Overcoming The Giant of Fear

A man named Stanley went to a psychiatrist and said: "Doc, I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under ... you gotta help me, I'm going crazy!"

"Just put yourself in my hands for two years," said the doctor. "Come to me three times a week, and I'll cure your fears." "How much do you charge?" "A hundred dollars per visit." "I'll think about it," said Stanley.

Six months later the doctor met Stanley on the street. "Why didn't you ever come to see me again?" asked the psychiatrist. "For a hundred bucks a visit? A friend cured me for ten dollars."

"Is that so! How?" "He told me to cut the legs off the bed!"

Most of us, though, have fears which are much more difficult to overcome -- fear of failure, fear of dying, fear of letting others down, fear of living alone, just to name a few. And, as you read through the Bible, you see that fear is not unique to those of us in the 21st century. One phrase that reappears over and over throughout the Bible is the phrase, "Do not be afraid."

Fear is not sinful in itself. It is like an internal warning system, alerting us to potential danger. But fear can lead to sin. When it convinces us to let other things control us and undermines our faith and trust in God! Our lives get smaller and smaller as we are hemmed in by worries and ‘what-ifs’. Fear paralyzes us, imprisons our spirit, and limits our potential. It stops us from doing what we should do and makes us do things we shouldn’t.

For this reason, Jesus takes our fear seriously. Of the 125+ commands of Christ in the four Gospels, 21 are related to fear and courage, which makes them extremely important.

God has given us everything we need to fight back. His Word is full of ‘fear not’, ‘do not be afraid’, and ‘take courage’. Through the lives of Bible heroes and in the words and person of Jesus, He speaks directly to our worst fears and replaces them with faith.

I’m beginning a series of messages today I’m titling Overcoming the Giant of Fear.

In Deuteronomy 1:19-21 Israel stood on the brink of a new experience – they were leaving the past behind – embarking on a new journey – to a new land – a new beginning – about to experience things they’d never experienced before – new challenges to be sure.

And as Moses prepared them he charged them with these words in Deut. 1:19-21 …

Deuteronomy 1:19–21 NASB95

“Then we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the Lord our God had commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea. “I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites which the Lord our God is about to give us. ‘See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’

Do not fear or be dismayed!

Merriam-Webster defines fear as: [noun] an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; an instance of this emotion; a state marked by this emotion.

Let’s explore 3 questions related to fear this morning.

1. So what is fear?

- As I’ve already noted, fear is like an internal warning system, alerting you to potential danger – like when you hear something go “bump” in the night and you swell up with internal fear that a predator is in your home about to attack you – or you see that giant cock roach scurry across your floor – or you encounter a snake coiled up in your path

- We fear all kinds of things: bad storms - a bad report from a medical test - death of a loved one who becomes very ill – loss of a good job – financial uncertainty – some are silly but some are because of major events.

2. And what does fear do?

- Many times fear makes you afraid – deftly afraid - through the rest of the book of Deuteronomy Moses exhorted the nation repeatedly not to be afraid – not fear!

- We encounter more than two hundred occasions when a biblical character is said to "fear" or be "afraid"

- What does fear do? It paralyzes you, makes you afraid, clouds your ability to see past the forest – immobilizes you - stops you from going forward – fills you with anxiety – panic – nervousness.

- And so many times it causes you not to trust God – it rattles, shakes your faith!

3. So how do you overcome the giant of fear?

- Ultimately it comes down to your faith and trust in God!

- Listen to these passages:

(1) Isaiah 35:4: say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

(2) Psalm 23:4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

(3) John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

(4) Psalm 34:4: I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

(5) Psalm 118:6: The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

(6) Psalm 56:3-4: 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

(7) Isaiah 41:10, 13: 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 13 For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Conclusion

It’s been said: "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear." Fear is part of life – and sometimes it is a giant! But God is bigger than and greater than any fear you face in this life! So trust Him and be strong in your faith! With Him, you can overcome the giant of fear!