Generations Church
Today’s world is filled with all kinds of issues that can cause emotional distress. Unfortunately, these issues are more common than we would like to think. In the midst of so many people in our world, many feel like they are alone in dealing and coping with problems. This series will provide understanding, help, and hope for those dealing with fear, stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and suicide. 1 Peter 5:10 reminds us of God’s promise to “restore, confirm, strengthen and establish” those who are walking through these difficult seasons of life.
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If You Only Knew: Fear Matthew 14, Isaiah 41
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. 1 Peter 5:10
God’s promise to us:
• Restore
• Confirm
• Strengthen
• Establish
Fear:
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33
Fear is an emotion experienced by perceived danger, threat or uncertainty, that can result in a change of action.
We learn to live and respond to life’s challenges based on our confidence with our own senses and experiences.
Faith working in your life is not asking you to ignore your senses or experiences but, instead be open to the fact that God may ask you to move in spite of your fears.
What we can learn from Matthew 14:
• An unexpected storm appears.
• The senses and experiences of the disciples take over that result ultimately in fear.
• They thought Jesus was a ghost.
• Their senses and experiences were not necessarily wrong, but God had a different plan.
• It is not fear that causes people to miss out on what God wants to do. It is those who allow fear to make the final decision for them that will end up missing out on what God wants to do.
1. Fear of Change
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
There are times that God says I have a new chapter for you and I am going to change things around you.
2. Fear of Failure
It causes us to:
• Blame others
• Procrastinate
• Experience self pity
• Think we are a failure
Fear of failure can be my teacher and can actually encourage me to try again.
Fear of failure can keep me from the next chapter in my life.
The failure of my past can be the seed of success in the future.
3. Fear of the Opinions of Others
We fear criticism and opposing opinions, feeling like we have to please everyone and by doing so we can miss where God is leading us.
Final Thoughts
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:32-33
The song of worship is different after the miracle.
You know God differently after the miracle.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isaiah 41:10
For additional reading about fear check out the YouVersion devotional below.
