A Consuming Fire: Run to God

Introduction: Where We Run When We Want to Hide

Everyone has that one drawer… or closet… The place where everything goes that you don’t want to deal with. You open it… shove things in… and close it as fast as you can.

And for a moment, it feels better— because as long as the door is shut, it feels like everything is under control.

But nothing is actually fixed. It’s all still in there.

And the truth is—we don’t just do that with junk drawers… we do that with our lives.

We hide fear… struggles… what’s really going on inside.

But Psalm 27 doesn’t call us to hide from our problems— it calls us to run to the presence of God.

Instead of closing the door… David says, “One thing I ask… to dwell in the house of the Lord.”

Not hiding from God… but hiding in God.

Because real peace isn’t found in avoiding what’s inside… it’s found in bringing it into the presence of the Lord.

👉 Psalm 27 shows us where to run when life makes us want to hide. 👉 Big Idea: When fear rises, run to God—not away from Him.

And that’s the tension David is living in… and the invitation he’s giving us. (Pause)

Fear Is Everywhere

And that’s exactly why this matters—because fear is everywhere.

We all know the desire to find safety when life feels overwhelming—because our world is full of chaos.

Fear is rampant. We don’t have to go looking for it—it finds us.

David had good reason to fear.

He was on the run, hiding from Saul, who was trying to kill him.

Enemies surrounded him.

His life was chaotic and uncertain.

The pressure was overwhelming.

Normal life was cut off.

He longed to be in God’s presence—but couldn’t (v.4).

He felt abandoned. “As if father and mother had forsaken him.” (v.10)

He was being lied about. “False witnesses have risen against me.” (v.12)

David wasn’t imagining fear—he was surrounded by it.

And when we look at Jesus—we see the same thing.

At His arrest, they surrounded Him… with the intent to kill Him. False accusations. Unjust trial. Overwhelming pressure.

And what was true for David… is still true for us today.

We don’t have to look very far to see it. There are wars and rumors of wars. The wars in the Middle East and around the world creates fear about the future.

And fear doesn’t just affect what’s out there…it affects what’s in here.

We see it in everyday life—global conflict, financial pressure, health concerns, and division in our homes and hearts.

And if we’re not careful… fear isn’t just around us… it starts shaping what we believe about ourselves.

(Pause)

👉 But let me remind you—you are not a child of fear…you are a child of God.

God wants you to experience His presence and His peace—not a life controlled by fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

(Pause)

We should be seeing a pattern—fear is usually tied to what feels negative.

But God often uses those very moments to reposition us.

But God doesn’t leave us in those moments—He meets us in them.

👉 So when fear rises—run to God, not away from Him.

So fear is real… it’s everywhere… and it’s powerful.

The Battle Behind the Fear

But it’s not just around us—it’s also against us.

Because behind what we see… there’s something deeper.

This isn’t just physical… it’s spiritual.

There is a war in the spiritual realm where good and evil are fighting for your soul.

There is a real enemy. And his goal is not just to attack your life— but to shake your faith.

He wants to fill your heart with fear— because if he can keep you afraid, he can keep you from trusting God.

The enemy is relentless—because his time is limited.

There is a battle happening:

For your attention

For your thoughts

For your trust

For your soul

👉 Fear isn’t just an emotion—it’s a strategy.

(Pause)

And this battle is greater than any war on earth— not because of what it destroys physically… but because of what it can destroy spiritually.

On the cross, Jesus went into the battle alone, took on the enemy, and secured victory once and for all.

👉 So fear doesn’t get the final word—God does.

(Pause)

When Fear Becomes Overwhelming

So in the middle of that battle—what do we do with our fear?

Psalm 27 points us in a different direction. David’s confidence isn’t in knowing the future, or even in his circumstances—it’s in knowing God.

Psalm 27:1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

I can picture Jesus, in the middle of His arrest and trial, holding onto that truth as He moved toward the cross.

That’s what trust looks like—holding onto God even when everything around you is falling apart.

And that trust carried Him all the way to the cross. We don’t have to look any further. The cross was an instrument of torture—designed to produce fear.

And yet Jesus, who had done nothing wrong, was crucified.

It was dark. The disciples scattered. They hid. It looked like hope was lost.

