power? Have you given it too much power? Do you feel like you have insufficient power/ do you feel alone?

V3

Psalm 3:1–2 “1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah”

Psalm 3:3 ESV

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

But,

The passage doesn’t end in vs 2. You may have a fear this morning, but your story doesn’t end there. Theres a conjunction that is meant to create contrast in the midst of your fear - but you O Lord

God wants to contrast your fear with faith in Who He is.

Shield, Glory, Lifter of my head

Shield

“David’s reference to a shield here is not to the small circular shield a soldier would wear on his arm in hand-to-hand combat but a shield that was about the size of a door and formed a curve encircling the front of the soldier. The long shield was meant to give the soldier maximum protection, especially if he wasn’t wearing armor.

Now think of this. When is the soldiers shield most effective? When he’s moving towards the enemy or running from the enemy? It’s most effective moving forward. If he’s running his whole backside is open to attack.”

- Dale H.

We are not to flee but to recognize God equips us to engage - to face our fear head on and prepare for battle.

Do we trust/have faith that He is our shield and that we will not be overcome if He’s with us. He is more than enough - we need not doubt if our shield is deffective and going to crack in the middle of battle.

Example of how I’ve experienced God as my shield: depression, suicide, spiritual warefare- I was able to withstand not because I’m great. I wanted to flee - to quit. I was able to withstand the war and my fear b/c God was my shield.

Glory

Sometimes we fear loss - of a relationship, position, title, money, etc because we find our worth, our value, our “glory” in that thing.

We need always remember our glory comes from who God is and who He’s made us to be.

Give examples in scripture: co-heir, more than a conquer, holy, beloved child, etc

Lifter of my head

Some of you are fearful and you need to know Jesus is not far off but near. He’s is the one who will lift your head from the posture of defeat to that of hope and victory, because you’re hope comes from having eyes fixed on Him.

V4

Psalm 3:4 (ESV)

4 I cried aloud to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

Action step: Cry out to the Lord

How do we experience a God who is a shield, our glory and the lifter of our heads? Cry out to the Lord. If you’re afraid cry out!

quick story of how i got startled the other day and yelled

Just as you might cry out if you were startled during a normal week or this fall season, let you’re fear lead you to the throne of God.

Conclusion: The goal is not to eliminate our fear, but in spite of our fear to have faith in Who God is. We are to cry out to the Lord - that he might meet us in the midst of our fear and give us the courage, not to flee, not to freeze, but to stand firm. Not to flee but to have a posture that’s prepared to engage it.

Absalom 2 Sam 15