Arrow of Fear

Arrows of Satan Series:

Fear

Isaiah 41:10-14

Theme: God show us how to overcome the arrow of fear.

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church. We are glad you are here today and trust God will bless you for attending. If you are a first-time guest, please stop by the welcome center so we can get better acquainted with you.

Today is the last Sunday in July. The summer is almost two thirds over and I trust God has given you a great summer so far. We are in a summer series entitled the Arrows of Satan.

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” (Ephesians 6:16)

In the ancient world when an enemy attacked with arrows, they would shoot fiery arrows. The victim defended himself by having a leather covered shield. You could quench the fire by stopping the arrow with the shield and the leather would extinguish the fire. In this verse Paul is saying when Satan shoots his arrows, we extinguish the fire by a shield of faith.

In our series, we have seen two of the more common arrows so far: unbelief the first week and envy last week. Today, Satan will throw the arrow of fear.

Fear comes in many ways and manifests itself in many ways. The odd thing about fear is it will debilitate you from your walk with God or even living out a normal life. If we allow it to permeate our life, it will let it keep us from getting baptized or joining the church or committing to giving or a ministry or things or we would be uncomfortable doing.

This prophecy was given at the time when Israel was under enemy attack. God raised up a leader named Cyrus who was not a Jewish man nor a believer as best we can tell, but Cyrus was used by God to fulfill His purposes on the earth. The enemy was destroyed because God was leading the army.

In this passage, many would be fearful but God mentioned through the prophet to “fear not.” In fact, three times here: v. 10, 13, 14. “Fear not” is used 381 times in the Bible. If Satan is trying to get us to fear, God tells us we should not fear.

God gives His reasons we are not to fear.

Just to let you know, Satan is still throwing the arrows of fear our way all the time. It may be fear of our physical health, or it might be fear of getting all in for God or getting baptized or fear of giving 10% to God or fear of taking that new job or fear of taking on that new project at work. Whatever or wherever that fear is, God outlines why we are not to fear.

Many Bible readers have memorized a classic verse on fear in II Tim.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

There are four reasons here in which we can defeat the arrow of fear.

Reason 1. . .

God is our Savior

Verse 10 opens with fear not. This means we can live a life without fear. You need not fear the arrow of fear from Satan because Jesus is our Savior. In fact, He is the only Savior. There is no other Savior. There are imitations or make-believe Saviors, but there is only One Savior and His name is Jesus Christ. Verse 14 says God is our Redeemer.

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:22)

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5–6)

What God is saying is we don’t need to fear because God is with us. Nobody is stronger or more powerful or more secure than God.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Knowing that God is with you when you face the arrows of fear in your life, is the starting place of getting victory over your fear. When God is at your side, there is absolute confidence you have.

Do you know Him today as your personal Savior? I don’t mean know about Him or have a general understanding of Him. But you know Him personally? Is He your Savior today? This means we know through His death on the cross, He secured my forgiveness. When we call upon Him to be our Savior, we have a relationship with Him and promised a home in heaven.

When we know Him, we can recognize He is with us. This is where the shield of faith comes in. When our faith is in Jesus Christ and what He did for us, we don’t have to fear. Jesus is our shield of faith who quenches the fiery arrows that Satan brings our way.

Reason 2. . .

He will strengthen us

This means to make strong or firm. How does God make us strong?

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:” (Romans 5:1–4)

God’s strengthening process is given through building our spiritual muscles of tribulation, patience, experience, and hope. These foundational blocks of our spiritual life is God’s way of strengthening us. We would much rather not to have go through these difficulties but it is God’s way of empowering us over the arrow of fear.

You won’t get your strength from the world because it will fail you every time.

Sometimes when we have fear that comes into our lives, we want to run to friends or work companions or school mates. While they may offer consolation and encouragement, God alone is the One who strengthens us.

Strengthen comes through exercise and through endurance. You will also need plenty of God’s Word. As God’s Word feeds our soul, we will be strengthened in the power of His might. God and His Word is the source of our strength.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

God will strengthen us so that we can face our fears and over them through His power.

Reason 3. . .

He will help us

He will come to our aid. He will assist us in our need. God will often use spiritual tools to help us.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

When we have fears in our lives, we come to God who will give us grace to overcome the fears we have. Verse 11, the prophet talks about the nations who want to hurt His people and it would be natural to fear for your life. God says when you seek me, I will give you grace to conquer the fears.

We can claim many verses which God’s Word gives us. This verse 10 is a wonderful verse. Please notice these verses also.

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (Psalm 56:3)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

At this point, someone might ask is fear innate or learned. Innate fears are in our DNA without prior experience. These fears are designed to keep us safe from harmful situations. Fear of falling, fear of loud noises, fear of predators, fear of pain, fear of heights, or fear of rapidly approaching objects. There is also the fear of snakes and spiders or some have a fear of the dark.

Learned fears come through experiences, instruction, or observation. These fears can be influenced by our environment and culture.

There are fears which we cannot avoid but must face in life. In this passage God is teaching us in verse 13-God will hold our hand and help us. Knowing that God is holding our hand and by our side will give us the courage to overcome the arrow of fear.

How was Moses able to cross the Red Sea even though Satan certainly shot an arrow of fear? How did Israel march into the Promise Land knowing there would be battles which brought great fear? How did a young shepherd boy by the name of David take on the giant Goliath when you know Satan throw the arrow of fear? How did the three Jewish men: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah go into the fiery furnace when Satan would throw the arrow of fear? How did Daniel go into the lion’s den with an almost certain death awaiting him? You know Satan shot the arrow of fear? How did Stephen, the first church martyr face a death experience? Satan was shooting his arrow of fear? How did Paul go through a shipwreck or being beaten or being stoned? You know Satan shot arrow of fear.

These all knew that God was with them holding their hand in facing their fears. Believers are not alone because we have Jesus holding our hand in the bombarding arrows of fear. God promises to help us. We cannot and should not hold back serving the Lord and moving forward for God.

If you are here today without Christ, you can know Him as your Savior? Death is called our last enemy and all will die one day. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

When you know the good shepherd, you face death knowing God is there with you.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

Without Him we are hopelessly lost and headed for hell. Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior who conquered death? His death on the cross paid for our sins and when Psalm 23 says thou art with me this means He as our Savior walks with us through the shadow of death.

There is no help without Him when we face our fears.

Reason 4 . . .

He will uphold us

The basic meaning of uphold is grasping securely. God is not going to ask you do something that Satan may throw the arrow of fear in your life where you will not have upholding you. God will have us in life and in death.

“If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” (unknown)

Verse 10 says with “right hand of my righteousness” is a place of strength. The right hand refers to authority and power which is entered in God’s righteousness. Jesus says all “power is given unto me.”

There is no Satanic arrow that God cannot take care of. Satan may throw them but God defeats them.

Israel was like a “worm” in that she was insignificant, despised, weak, and vulnerable. However, she, like Ruth, had a next of kin (Heb. go’el, redeemer)—the Holy One of Israel—who would take on her care and provide all that she, His family, needed—and more.[1]

God is our deliverer from the arrows of Satan. He wants to come alongside you to deliver you from Satan’s arrows. Perhaps you are here today without the Lord Jesus Christ. He is offering you a home in heaven and a relationship with Himself through His Son: Jesus Christ. Will you accept Him today?

Teenagers, are you struggling with the arrow of fear perhaps about your future or about a new job? Maybe a young couple here is dealing with fear about a ministry or taking on a new ministry? Maybe an adult is having fear regarding a medical condition. God wants to hold your hand to show you His power over your fear. Will you come to Him today?

[1] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Is 41:14.