👉 But it wasn’t the end.

God had positioned Christ in that very moment to accomplish His will.

What looked like everything falling apart… was actually God setting the stage for something greater.

And in the same way, God often uses those very moments to reposition us.

What feels overwhelming… what feels uncertain… what even feels like it’s falling apart… may actually be where God is setting the stage for something greater.

And when that pressure builds… we want to run… hide… escape.

You know the feeling—“Wanna get away?” Yeah… immediately.

And this is where fear can shift— from overwhelming… to paralyzing if we allow it.

(Pause)

And that leads us to the real question…

Where We Find Safety

So where do we go when fear feels like that?

The psalmist feels this tension. Surrounded by enemies… facing real danger… yet choosing to trust God.

He sees the house of the Lord as his hiding place— trusting that God will conceal him and keep him safe.

Romans 8:31 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

That’s not just theology—that’s where safety is found.

No matter how adverse the circumstances, the safest place in the world is in the center of God’s will.

There’s a chorus sung by Saleh that is one of my favorites. It communicates this message in a powerful way. I’ll be sharing the song on social media this week.

You are my hiding place You always fill my heart With songs of deliverance Whenever I am afraid I will trust in You I will trust in You Let the weak say I am strong In the strength of the Lord

👉 That’s where David runs—and the invitation for us.

God Is Our Stability

And the reason we can run to Him…

In the middle of chaos, God is the one who never fails.

God is David’s:

Light in darkness

Salvation

Stronghold

Help

👉 This is where stability is found.

The psalmist knows God will not abandon him. That’s why he wants to dwell in God’s presence—not just for a moment, but for life.

Even when human love fails… God never does.

Even if everything else gives way—God remains.

👉 Which means our stability isn’t found in circumstances—but in Him.

Talk to God—Don’t Run From Him

So what does it actually look like to run to Him?

God’s love is not distant—it’s relational.

Because if we’re honest… there have been moments in our lives where fear got loud… where we didn’t know what to do… and our instinct wasn’t to run to God—it was to run from Him.

I recently heard a powerful sermon on anxiety. I’ll try to get the link and post it on social media next week. It is a must watch. It pointed to Jesus in the garden—overwhelmed, in deep anguish.

He knows what anxiety feels like.

And when anxiety hits, we either avoid it or let it paralyze us.

But Jesus didn’t run. He faced it… and He prayed.

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

To find the Father’s will, He had to go through His fear—not around it.

👉 That’s prayer.

Not escaping… but bringing it to God in the middle of it.

👉 So maybe today… don’t run. Step into the garden.

Psalm 27:8 ESV

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

And this is where the battle becomes personal.

Every day, two voices speak: “What if everything falls apart?” “I am your light… your salvation… your stronghold.”

And whichever voice you listen to most… becomes the one you believe.

When we stop praying, we stop tuning into God’s voice— and fear gets louder.

(Pause)

Prayer is not performance—it’s relationship. It’s bringing your real life into God’s real presence.

God Is Waiting—Will You Respond?

And here’s where it gets real for us…

God is already there… already waiting.

Chair Illustration

Imagine this chair represents God’s presence.

We say we want God… we say we need help… but we stay over here.

The only thing that changes… is when we respond.

👉 God is already waiting—we just have to move toward Him.

(Pause)

What Happens in God’s Presence

And when we do…

When we come to Him, we find:

Favor

Guidance

Confession

Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We don’t have to clean ourselves up first.

God isn’t waiting to inspect your life— He’s inviting you to let Him in and help you with it.

Which brings us back to where we started…

Takeaway for the Week: When fear rises, run to God—not away from Him.

Conclusion: Wait—Don’t Run

That drawer… that place we try to hide things…

So maybe today… it’s time to stop shoving everything into the drawer… and start bringing it into the presence of God.

As we close, imagine God calling your name: “Come. Sit with Me. Tell Me what’s going on.”

Take a moment… be honest… and listen.

You may not hear an answer right away— but conversation with God is a practice.

And Psalm 27 leaves us here:

“Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Take heart. And wait for the Lord.”

Not run. Not hide. Not escape.

Wait.

(Pause)

Because the God you’re speaking to… is already near… already listening… and already at work.

👉 When fear rises, run to God—not away from Him.