Moving Beyond FearSample

Do you have a frightening situation or a frightening person in your life right now? How does this affect you? Does it cause you to fear?

Identify Your Fears.

Over the next couple of days take time to make a list of your fears—all of them. Even the smallest ones.

Jesus tells His disciples, “Do not fear...”. He was often telling them not to do that for good reason. Fear is a formidable thing. A fear-filled reaction produces an entirely different outcome than a faith-filled response.

Faithfulness is the opposite of fearfulness. God is pleased and blesses us when we choose faith in the face of fear!

Is fear always sinful or bad? Can fear ever be good? God has given us the capacity to fear to help protect us for sure. There can be a healthy form of fear. But often healthy fear moves from protective caution to sinful fear, which also often leads to sinful thoughts and reactions. We are very tempted to sin when we become frightened, therefore, how we respond to frightening situations is pivotal. It is one thing to be frightened. It is how we respond when we are afraid that will make all the difference. Consider the following:

Believing Faith

• Glorifies Him
• Brings life
• Accomplishes His will
• Displays the truth of His Word
• Honors His name
• Proclaims the truth of the gospel
• Unleashes the Spirit

What are other results of believing faith?

Sinful Fear

• Focuses on self
• Produces unrighteousness
• Restricts us
• Handicaps us
• Hinders us
• Paralyzes us
• Enslaves us
• Detours us
• Quenches the Spirit
• Imprisons us and others
• Impedes the gospel

What are other results of sinful fear?

We overcome fear by remembering our Father's love!

We want to respond in faith. We might not know how, but we want to learn how. Jesus has not left us on our own here. He doesn’t simply tell us, “Do not fear,” and then leave us on our own to work out the details. He gives us faith-fortifying reasons not to fear.

Consider Jesus' encouraging words of truth and love in Luke 12:6-7. When we are afraid we must intentionally turn our eyes to the great care and concern that our heavenly Father has for us. If He cares about these little sparrows, how much more does He care about us? Fear tests our faith, but meditating upon the Father’s love is the perfect antidote to fear. We overcome fear by basking in our Father's love, drink it in, rest in it, and put all of our hope in Him.