The Giant of Fear
5 Stones of Faith • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Killing a Spider
The Seattle Times published an article some time ago about a man who accidentally burned down his house. While entering his laundry room to get some work done, he encountered a spider. Evidently, this man was deathly afraid of spiders. So instead of squishing, sweeping, or vacuuming the spider, he apparently took the expression “kill it with fire” just a tad too literally, leading to his house going up in flames after he attempted to eliminate the spider using a lighter and a can of spray paint.
Firefighters arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze, but the fire had already caused significant damage. Ultimately, it cost $60,000 to repair and replace the items inside. We’d like to take this opportunity to advise people to STOP DOING THIS. This keeps happening. Do not use fire to kill bugs. Don’t do it. Just say no.
You’re probably thinking, Well, at least the fire must have killed the spider! Ha-ha-ha! But no. Nobody can confirm whether the spider survived or not. So basically, this spider could have escaped alive and then watched the house burn from the safety of a nearby tree, laughing maniacally at this man’s misfortune.
We began our series on the 5 Stones of Faith a few weeks ago. We got that from 1 Samuel 17:40, which reads…
He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
While yes, David used one of the stones to kill a real giant, we can use the concept of the five stones as we try to slay the metaphorical giants in our lives that both King Saul and King David faced, and which we too encounter at various points in our lives.
The giant we are about to attempt to slay today is the Giant of Fear!
Just like the man who tried to kill the spider with a lighter and a spray paint can, there are right ways and wrong ways to confront fear.
Fear is a powerful emotion. It can both paralyze us and motivate us.
Everyday Fear Responses:
Fight or Flight
Freeze
Anxiety
Panic
Feelings of Overwhelm
Like in previous weeks, we will examine how King Saul and King David confronted this giant.
Let me clarify something before going further: fear is a God-given emotion. It is not a sin in and of itself. Fear acts as a warning system, urging us to protect ourselves.
Climbing a tall ladder
Walking along a wall
Walking down a dark alley in a city.
Witnessing an accident
These are all normal things to be fearful of and are much like a built-in warning system for impending danger.
Our response or action to fear can lead to sin. For example:
Loss of Peace and Contentment - the Bible says in Philippians 4:6–7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
What’s the solution for anxiety? Prayer with thanksgiving!
There are many outcomes to fear, but today I want to discuss three forms that King Saul displayed. I believe that many of us, like King Saul, struggle in these areas as well.
The First Fear is:
THE FEAR OF UNWORTHINESS
THE FEAR OF UNWORTHINESS
Let me clarify what unworthiness means for us.
"Unworthiness" refers to the feeling or state of lacking merit, value, or deservingness, often linked to feelings of inadequacy and shame.
(Key) We are not worthy because of ourselves, but because of God working in and through us.
King Saul encountered this early in his life.
Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
Therefore they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” So the Lord said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.”
So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
When Saul was publicly chosen as king, instead of being confidently presented to the people as God’s chosen man, he hid. He did not believe that God was able to work in and through him.
How does this apply to you and me? Many of us are called by God to serve Him in various capacities, but our excuses, often stemming from fear, are…
I am not smart enough.
I don’t know enough.
I’m not deserving.
I’m a failure.
Let me tell you something: if God is asking you to serve Him in any capacity, no matter how great or small, and you choose not to do it or to hide from it out of fear, this is sin.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
God did not create you to stay on the sidelines of life. He created you for a purpose and wants to use you for that purpose.
FEAR LEADING TO SINFUL BEHAVIOR
FEAR LEADING TO SINFUL BEHAVIOR
In context, we see that after David kills Goliath, the people begin to sing his praises, and Saul becomes increasingly jealous and fearful of David.
Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand.
Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.
Now Saul was afraid of David, for the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
How does this work in our lives today?
Perhaps, like Saul, we have lost our jobs, or our status in life has changed. How do we respond to those pressures?
Do we continue to tithe?
Do we cheat on our taxes?
Do we fret over our circumstances?
Maybe, like Saul, we are envious of others who are doing well and are afraid they will be more recognized than us, so we seek ways to sabotage their efforts, or we gossip about them to tarnish their name?
The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Fear, if we are not careful, can lead to many sinful behaviors.
First, fear can make someone feel unworthy.
Secondly, fear can lead to sinful behavior.
Third, fear hinders our faith.
FEAR HINDERS OUR FAITH
FEAR HINDERS OUR FAITH
In context again, the prophet Samuel had died. Previously Saul had relied on Samuel to seek out the Lord and to offer wise advice when he went to war.
Saul finds himself at war again with the Philistines, and notice what he does.
When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.
He tried to do things on his own terms instead of following God’s way. Then he moved even further away from God’s methods in the next few verses.
Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.”
But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”
Saul vowed to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
Saul had strayed so far in his faith that not only did he try to do things his way, but he even sought out the services of a medium.
A medium is a spiritist or necromancer who conjures and communicates with ghosts.
You might be thinking, "Ben, I am not so far gone in my faith that I am getting my palm read and trying to speak to Nanny, who always had all the answers from the grave."
But are you seeking the world’s philosophies before going before the Lord?
Faith and Fear cannot co-exist! When we are seeking the world’s advice instead of what God’s word has told us, then we are allowing our fear to control and take over our faith.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
So often we get entangled in the tangibles, the what-ifs of life, and God is simply telling us to slow down and have faith.
You don’t have to have all the answers or even see them, because we serve a God who does have the answers and sees the solution.
Are you ready to confront the Giant of fear today by exercising faith?
DEFEATING FEAR
DEFEATING FEAR
I love King David’s response to fear.
Shortly after Saul had thrown the spear at David and tried to impale him to the wall, David went on the run. In fact, he spent several years on the run, aiming to honor God and King Saul in the process.
He wrote this Psalm during that time.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?
How did David reach this point in his life, and how can you and I get there when we confront fear?
He saved us
Fights for us
David clearly understood God’s salvation and defense. When fear crept in, he would remind himself of God’s salvation and His power to defend him.
May I remind you this morning how much you are loved and how valuable you are to God?
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
As we go to prayer, may I encourage you to cast all your cares, fears, and anxieties upon God? Saul attempted to manage everything on his own and ultimately failed, while David understood that the Giant of Fear didn’t stand a chance when God was involved.
Let’s Pray
