Title Don't Be Afraid
Contents
Matthew 10:28-31 Fear not
That is why God continues to speak to the forefathers of faith. “Do not be afraid, Abraham. Do not be afraid, Jacob. Do not be afraid, Moses. Do not be afraid, Joshua. Do not be afraid, Paul. Don't be afraid," he said. And the God who told our ancestors of faith not to be afraid is also speaking to us living in this foreign land. "Don't be afraid."
1. Don't be afraid of people.
Verse 28 says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” That is, fear God, but not man. But are there some people who are not afraid of God and only fear people?
But keep an eye on it. What kind of person are you afraid of? Aren't you a fragile creature who, no matter how loudly you shout, could die of a heart attack in your sleep tonight? And no matter how strong the fist, no matter how high the position, authority, and skill of the person tormenting you are, isn't it just a mist that disappears after a while?
Guys, never be afraid of people. My and your successes and failures are not in the hands of men, but in the hands of Almighty God. It is not up to man that we are blessed, loved, and happy in this foreign land, but ultimately it is up to God. Therefore, even if you fear God, do not be afraid of men.
Ladies and gentlemen, when I see children being bullied, I am always afraid, thinking that their friends will abandon them. And that fear eventually shows up on that face and expression, saying, "I'm a weak person." And looking at them like that, the friends gain the wrong confidence and continue to bully the child. In other words, it is the fear that drives one's life into unhappiness. That is why Proverbs 29:25 says: “The fear of man is a snare, but he that trusts in the Lord will be secure.”
Numbers 13 and 14 tells the story of the 12 spies. One day, Moses chose a leader from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and sent them to spy out the land of Canaan. When they returned from spying for 40 days, they showed the rich fruits of the land to Moses and Aaron and all the people of Israel and reported. “We went to the land where you sent us, and it was a beautiful place flowing with milk and honey.
So far, 12 spies have reported the same. But soon after, ten spies share their views. “When I went there, the valley was deep, the city was high, and it was a completely natural fortress. I saw the people who lived there, and they were all giants. Compared to them, we are like grasshoppers. We went up to the land. will all die."
When this report was made, the people were gripped with fear and began to roar. Before they even went to war, they had been defeated by fear. Then, captured by that fear, he made an absurd proposal to replace Moses and return to Egypt. And what was the result? Haven't you been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years with the welfare of Canaan next to you, which was enough for you to enter in 20 days? In other words, fear becomes a decisive blow that ruins all achieved victories, blessings, and successes.
Everyone, do you want to find success, blessings and happiness in this foreign land? Then never be afraid. God does not work on those who fear. "Do not be afraid of the people of the land. They are our food." Through Joshua and Caleb, who wanted to move forward boldly, God worked to conquer the promised land of Canaan.
2. Don't be afraid of hardship.
In Revelation 2:10, the Lord says, “Do not be afraid of what you are going to suffer.” Ladies and gentlemen, is your life in this foreign land in a situation where you are afraid and trembling? Say this with faith in God. "Go away, fear. The Lord of peace is with me."
In Exodus 14:13, a very urgent situation was unfolding, with the Israelites in front of the Red Sea, and the Egyptian army behind them, driving chariots and storms. Then Moses cried out. “Do not be afraid, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.”
But looking at the situation of the people of Israel, how can they not be afraid? The situation in which the Red Sea is in front and the Egyptian army is chasing behind them does not mean that it is a desperate situation in which you have no choice but to die even if you move forward and die even if you retreat. But in this desperate situation, God is telling the Israelites through Moses, "Do not be afraid."
Ladies and gentlemen, if God led the people of Israel and allowed them to meet these difficulties, wouldn't God eventually solve the problems that the people of Israel were facing? After all, won't the Red Sea water split? So Moses, the servant of God, could cry out not to be afraid.
Ladies and gentlemen, we do not know what difficulties we will face in this foreign land in the future. But what is clear is that God is with us and solves that difficult problem. Therefore, never be afraid of trouble or trouble. Do we not have the Lord who has overcome the world? I pray that you will not be afraid to look at problems for nothing but look to the Lord who is bigger than problems.
Look at Peter. When he looked to the Lord and trusted in the Lord, he became a man of miracles walking on the Sea of Galilee. But as he walked on the water, hoping for a storm and a strong wind, fear arose in the end, and that fear shattered Peter's faith, and eventually Peter sank into the sea. That is, fear drove him to failure.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you have a fearful heart, you will not be able to overcome difficult and difficult circumstances. If you are afraid, you will fail even if you are afraid. No matter how small you try to do, if your fear is ahead of you, you will not be able to do it properly. So don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to fail, don't be afraid to face difficulties. Rather, look to the God who makes me successful in the midst of difficulties and cry out, "Fear, go away!"
Guys, if you are caught up in fear, you will not be able to sleep well. Naturally, illness develops and negative thoughts arise. "Hey, am I not going to die now? Isn't this the way I get sick and die?" All sorts of bad thoughts come to mind. In the end, fear brings negative thoughts and leads to failure before failure and failure before failure.
We don't know how much psychological damage we fear. When you have fear, your emotions become unstable, and you get tired for nothing. Guys, keep that in mind. Fear is never something God gives to believers. This is what the devil brings. If you and I truly believe in God, do not tolerate fear.