As I
listen to the news -- day in & day out -- it appears to me that -- we live
in an age of anxiety!
We
live under the menace of global terrorism: -- car bombs, suicide bombers --
& airplanes slamming into skyscrapers.
And
while fear has global impact -- it is
also intensely personal.
A
husband asked his wife: -- “Shall we watch the
In
addition to terrorism -- there are all short of personal problems --which cause anxiety & fear in our lives!
Many people struggle with disabling fears!
Anxiety disorders are the number one mental-health problem in the
Do you live in the grips of fear?
A
backwoods farmer -- sitting on the steps of a tumble-down shack -- was
approached by a stranger who stopped by for a drink of water.
“How’s your cotton coming along?” -- asked the stranger.
“Ain’t got none. -- Didn’t plant none.
Fraid of the boll weevil” -- replied the old farmer.
“Well, how is your corn crop?”
“Ain’t got none. -- Fraid of corn blight.”
The
stranger -- confused but persevering -- continued: -- “Well, sir, how are your
potatoes?”
“Didn’t plant no taters neither; --
Scairt o’ tater bugs.”
The
stranger in frustration finally asked: -- “For Pete’s sake, man, what did you
plant?”
“Nothin” -- said the farmer. -- “I just played it safe!”
Fear
kept that old farmer from taking risk -- & as a result he lost out on
everything!
I ask
again this morning -- Do you live in the
grips of fear?
I
love the Peanuts -- comic strip character Linus -- holding unto his security blanket -- seeking psychiatric
help from Lucy.
Linus
declares: -- “I’m in sad shape. -- My life is full of fear & anxiety. --
The only thing that keeps me going is this blanket. -- I need help.”
Lucy
responds: -- I think we had better try to pinpoint your fears. -- If we can
find out what it is you’re afraid of -- we can label it.”
She
then suggests a disheartening list of phobias -- including the fear of
responsibility; -- fear of cats; -- fear
of staircases; -- fear of the ocean; --
& fear of crossing bridges.
Finally -- she suggests Linus might be suffering from pantophobia.
Linus
asks: -- What is pantophobia?”
Lucy
replies: -- “The fear of everything!”
“That’s it!” -- declares Linus.
While
we laugh at Linus & Lucy -- who among us doesn’t fight an ongoing battle
with fear? -- We are surrounded by fears!
What
is your greatest fear? -- Do you live in the grips of fear?
A
lady once approached D.L. Moody -- & told him she had found a wonderful
promise in the Bible that helped her overcome fear!
Her
verse was Psalm 56:3 -- which reads, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in
Thee.”
Mr.
Moody replied: -- “Why I have a better promise than that!” -- And he quoted Isaiah 12:2 -- “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, & not be afraid.”
Truly
-- D.L. Moody did have a great promise -- one that in this age of anxiety --
can help us discover victory over fear!
There
are probably times when every one of us has suddenly been enveloped by
circumstances that cause fear to grip our hearts!
What
should we do when that occurs?
The key to conquering fear is putting our
trust in God!
And
that is why the words from Isaiah 12:2
-- are worth knowing in these days when it is so easy to become frightened.
Jesus
told us that in the end times men’s hearts will fail them for fear of things
about to happen.
I
believe we are seeing some of this take place today!
But are we doomed to respond in fear
every time troubles arise?
No!
-- Absolutely not! -- Jesus said: “Let
not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John
14:1).
My
friends -- continual reliance on the
Lord puts up a shield against the fears that haunts us!
And
that is why this verse becomes so important!
Keep your eyes on God -- & your fears
will vanish!
Now
-- now there are some kinds of fears
that are good for us.
We
warn our children not to go near the busy street -- & we put within them a
healthy fear of being struck by a car.
Eventually -- of course -- that childish fear will be replaced by mature
common sense; -- but until that happens --
we dare not take any chances.
In
fact -- the fear of punishment is one basis for discipline.
