Why Live in Fear?
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A couple of weeks ago, I opened the service reading Isaiah 41:10,
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
After the service, Judy reminded me on the theme of February’s Sabbath Recorder. I want to read a little bit to you, which describes what a lot of people are feeling these days, even some of you may feel some or all of this.
Fear.
It seems we are full of fear. It is everywhere.
We are afraid of the virus.
We fear sickness.
We fear death.
We are afraid not to wear our mask.
We are afraid we won’t wash our hands enough.
We are afraid to go anywhere.
Fear is everywhere.
We are afraid we will lose our jobs…our business.
We can’t see our friends, relatives, not anyone.
We can’t go to church services.
We fear strangers.
We fear the weather…fire, floods, wind, too much sun.
After this week, some fear the bitter cold, ice, snow.
We fear for our country.
We fear the future.
We fear the present.
We fear not being good enough.
Fear is everywhere.
But...
Didn’t God say “Fear Not”
Over and over and over?
So many times—fear not—in so many situations.
And so...
What do we do?
Do we remember that God says, “Fear not”...
Last year, we saw months of rioting, which brought on fear. The onset of Covid and lockdowns, which brought fear of catching the virus, but also fear of losing their job, losing their business because they could not be open to make ends meet. We see people afraid of guns, global warming, Big Tech companies, the government, infringement on our freedoms.
People afraid to express their opinions, or being afraid of their neighbors. Mayors and governors had opened up snitch lines for you to call if you saw your neighbor being naughty.
Why is there so much fear in the world. We see fear in the news, on social media. It is everywhere we look, but why is is to prominent. If we look at Romans 1:21-23,
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Mankind does not honor God or give thanks. Instead of giving God the honor and thanks for what we have, people pat themselves on the back for what they have, thinking it was all because of what they have done.
If we look at 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ,
9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
People who fail to love God and put their trust in Jesus as their savior are the ones that have everything to fear, while the Christ followers have nothing to fear.
Let’s take a look at this mornings verse, 1 John 4:18,
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Clearly John is not talking about our love, because our love is not perfect, so if God’s perfect love casts out fear, then Why do we Live in Fear?
1. Our Security is in the Lord.
Matthew 6:25-34 shows us,
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Nobody wants to lose their jobs or the business they put everything into. But if it happens, put your trust in God for He will provide. I do have to preface this statement a little bit. I have known people, who quit their jobs, and openly beg on social media, their family and their churches asking for things they need, always stating that God will provide. This does not sit back and do nothing because God will give you what you need…God will open doors for you in order to make sure you are provided for. Genesis 2:15,
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
No freebies, we still have to work for things, but God will provide.
2. Our Freedom is in Christ.
Before we come to Christ, we are slaves to our sins; one pastor commented that we are like Prisoners of War to Satan. Ephesians 2:1-3 says,
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
We were children of wrath, prisoners of our sin; an enemy of God. But God loved us enough to free us. Romans 6: 22-23 says,
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “the unsaved person is free—free from righteousness. But his bondage to sin only leads him deeper into slavery so that it becomes harder and harder to do what is right.” He also mentioned that he had a friend that said, “I want to be as good a saint as I was a sinner!”
Even if we were imprisoned as the Apostle Paul was, this freedom cannot be taken from us. Galatians 5:1 tells us,
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Christians need not live in fear of losing their freedom. Who can take away what God has granted us?
3. No Fear of Persecution.
This is a big one. Across the world, we hear stories of Christians being persecuted for their faith. ISIS would publish videos of beheading people because they refused to renounce their belief in Christ as their Savior. In other countries, they throw people in jail for just possessing a Bible. We currently do not have that same thing here in this country. I say currently, because if you don’t think it will come here, you are sadly mistaken. You do not see the same persecution of the lost.
Why live in fear of persecution when we knew it was a possibility when we accepted Christ. In 2 Timothy 3:12, Timothy writes,
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Take heart, as persecution will come, but God will always provide what we need to endure it if only we will trust in Him and rely on the strength He provides. 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 tells us,
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Matthew tells us that persecution is a blessing, Matthew 5:10-12,
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
4. No Other Fears
We have no reason to fear anyone or anything in all of creation because nothing, nothing can separate us from God but ourselves.
Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39,
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.
He followed it in Romans 14:8 with,
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
What should Christians do in times of fear? First and foremost, remember that we are God’s representatives here on Earth. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says,
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2. Be the Light of the World. Matthew 5:14-16 tell us,
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
3. Continue to make disciples. Matthew 28:19-20,
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
4. Seek the support of brothers and sisters in Christ and encourage each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11,
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
One of the first songs I heard from a Christian singer named Zach Williams was Fear is a Liar. The first stanza and chorus goes:
When he told you you're not good enough
When he told you you're not right
When he told you you're not strong enough
To put up a good fight
When he told you you're not worthy
When he told you you're not loved
When he told you you're not beautiful
That you'll never be enough
Fear he is a liar
He will take your breath
Stop you in your steps
Fear he is a liar
He will rob your rest
Steal your happiness
Cast your fear in the fire
Cause fear he is a liar
Satan uses fear to try and control people. One of his greatest tools. If you are living in fear, how can you give hope to others?
Going back to the main verse for today, 1 John 4:18 again,
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
That perfect love. The love of God. He loved you so much, He sent His Son to die on the cross for your sins. Because of that, we are so closely identified with Christ, as members of His body, that our position in this world is like His exalted position in heaven.
This means that the Father deals with us as He deals with His own beloved Son. How, then, can we ever be afraid? We do not need to be afraid of the future, because our sins were judged in Christ when He died on the cross. The Father cannot judge our sins again without judging His son, for “as He is, so are we in this world.”
We do not have to be afraid of the past, because “He first loved us.” From the very beginning, our relationship with God was of love. It was not that we loved Him, but that He loved us. Romans 5:10 says,
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
If God loved us when we were outside the family, disobeying Him, how much more does He love us now that we are His children!
We do not need to fear the present because “perfect love casts out fear. As we grow in the love of God, we cease to be fearful of what He will do. Timothy wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
God wants His children to live in an atmosphere of love and confidence, not fear and torment. We do not need to fear life or death, for we are being perfected in the love of God.
I want to leave you with this last passage this morning, Philippians 4:4-9,
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Why live in fear? God’s perfect love is a game changer. Cast away your fear. Live your life knowing you are God’s prized possession and He will take care of you no matter what is going on in the world!