Opening satans toolbox / Exposing satan - satan's Expertise - Despair

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil

Far too long believers have allowed fears to prevent them from fully following and fulfilling the commands of the Lord.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.

Specific phobias affect 19 million adults, or 8.7% of the U.S. population.

Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

Symptoms typically begin in childhood; the average age-of-onset is 7 years old.

Common Fears/Phobias

Achluophobia: Fear of darkness

Acrophobia: Fear of heights

Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders

Arithmophobia: Fear of numbers

Chromophobia: Fear of colors

Claustrophobia: Fear of confined spaces

Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns

Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public

Hemophobia: Fear of blood

Hydrophobia: Fear of water

Hypochondria: Fear of illness

Iatrophobia: Fear of doctors

Leukophobia: Fear of the color white

Lilapsophobia: Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes

Mysophobia: Fear of dirt and germs

Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals

Nyctophobia: Fear of the dark

Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes

Ornithophobia: Fear of birds

Phobophobia: Fear of phobias

Podophobia: Fear of feet

Trypanophobia: Fear of needles/injections

Verminophobia: Fear of germs

Fear of Failure

Fear of Change.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?

Fear occurs in your life when it becomes more powerful than your Faith or when it hides your Faith

God will wrap your fear with faith.

Fears occur usually when some traumatic event has happened before

Fear can arise from something that is either real or imagined

Fear has different levels, ranging being nervous to being anxious to dread to panic to shear terror

The bible has much to say about the obstacle of fear and overcoming it. Fear is an Oppressor, an Opposer, and can be Overcame

Many have said there is 365 “Fear Nots” in the bible, perhaps there is but I was unable to find that many.

“Fear Not” or “Not Fear” or “No Fear” or “Fear thou Not” – 110 Times

“Not Afraid” or “Not be Afraid” – 46 Times

“Neither be dismayed” or “Neither be thou dismayed” or “Nor be dismayed” or “Nor Dismayed” or “Not Dismayed” - 17 Times

“Fear” – 501 Times

“Afraid” – 189 Times

“Dismayed” - 31 Times

We spent 3 weeks speaking about Elijah and his depression and discouragement. It was also his Despair/Fear that caused him to run for fear of his life. This is a man that just stood up against 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah was scared of Jezebaal and ran for his life for fear, interesting that he was all of the sudden afraid of death.

Today we will spend some time discussing the another person in the bible that had to overcome fear. This person not only had to overcome fear for herself but but for others too. She had to overcome fear to accomplish the will of God in her life. If you are to accomplish the will of God in your life you must overcome fear to do so. When you pursue and follow the will of God it will take you out of your comfort zone and for many people that is too much of a fear to follow. In our experiencing God bible study we learned that when we obey God and follow His will there is a crisis of Belief that accompanies that.

This person certainly had a crisis of belief. Any guesses on who it is?

Ester

Here is a summary of what happened....

King Ahasuerus had a feast and invited Queen Vashti to come before them so that he may show her off though this isn’t as PG as it sounds and she refused

He was angry and removed her from being Queen, there is other key points that I am not covering

He sought a new queen

Mordecai Ester’s uncle had raised Ester since she was an orphan and she was pretty

Ester was brought before the king, the King preferred her to all of the others

Ester was made queen

Haman which had been promoted by the King got all up in his hurt feelings and was mad at Mordecai because Mordecai would not bow down to him

Haman was so angry at Mordecai that he conspired to have all Jews killed, Mordecai and Ester were Jews. No one knew this about Ester

Mordecai had sent word to Ester that she needed to be the one used of God to save their people.

This wasn’t something easy for her, she was afraid and it took multiple approaches before she opened up with the King and shared her heart.

Ester was in despair, Mordecai was in despair, the Jews were in Despair. They were in trouble and fearing for their lives. Queen Ester was the key but she was scared to obey the Lord and approach the King.

Fear is an Oppressor

As long as Ester kept her mouth shut they were going to be Oppressed

The Children of Israel would have been fearful and Oppressed

Fear Oppresses us

Genesis 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

Genesis 33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

Fear is an Opposer

Fear prevented Ester from obeying the Lord and standing up for her people

Fear opposes us and prevents us at times from obeying the Lord

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Fear can be Overcome

What if Noah would have feared what others thought or said about him

God told Abraham to not fear

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

What id Sarah feared having a child at 90 and Abraham at 100

What if Jochabed would have feared what would happen to Moses in the Nile or in the future

What if Moses would have allowed his fear of public speaking ability to stop him

What if Moses would have allowed his feeling inadequate and fear that he could not do it stop him

Exodus 4:10–12 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Moses told the people not to fear

Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Joshua said not to fear

Joshua 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

What if Davids fear of Goliath was greater than his faith in God

David said not to fear

2 Samuel 9:7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

David told Solomon to not fear

1 Chronicles 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Gideon was told not to fear

Judges 6:23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Elijah said to fear not

1 Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

Elisha said to fear not

2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

Isaiah said to fear not

Isaiah 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: Behold, your God will come with vengeance, Even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.

Isaiah 41:10 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.

Jeremiah said to fear not

Jeremiah 23:4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; Neither be dismayed, O Israel: For, lo, I will save thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity; And Jacob shall return, And shall be in rest, and be quiet, And none shall make him afraid.

Ezekiel said to fear not

Ezekiel 3:9 ...fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks...

What if the 3 Hebrew Children would have feared the fiery furnace or feared death

What if Daniel feared the Lions Den or feared death

Daniel said to fear not

Daniel 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

Angel said to fear not

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Paul to Timothy to not fear

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

What if Jesus would have feared rejection

What if the Disciples would have feared the unknown

If the Woman with an Issue of blood would have allowed her fear of crowds to stop her she would not have been healed

What if the woman at the well would have feared someone of a different race

If the religious ruler would have fear of change or what others think of him stop him he wouldnt have came to Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead

If the Leper would have allowed what others would say to stop him he would not have been healed

If Zachaeus would have allowed the fear of heights stop him he would not have began a relationship with Jesus

If Peter would have allowed the fear of water to stop him he would not have been able to walk on the water

If John would have been afraid of change and letting go of the past stop him he would not have been part of Christs inner circle

If the blind man would have been afraid of germs or water he wouldn’t have allowed Jesus spit or dirt to touch his face or to wash off in the pool of Siloam

What if Thomas feared believing

I am not sure what fears that you are facing or that are blocking you but you need to overcome those and obey the Lord

If Paul would have allowed fears to stop him he would never have been the Man of God that he was.

If Timothy would have let his youth or lack of experience stop him he would not have been the man of God he was

Zach Williams wrote that fear is a liar and how true that is, it robs unbelievers of eternal life and it robs believers of blessings for obeying the Lord

The key to overcoming fear is to…

recognize your fear

face it head on with Courage through Christ and increase your faith in Christ

Far too long believers have allowed fears to prevent them from fully following and fulfilling the commands of the Lord.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

As a child when you are afraid you go to your parents to secure you. As an adult you climb up in the lap of Jesus and he will secure you, sustain you, and strengthen you.