The Cult of Fear

The teachings of Jesus Christ are vast and wide ranging - the Bible itself is the greatest book that has ever been given to man and that has ever existed. There is not single volume that cover such a vast span of time; from so many perspectives; from the throne room of heaven to the prison cell and even exile.

Its writings are succinct, ordered and progressive throughout which is how God intended it. How it molds basic truth from its beginning and then continues into the great truths of today that produce redemption to whosoever will today. Looking back to Genesis to Malachi and the New Testament as well, all can be seen and appreciated immensely.

One of the great subjects of the Word of God is Fear. Fear has many aspects, many culprits and many purveyors of it. Yet the Christian of the 21st Century needs to understand what the Bible teaches about fear and how to address it in our generation both in how we react to it and how inform others about it.

This morning I want to preach a sermon entitled: The Cults of Fear - Let’s Pray!

Music, hymns, songs singing, and Psalms are mentioned about 400 times in the Bible

Praise is mentioned and words that mean nearly the same thing are mention 500 times.

Love and its forms are mentioned about 600 times.

Fear is a common word in the Bible, here are some statistics:

Fear is a word that is used 501 times in our Bible.

The word afraid is used 193 times.

Terror is use 44 times.

In all of its forms, fear is mentioned well over 750 times int eh Bible. That is a subject that the BIble talks about and is clear on.

I. The “Fears” Mentioned in the Bible

What I mean by Bible Fears is those things that the Bible mentions or defines. It is not an exhaustive list of all fears, but it is important that we take a moment to study them.

A. The Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is obviously to even the new Bible student easy to understand. It is not that the fear of judgement necessarily; it is not the fear of wrath of those that dread hell or punishment - no, it is a reverential awe of God. It is a overwhelming sense of his greatness and our relative insignificance by any comparison. It is giving the Lord the honor and respect He deserves. It is the knowledge that He alone holds all power, glory, honor, and power.

Proverbs 9:10 AV

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

B. There is “Guilty Fear”

This is the consequence of sin and guilt. It is a fear of wrath, a fear of punishment. It is what brings some people to Christ, it is one of the things that brought me to Christ and especially it is what got me right with God and seeking to follow Him in all things when I was a young Marine.

C. There is what is called “The Fearful”

The fearful are those who are cowards, those that are afraid. Afraid to give up the world or deny themselves. Those who fear what people will think of them more than what God thinks of them.

It is more than that still. I believe the application could certainly be taken a step further. If it is wrong for people to be fearful, then is doubly wrong to cause people to fearful.

We will get back to that in a moment.

II. What Fear Does

A. Fear, prolonged is a detriment to your health

It is a detriment to your mental health, emotional, physical and often our spiritual health.

The Effects of Chronic Fear on a Person's Health November 11, 2017 - Jaime Rosenberg

Fear reacts upon us by first calling us to: Alarm:

Resistance: and ultimately

Exhaustion:

The prolonged and extended seasons of fear, when it doesn’t stop or it is chronic in ones life is going to bring a host of problems in one’s life.

B. Fear divides

Fear causes people to do things that hurt even the people they love. Whether or not you realized it or not, when you are fearful you treat others differently. You can’t hide it.

And when people are fearful for their lives or their wellbeing they often will separate themselves from others they deem a risk or injurious to them. Sometimes it is on a class or social strata level.

C. Fear can be irrational and often overrides logic

110,000 people have died in aviation accidents since the invention of flying, in all the world. In one year 1.3 million die in auto accidents. But often fear, even though it is not based on fact overwhelms us. Several of you, I know, have a fear of flying. You even know and understand the statistics, but that fear overwhelms you. You can’t help it.

Fear has a devastating effect on people.

D. Fear Binds you up

It silences, it freezes, it stifles productivity and fruit

Romans 8:15 AV

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

E. Fear Condemns

It always condemns someone. It condemns the person causing the fear - sometimes rightly, often irrationally. It condemns society for not doing what it should do protect me. And it condemns us because our reaction will often cause us to hurt ourselves. Most people won’t

Much of the fear we deal with today is in our minds. And as a result, that fear in our minds manipulates some people to where they won’t go out, they won’t talk to people and be friendly, they won’t earn a living; they won’t be productive; they condemn themselves

To manipulate them to hide. To cause them to flee. To get them to shut themselves off from society.