It
may not be the highest motive for doing good -- but at least it helps us to get
started.
In
fact -- the Bible often talks about the
fear of the Lord.
It
tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov.
This
fear -- of course -- is a proper respect
& reverence for God!
It is
not the cringing fear of a slave before a brutal master -- but the proper
respect of a child before a loving Father.
In
Heb. 11:7 -- we read that fear --
(that is -- a proper respect & reverence for God) -- was the motivation
that prompted Noah to build an ark -- so that he & his family could be
saved from the flood.
This
act of obedience kept the human race -- & the animal kingdom from being
totally destroyed.
On
the other hand -- unnecessary fears which lead to worry & spiritual unrest
-- are forbidden by the Lord!
The
kind of fear Isaiah 12:2 is talking
about is the fear that paralyzes people; -- the fear that gets into the heart
& mind -- & creates tension & worry -- & that keeps you from
enjoying life -- & doing your best.
I
talk to people every week who are afraid of life; -- afraid of death; -- afraid
of the past; -- afraid of the future; -- people whose lives are being enslaved
by fear & anxiety.
Jesus Christ never meant for us to be the
slave of fear!
It is
exciting to read the Bible & discover how many times God says -- “Fear not”. -- God says that more than
anything else in the Bible!
In
fact I believe that it occurs some 365 times -- enough for you to take one such
verse for every day of the year!
When the angels appeared to the shepherds to
announce the birth of Christ at
When
Peter fell at Jesus’ feet -- & asked Jesus to depart from him -- because
Peter felt he was a sinful man -- Jesus said:
“Fear not, Peter.”
When
Jairus received the bad news that his daughter had just died -- Jesus said to
Jairus: “Fear not, only believe ...”
My
friends -- Jesus Christ wants us to conquer fear -- & He is able to help us
win the battle!
What
-- what causes fear in our lives? --
That is a fair question!
Sometimes fear is caused by a guilty
conscience!
There
is no fear like the fear of being found out.
When
Adam & Eve sinned -- they felt guilty & became afraid; -- & they
tried to hide from God.
Shakespeare was right when he said: -- “Conscience doth make cowards of us all.”
Whenever we disobey God -- we lose our close fellowship with Him --
& that spiritual loneliness creates fear.
We
wonder if anybody knows what we have done.
We
worry about being found out -- & hope no tragic consequences come from our
sins.
The
solution to that problem --
of course -- is to seek God’s
forgiveness.
God
promises to cleanse our sins if we will but confess them --
& forsake them!
Also
-- fear is often caused by ignorance!
Children are afraid in the night because the shadows look like giants --
& bears -- & ghosts!
But
even adults can be frightened when they really don’t know what is going on.
Anxiety about the future -- either for us -- or for our loved ones --
can sometimes create crippling fear.
Another cause for fear is our own
feeling of weakness!
We
are so accustomed to managing things ourselves that when an unmanageable crisis comes along -- we feel
helpless & afraid.
But
when we study all the causes for fear -- & try to understand the root cause
of fear -- one truth stands out clearly: -- the real cause of fear is unbelief!
After
calming a storm that had frightened His disciples out of their wits --
Jesus said to them: -- “Why are you so
fearful? -- How is it that you have
no faith?”
If we
are afraid -- it is a sign that we
have no faith!
Fear
& faith can never be friends! --
In fact, fear & faith are incompatible!
Like
oil & water -- they do not mix. -- If we give in to fear --
faith will flee.
Look
again at today’s text! --
Isaiah 12:2 -- “Behold, God is
my salvation; I will trust, & not be
afraid. -- for the Lord Jehovah is my strength & my song; -- He also is
become my salvation.”
Notice that the words -- “I will trust &
not be afraid” -- are in the center
of the verse.
Now
read what comes before & after the prophet’s affirmation.
“Behold, God is my salvation” -- precedes it.
And
-- “the Lord, even the Lord, is my strength & my salvation” -- follows it.
