Be Strong and Courageous
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Anyone memorize 2 Timothy 1:7?
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Remember the spirit of fear is not from God.
It began in the Garden after Adam and Eve listened to the lies of Satan and disobeyed God.
Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Then we highlighted the five main fears we all face as humans
Five Categories of Fear:
1. Fear of Death (extinction)
2. Fear of Bodily Harm (mutilation)
3. Fear of Losing Control (loss of autonomy)
4. Fear of Rejection (separation)
5. Fear of Failure (ego death)
I pointed out that the primary fix to fear is to put our faith in Jesus.
He came to conquer each fear and bring victory.
And then He wants to pass that victory on to us.
Just to reinforce that point, I want to see if you can see any of the five fears in this Scripture.
Show Video: The Iniquity Of Us All.
Now how many of you know what communion is?
Do know what Jesus said when He got ready to pass the bread along?
This is my body broken for you.
Jesus understands our fears.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This morning we’re going to look at 3 things we need to remember to help us overcome fear
The 2nd Thing We Do To Overcome Fear
The 2nd Thing We Do To Overcome Fear
Courage Over Cowardice
The Greek word for fear in 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Fear here in the Greek is actually the word for cowardice. God has not given us a spirit of shrinking back and running away.
That is what Adam and Eve did.
They ran and hid.
COWARDICE - A character flaw or behavioral choice defined by lack of courage, specifically the inability to control fear, leading to the avoidance of duty, the abandonment of others, or the failure to act when action is required.
COURAGE - Knowing the risks and dangers, but having the character and strength, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to “tame” the fear and press on in spite of the fear.
Cowardice vs. Courage
Both are conscious decisions we make in the face of fear.
Cowardice allows fear to control us and prevent proper action, whereas courage helps us overcome fear and we control it so we can press on to what is the right thing to do.
Remember, it’s the Holy Spirit that ultimately helps us.
The Holy Spirit gives us the courage we need to face our fears and overcome them.
And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Be Strong And Courageous
Be Strong And Courageous
Story of Moses and Israel not going into the Promised Land...Why? Fear.
12 spies go in, one from each tribe. 10 come back with a bad report, but Joshua and Caleb are willing to trust God’s word and go.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.”
So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.
So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.
“There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
“Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
The nation disobeys God’s order to take the land.
They get punished by wandering for 40 years in the wilderness.
After 40 years, Moses dies and so do the other 10 spies and all of their generation. Joshua, who is Moses, 2nd in command, and Caleb are allowed to go into the Promised Land.
Joshua, takes over and God tells Him to go in and take the promised land.
But look at what God tells Joshua.
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
“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.”
Be Strong and Courageous - because of God’s promise of the Land
Be Strong and Courageous - because of God’s power through His Word.
Be Strong and Courageous - because of God’s presence - The Lord is with you.
Why Can We Be Strong And Courageous?
Why Can We Be Strong And Courageous?
The Promises of God
...He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Corruption - destruction, deterioration, death, immorality
It’s why memorization of Scripture is so important.
Each verse we have memorized is like an arrow in our quiver that we get to shoot at that spirit of fear.
The Power Of God Through His Word
Be careful to do according to all that is written in it. Application.
Do not turn from it to the right or to the left. Do not stray from its truth. Standard
Don’t let it depart from your mouth. Talk about it.
Meditate on it day and night. ponder it, internalize it, chew on it.
The temptation of Jesus
It Is Written
This is why memorization and devotions are so important.
The Bible is what God has given us to understand Him better.
He is all powerful.
Nothing is impossible for Him.
Psalm 78:1-8
The Presence of God
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
God told Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Jeremiah that He would be with them.
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
We Can Be Strong And Courageous Because Of:
God’s Promises
God’s Power
God’s Presence
Closing Song: No Fear
