Getting Over It: Fear

What are you most afraid of?

ILLUSTRATION - Charlie Brown

What are you most afraid of?

The answers to that question have probably changed throughout your life.

For some of us, our childhood brought fears of the “boogie man” or “ghosts.” As we aged, we put away those fears and replaced them with fears of school, fears of the unknown, fears of college. Then later in life those fears were replaced with fears of uncertainty, fears of economic independence. Then at the end of our life there are fears of our legacy and fears of death.

Life’s most common fears:

1. LOSS - What if something happens to my spouse or kids? What if something happens to derail my marriage? What if I lose my health or job?

2. FAILURE - What if I don’t measure up to other people’s expectations? What if I fail financially? What if I spiritually fail?

3. REJECTION - What if I get left out? What if my spouse isn’t happy with me?

4. UNKNOWN - What if I end up with some crazy illness? What if everything crashes and I can’t provide for my family?

5. CHANGE - What if life changes in a way I don’t like it?

Fear is a part of our daily life.

But see, fear was not God’s original purpose. He didn’t create us to be afraid.

Fear was introduced to us for the first time in the Garden of Eden. It was unknown in the perfect paradise of Eden. But when Adam and Eve fell, sin (and thereby fear) entered into the world. So needless to say, our ancient ancestors chose to let fear in.

Genesis 3:10 CSB

10 And he said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

Since then, our Bible is filled with pages of people who were fearful. Listen to David’s own words from Psalms.

Psalm 55:4–5 CSB

4 My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. 5 Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.

Psychologists divide fear into three categories:

RATIONAL, PRIMAL, IRRATIONAL FEAR

RATIONAL FEARS - reasonable responses to real or potential danger

Turbulence during a flight

Having a gun pointed at you

Me breaking Joanna’s door on her car

PRIMAL FEARS - those that are programmed into our brains

Fear of spiders or snakes/ mice

Why do you think theme parks have rides where it feels like something is crawling up your back? It is a primal fear.

IRRATIONAL FEARS - Intense reactions to situations that are not dangerous

Fear of ghosts

Fear of clowns

The Bible basically divides fears into two categories - healthy fear vs. unhealthy fear.

HEALTHY vs. UNHEALTHY FEAR

HEALTHY FEAR

Proverbs 1:7 CSB

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Philippians 2:12 CSB

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

UNHEALTHY FEAR

Proverbs 29:25 CSB

25 The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.

It seems as we read our passage this morning that Paul was writing to Timothy who had some fears.

We don’t know the exact fears that Timothy is dealing with, but we know..

He was a young pastor (younger than 40)

He probably lacked male leadership in his life when he was young

He was in a difficult church

He was facing persecution - and his mentor, Paul, was in prison!

He was a timid person (the word “fear” in our passage actually speaks of cowardice or timidity)

The burdens of ministry

Maybe today you have experienced that kind of fear. God has called you to do something that seems impossible. You are filled with fear. I know when I was called into ministry - I dealt with fear. The fear of the unknown. The fear of the future.

I want us to look at what Paul told Timothy and specifically look at his advice in vv. 7.

2 Timothy 1:1–7 CSB

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus: 2 To Timothy, my dearly loved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also. 6 Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

From this one verse (vv. 7) I see three important truths:

1. We need to recognize that the source of “paralyzing fear” is not from God.

Notice those words “spirit of fear.”

Paul doesn’t say to Timothy - “God has not given us fear…” He says “God has not given us the SPIRIT (Pneuma) of fear…

What does that mean?

God obviously can give us fear. Fear isn’t all bad - fear is a natural human emotion that helps us stay safe from danger. But fear that paralyzing us is not from God.

When we are in danger, we have three responses: fight, flight, or freeze. This paralyzing fear is when we freeze. It consumes us.

ILLUSTRATION - Ginny Reaves - lived in a spirit of fear

That type of fear is not from God.

You say where is it from?

1) The devil (we do give him too much credit)

2) Our sinful flesh (I think many times this is the case - this is the reason we are afraid)

Fear, no matter how overwhelming, does not have to rule your life.