Please before you get mad at me today - listen to this whole sermon.

If the media or the government or the powers that be had not told you there was pandemic, other than a few people some of us have known - we would not have noticed what was going on. And even with the people we know

E. Fear is Contagious

It spreads easily. Fear breeds fear in others. The Bible has these instances mentioned. In Deuteronomy when God was giving His Law concerning Israel’s army notice what He said:

Deuteronomy 20:8 AV

And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.

Again, when Israel was about to fight the Midianites, again notice in:

Judges 7:3 AV

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

III. What is the Cult of Fear

We know that fear is real. Fear is mentioned throughout the Bible.

There is a good fear, that of God. Fear can protect us at times in certain situations to protect us from imminent harm or directions leading to hardship.

What is a cult, a cult is defined as a religion regarded as unorthodox but speaking on our level it is taking something that is true and manipulating for selfish reasons usually starting with a charismatic leader.

This Cult uses fear as its tool. It takes fear and uses it to promote self or to manipulate others to achieves its own outcome it deems appropriate wutg bi care for those who are under its authority.

Its chief tactic is to manipulate the truth, and lied to people to get their desired goals.

These false leaders always have devotees who show their faithfulness by doing the deeds of their father.

This cult has head many member, this cult of fear.

Who use fear to get their subjects in line. Lenin & Stalin, Moa, Hitler, they all had their devotees, they all used fear, they all by the way, used something that was real, maybe something that did have an air to be fearful concerning, but blew out of proportion to get their subjects in line.

This is wrong, this is not what God wants, this is not what God intends His children to use, abuse, or accept. He doesn’t want you to be operating in a spirit of fear. He doesn’t want you living life being manipulated into submission.

I’m not talking about a vaccine. Though I’m against a vaccine mandate. I’m talking about government or leaders using something to manipulate their people.

This is Satan’s way. He uses fear, they use fear. They will lie, manipulate teach half truths to get their agenda and goals accomplished with no qualms about cheating their way to do it, as long as their cause is righteous in their eye.

IV. For America to be Great, She Must Be Fearless

Do you want to know what has made America great historically and still can make her great today - is that she has been fearless.

Fearless of death

Fearless of loss

Fearless of sacrifice

As a result, she has abounded. Not that she did not fear God and recognize that there was a God in heaven that deserved to be honored and glorified. No, but she did not fear the evil tyrants of the world.

From King George to Hitler.

From Santa Anna to Mao Tse Ton

From Federalist to Communists.

Being Fearless is what won two world wars. Fearing is what lost us Vietnam and Afghanistan.

For America to be great again, she needs to fear God and no other.

2 Timothy 1:7 AV

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Isaiah 41:10 AV

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

V. How Believers Defend Themselves

A. Don’t Be Afraid

Fear is real, but don’t allow it to make you afraid.

Fear is a weariness of danger - but being afraid of something is being filled with fear to such a degree that it causes you to filled with fear so much that stops you from being and doing what you are supposed to do.

As Believers we are not to allow this or participate in it. We should be the ones who do not operate out of fear, but out of faith.

I can’t develop this anymore, but God never intended you to live your life in fear Christian but in faith.

B. Walk in Faith not Fear

1. Don’t Fear man

Isaiah 51:12 AV

I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

2. Don’t fear what this world can throw at you

Matthew 8:26 AV

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

3. Don’t fear that which can take your life

Matthew 10:28 AV

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

4. The Great Thing about 1st Century Believers is that they Lived Looking to Christ

1 Peter 3:14–15 AV

But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

1 John 4:18 AV

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Hebrews 13:6 AV

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Revelation 2:10 AV

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

During World War II, a military governor met with General George Patton in Sicily. When he praised Patton highly for his courage and bravery, the general replied, "Sir, I am not a brave man. . . The truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn't so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands." Years later, when Patton's autobiography was published, it contained this significant statement by the general: "I learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears."

Don’t let fear run your life any longer, look to Christ, trust Him and live for Him and Him alone. Be wise, don’t be a fool when that which is a danger comes your way - but don’t let it stop you from fulfilling your calling.