On
the basis of these great assurances -- the Christian can live in this dangerous
world -- without apprehension & dread!
Indeed
-- it is foolish to suppose that the God Almighty
would ever fail us.
The secret of victory over fear is faith in
God Almighty!
There
is no problem too great for God to solve; -- no burden too heavy for God to
carry; -- no battle too overwhelming for God to fight & win.
God
is big enough to conquer the enemies that rob us of our peace.
Isaiah 12:2 doesn’t say: -- “When I am afraid, I will trust.”
It
says: -- “I will trust, & not be afraid.”
My
friends -- faith is not simply
medicine to kill the disease; -- faith
is spiritual power to keep us from being infected in the first place!
Notice what the prophet Isaiah puts first: -- “Behold, God is my salvation.”
If
you want to overcome fear -- get your eyes off yourself; -- get your eyes off
your feeling; -- & off the problems that have upset you; -- & get your eyes on God!
What
a great truth! -- “Behold, God is my
salvation.”
What
a great trust! -- “...I will trust,
& not be afraid...”
What
a great triumph! -- “...for the Lord
Jehovah is my strength & my salvation...”
When
the Children of Israel sent scouts to spy out the
The
enemy soldiers were big -- & the
walls were high; -- but God Almighty was far above all of
them.
Had
the spies lifted their eyes just a bit higher -- & seen God -- they would not have been afraid!
So
let me give you three things -- three steps --
very quickly that will give you victory over fear: --
1.
The First step in over-coming fear is to look
by faith at God!
Worship God! -- Get a fresh glimpse of His greatness -- & His glory
-- & realize that He is still on the throne!
Our
God is the Almighty God -- & He is still in control!
2. The Second step is to lay hold of God’s Word! -- The Bible!
Faith
comes by hearing -- & hearing by the Word of God.
When
you read the Bible -- you discover your faith growing.
You
discover that God has always been adequate for the needs of His people. -- And
God has not changed!
3. The Third step is to pray & surrender to the Holy Spirit!
Tell
God about your fears; -- tell Him that your fears are really evidence of
unbelief.
Remember that concerned father who brought his lunatic son to Jesus
recorded in the Gospel story?
The
father said to Jesus: -- “Do something if
you can.”
Jesus
asked: -- “What do you mean, ‘If I can?’ -- Anything is possible if you believe.”
The
father of the child instantly replied with tears: -- “Lord, I believe; -- help mine
unbelief. -- help me not to doubt” (Mark
My
friends -- Ask God to help your
unbelief!
Surrender yourself to the Holy Spirit
-- because the Spirit can work in you -- to take away fear & doubt -- &
give you peace!
2
Timothy 1:7 says: -- “For God has not
given us the spirit of fear; -- but of power, -- & of love, -- & of a
sound mind.”
The
Holy Spirit within you -- can give you power for your weakness.
He
can generate love; -- He can give order & discipline to your mind.
The
Holy Spirit is God’s healing agent; -- so yield yourself to Him.
Conclusion: --
One of
the ministries of the Holy Spirit is making Jesus Christ real to us.
As you
pray -- & read the Word
-- the Spirit will give you a spiritual
under-standing of Jesus Christ -- &
He will become very real to you.
Even
in the midst of storms & trials -- Jesus Christ comes with peace &
courage for you.
As a child of God -- there is no reason for
you to be afraid!
Fear
will only rob you -- & buffet you -- & paralyze you.
But
Jesus Christ can take away your fear -- & give you peace.
“Behold -- God is my salvation; -- I will trust -- & not be afraid!”
Even
in this age of anxiety -- you can have victory over paralyzing fear!
You
need not live in the grip of fear!
Keep
your eyes on God -- & your fears will vanish!
Remember God is still in control
-- so we have nothing to fear!
To enjoy victory over fear --
Look by faith at God!
Lay
hold of God’s word!
Pray & surrender to the Holy Sprit!