2. Fear can hold us back from what God is trying to do in and through us.

This was the point of what Paul was trying to tell Timothy. He didn’t want Timothy to be held back by fear from the incredible things God was doing.

Fear keeps us from the work that God is trying to do.

If you keep reading in 2 Timothy 1:8-14, you will see that Paul doesn’t want Timothy to be held back by his fears.

2 Timothy 1:8–14 CSB

8 So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher, 12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day. 13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Paul basically says to Timothy - “if there’s anyone that SHOULD be fearful, it’s me! I am a prisoner of the Lord.”

The word “testimony” in vv. 8 is the Greek word “mar-ty-rion.” Guess which word in our English language came from this? Martyr!

Paul says “my testimony has all likelihood to make me a martyr for the Gospel. If anyone needs to be afraid, it’s me! But Timothy, my boy, I am not ashamed of the Gospel. I am not afraid. If I die, I die. If I live, I live.” And then in vv. 12 “because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.”

Paul - “I’m not quitting Timothy because of fear so don’t you think you can quit either!”

Paul knew as he sat in that Roman jail that Roman jails served only one purpose - to decide about life or death. They didn’t keep people in Roman jails for them to live out their days. They would either be declared guilty or innocent. If they were innocent -they would be freed. If they were guilty - they would be killed.

3. The Holy Spirit gives us replacements for our fear.

When we become a believer the Holy Spirit comes to reside inside of us. And when He comes to reside, he replaces our fear with three things.

Now, I want to say before we look at these, if you do not have the Holy Spirit inside of you - you won’t be able to live a fearless life. Only because of God can we live in fearlessness.

A. God replaces our FEAR with POWER

The Holy Spirit takes our fear out and replaces it with POWER.

The Greek word is “dynamos”; from which word we get “dynamite.”

That’s what Timothy needed - Power. That’s what we need - power.

You may say “How can I have power when I am afraid?” Well don’t look to yourself. You are supposed to look to the SPIRIT that is in you, that’s the source of the power!

And God’s power is limitless. We say God is omnipotent - meaning He is all powerful. When we are afraid - we should look to the power of our all powerful God!

You know how strong our God is?

Genesis 1:1 CSB

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

That’s how strong He is. So don’t be afraid because His Spirit lives in you! God gives us strength beyond our own limitations.

The spirit of “power” enables us to face our fears with confidence.

Here’s the question - “Since God has infinite and awesome power, what do I need to be afraid of?”

B. God replaces our FEAR with LOVE

The word used here is “agape.” Unconditional, unmerited, selfless, sacrificial love.

The Bible speaks of the fact that love casts out fear.

1 John 4:18 CSB

18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

Illustration - Losing child (fear), and the fear is dissipated the moment the child wraps their arms around their child. Love drives out fear.

When the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us, he fills us with the love of God. And that love will dispel any fears.

Here’s something to ask yourself - “Since God infinitely loves me and enables me to love others, what do I need to be afraid of?”

C. God replaces our FEAR with SOUND JUDGEMENT

The Holy Spirit gives us sound judgement. Another rendering of this phase is “Self control.”

What does that mean? When the Holy Spirit comes to reside inside of us we don’t deal with life situations in fear, we deal with them with self control. We don’t want around panicked all the time, we control ourselves to not be afraid.

A literal definition of sound judgement/ sound mind would be “everything in his mind is in the proper place.”

If you are left up to your natural flesh - you will fear everything. But God gives you “sound judgement/ self control” to control your flesh and your mind and not be afraid.

Question - “Since God has given us a sound mind and sound judgement, what do we need to be afraid of?”

As we close, I want you to think of one more closing point that I read this week:

What you fear the most reveals where you trust God the least.

So I ask you again - “What are you afraid of?”

Can I tell you what to do with that fear? Speak Jesus over that fear.

The song we are getting ready to sing says - “I speak Jesus over fear and all anxiety…” Whatever you are afraid of today, speak Jesus over it.

Because…

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.