2020 05 03 - Faith&Fear - Fear Not...I Have Overcome the World

We are living in a world overrun by fear. The Corona virus dominates the news and has us locked away in our homes. Meanwhile with businesses closed or limited workers are being laid off or furloughed. People are afraid of getting sick, afraid of losing their job, afraid of losing their home. Where do we turn in the middle of this much fear?

365 times the Bible uses the words do not be afraid or fear not. That means you could read a different verse about overcoming fear everyday for a year. But these aren’t just unsupported directions. Repeatedly God tells us with a promise why we don’t have to be afraid. We are spending the next few weeks looking at these promises and they tell us we can have faith in a world of fear.

RECAP PREVIOUS WEEKS IN SERIES

We started this series off looking at how fear and faith can affect your life in many of the same areas but with opposite results. We focused on this key truth.

Fear and faith have a lot in common, but… you get to choose which has power in your life.

We have been looking at how the character and promises of God allows us to disempower fear in our life.

Fear not… I have defeated death

Fear Not… I am with you

Fear Not… I care for you

God’s concern for me means that I can lower my concern for me.

CONNECT THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE

SHARE: When have you felt powerless when trying to help someone you care about?

Christ is with me and he cares for me. Great! But can he actually do anything for me.

Fear Not… I have overcome the world

EXPLORE

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE

John 16:25–33 ESV

25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF THE SCRIPTURE

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 39.57 νικάω; νίκη, ης; νῖκος, ους

39.57 νικάω; νίκη, ης f; νῖκος, ους n: to win a victory over—‘to be victorious over, to be a victor, to conquer, victory.’

νικάω: πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον ‘every child of God is victorious over the world’ 1 Jn 5:4. In 1 Jn 5:4 ‘the world’ must be understood in terms of the value system of the world. In a number of languages the closest equivalent of ‘to be victorious over’ is ‘to defeat.’

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words Conquer, Conqueror

1. nikao (νικάω, 3528), “to overcome” (its usual meaning), is translated “conquering” and “to conquer”

MAIN IDEA

Transition from scripture to main idea

THE MAIN THING:

Christ’s victory over the world means I have nothing to fear and everything to gain.

Explore the Main Idea

1. If the world takes everything, it is left with nothing

SHARE: What is one thing you are afraid may be taken from you during this Coronavirus Crisis?

Luke 12:4 ESV

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. If I come to nothing, I gain everything

1 Peter 5:6–11 ESV

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Why do we worry so much? Worry comes from pride. We trust God too little and ourselves too much

Humility is the key

Jesus himself will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us.

Acts 20:24 ESV

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

3. If God is my everything, I will lack nothing

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Transform

Coming Back to the Main Thing

Christ’s victory over the world means I have nothing to fear and everything to gain.

Bring to Primary Application

Picture three sliders

1. Bring the threats down to 0

where does fear get an input into your life?

2. Bring your agenda down to 0

where is your output going?

3. Bring your trust in the Lord up 10

ask and receive

Lead Application to Commitment

Invitation

Announcements and Service Closing

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