Bring It, I Ain't Scared!

Introduction

There are long lists of fears that can be documented. Just to name a few:

Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders

Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes. Phobics avoid certain cities because they have more snakes.

Acrophobia – The fear of heights. Five percent of the general population suffer from this phobia.

Agoraphobia – The fear of open or crowded spaces. People with this fear often wont leave home.

Cynophobia – The fear of dogs. This includes everything from small Poodles to large Great Danes.

Astraphobia – The fear of thunder/lightning AKA Brontophobia, Tonitrophobia, Ceraunophobia.

Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces like elevators, small rooms and other enclosed spaces.

Mysophobia – The fear of germs. It is also rightly termed as Germophobia or Bacterophobia.

Aerophobia – The fear of flying. 25 million Americans share a fear of flying.

Trypophobia – The fear of holes is an unusual but pretty common phobia.

Carcinophobia – The fear of cancer. People with this develop extreme diets.

Thanatophobia – The fear of death. Even talking about death can be hard.

Glossophobia – The fear of public speaking. Not being able to do speeches.

Monophobia – The fear of being alone

Chronophobia – The fear of the future. A persistent fear of what is to come.

Spheksophobia – The fear of wasps. You panic and fear getting stung by it.

Ergophobia – The fear of work. Often due to social or performance anxiety.

It is said that David pens this Psalm as he flees from his son Absalom. There are experts out there who list not only the causes and symptoms of these fears but the treatments of the same.

“The Psalmist faced the choice of faith or fear. expresses a tried faith that triumphed in spite of very real fears. your personal faith can overcome fear when communion with God dominates your fear.”

When we leave here today my prayer is that everyone understands that trust and communion with God can overcome our fears.

I. Confidence in God (His Protection) (1-3)

His Protection (1) - “The Lord is the one who gives me (the source of) life and who saves me.

Light (opposite of light is darkness)

“light” as in “daybreak” - “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

“Light reveals the nature of fellowship with God.” (Joel Gregory, Gregory’s Sermon Synopsis)

Salvation (opposite of salvation is bondage)

help; deliverance; protection that produces freedom from a present danger - James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

protection that produces freedom from a present danger

James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

salvation (physical) n. — a means of preserving from harm or unpleasantness.

Strength (Stronghold) - A place of refuge or defense such as a mountain fortress, guard tower, or hideout

refuge (source of) n. — something or someone turned to for assistance or security.

Zion is a refuge against invaders (not only does God keep us in, but He keeps the enemy out)

Zion is a refuge against invaders (not only does God keep us in, but He keeps the enemy out)

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Refuge

Shelter or relief from danger or anxiety. The OT concept owes its richness to several Hebrew words: mikgāḇ, a high rock (e.g., Isa. 33:16); măʿōnâ, a secure dwelling place (e.g., Deut. 33:27); mānôs, a place to flee to (Ps. 142:4 [MT 5]); and maḥseh, a shelter (Isa. 4:6).

Zion is a refuge against invaders

Shelter or relief from danger or anxiety -- a high rock (e.g., ); a secure dwelling place (e.g., ); a place to flee to ( []); and a shelter ().

refuge (source of) n. — something or someone turned to for assistance or security.

His Proof (2-3)

Past Experience (2) - relates that Goliath told the young David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Perhaps David remembered that when he wrote, When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.

Future Expectation (3)

II. Communion with God (His Presence) (4-5)

His prayer/His request

Seek God’s Will

“I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

III. Celebration of God (His Praise) (6)

I shall be placed beyond the reach of my enemies.

So David vows his purpose of rendering joyful thank offerings.

Conclusion

“God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind.”

Bones In The Church - A southern preacher divided his church members into five types of bones.

Wishbones—Folks always wishing for better things, but never willing to work and pray for them.

Jawbones—The gossiping kind that keep the church in turmoil. The talking kind, and that’s all they do...

Funnybones—like the bone in the elbow that throws a person into a tizzy when it is hurt. They are touchy, wear their feelings on their sleeves, and are always talking about leaving the church.

Drybones—Orthodox but dead as fossils.

Backbones—The spiritual support of the church that keeps the body standing