Overcoming Fear!

Fear. We all experience it from time to time; and I believe that every Christian, at one time or another has had an issue with fear. It is the single biggest problem that most of us face. Anyone who knows God knows fear means to be afraid). Some of our fears are obvious. Some of us have fear of failure, fear of not living up to some standard, fear of the future, fear of judgment, fear of criticism, fear of man, fear of everything.

I don't know about you, but I have fears to overcome; and when it comes to fears, I tend to avoid the situations or things I fear. But this doesn't help me overcome fear — in fact, it can be the reverse. But another fact we must consider is that fear is also a spiritual matter --- and the Bible has much to say about fear. But the biblical story of Gideon encourages those of us with fears that keep us up at night.

Scriptural example: Gideon

In the book of Judges, Gideon himself had some fear. Gideon as a fearful man hiding from the marauding Midianites in a wine press when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him. ¹¹ Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. ¹² And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”  Judges 6:11-12 (NKJV)
 
As we read about Gideon, we see that he himself had some fear. Gideon feared the Midianites. But God loved Gideon and saw he was fearful, but did not criticize him for his fear. God knew that Gideon was filled with fear because of the enemy. Fear is also one of the great enemies of God's work in our life. Fear is an enemy of faith. But in 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." From this verse, the word of God is saying that He has not given us a spirit of fear. If God has not given us a spirit of fear, then someone has. That is the enemy of God. But, later, Gideon finally overcame his fear, in part because he asked for signs that God was indeed speaking to him. Gideon overcame his fear by trusting in God. Gideon, who came from a place of great fear to become the deliverer of Israel. 
 
Conclusion
 

We all have fears. But God does not want us to live in fear. But those of us that live in fear, we can overcome our fears just as Gideon did. The way to overcome any fear is to place our full trust in God. God is worthy of our trust! The Bible is also full of "fear not's" spoken to those who will trust Him. God not only told Gideon to fear not, but he also told Abraham to fear not, for He the Lord, was His shield. God also told Moses to fear not; and He also told Joshua to fear not, but to have courage. Let me also say that God doesn't want us to fear everything, but He does wants us to fear the right things. Having a fear of God is a right thing! The fear of God is good. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10 NKJV).

A New Year, A New You!

At the beginning of a new year, many people all over the world will make New Year’s resolutions. Making New Year’s resolutions takes the New Year seriously as a new start. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably made a few resolutions for the new year. Perhaps, you'll quit smoking, stop drinking, manage money more wisely, spend more time with family, and lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating more healthily. For many of us, we also make spiritual resolutions like to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. While I believe New Year's resolutions are worth making because we all need change --- New Years Resolutions don't do any good if our source of strength is anything other than the Holy Spirit.

Zechariah 4:6 declares

“It’s not by power, not by might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty ”

Here we see it is through God’s Spirit that we are to accomplish our purposes and goals. Every year, probably since I was a teenager, I was determined to do better in the New Year --- to do something or to not do something. I can remember making a list and keeping them a few weeks into the calendar year and then abandoning them altogether. I then quickly realized it was a new year but it was the same old me ... but that was because the Holy Spirit wasn't live within me.

Conclusion
New Year's Resolutions are good things because with a new year come new resolutions to change and better ourselves. But, when we desire change, we have the perfect example to follow – Jesus. When we are ready to implement change we have His Son, His Word, and His Spirit! This is one reason why we need Jesus. When we put our lives into His hands, he comes to live within us by his Holy Spirit and begins to change us from within. He gives us a new desire to do what’s right, and a new power to carry it out. Romans 8:26 tells us, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness”. Last but not least, its important to make sure we invite God to help us change, because with His strength and power we can. Remember Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Jesus can make all things new within us - and continue His work of making all things new through us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

The Call to Contentment

Today I want to talk about contentment. I believe that one of our greatest challenges as believers is contentment. --- and I think it would be safe to say that most people never experience contentment. People are discontent with their singleness, people are discontent with their spouses, and people are discontent with their current jobs and salary. And I could go on. I don't know about you, but I just have a tough time being content. I always want more! For example, I never realized how pathetic my cell phone was until I saw the new Samsung Galaxy Note. I love something new ----- only to find that after the initial shine wears off, I am just as discontented and empty as I were before I began the quest. Interestingly, there is a certain discontent God does intend for us to have so we learn to rely on God. However, we could all learn from the apostle Paul who wrote about being content. Even the Apostle Paul said he was not easily satisfied in his life. He evens defined the circumstances in which he was content. In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul himself said:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11–13 

Twice in this passage, the apostle Paul reveals to us, he “learned” to be content. Look at v.11—“I have learned to be content.”  And then in v.12—“I have learned the secret of being content.”  Here we see the apostle Paul LEARNED to be content.  

Just by way of confession, I personally have spent the vast majority of my life with my heart displaced or discontented for one reason or another. But I am learning that I must learn to be  content. Now, if CONTENTMENT was something PAUL had to learn, that means we must learn the same thing.. How do we do that? Paul gives us the answer.

Look at v.13—  "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

CONCLUSION

All of us, like the apostle Paul, must learn to be content! The Word of God says, "Be content!" Paul found the secret to CONTENTMENT in every circumstance he encountered, in both plenty and hunger, in abundance and need. Paul learned CONTENTMENT by leaning on and trusting in JESUS CHRIST completely. Though it is hard for us to believe ... the new husband or wife, car or job, increase in salary, healing of the body, or whatever it may be will not give us the contentment we seek. It might temporarily, but even as this world is temporal, it will not last. There's always something newer, bigger, or better to buy and someone else who has what you want ,but contentment is not having all that you want. The real key to contentment is focusing on what we do have and not on what we don’t have. You see the problem is not what we have or what we do not have, however strongly it may seem that this is the problem. The problem is us. Someone said: “All the world lives in two tents - content and discontent.” Which tent will you live In? Let me also say this, I have not learned what Paul is talking about here. I am still on my way to learning, by God’s grace. Like Paul, we “can do all things through Christ.”

 "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NKJV)