| Downloads |
 |
 |
No Fear, Just Faith!
A few weeks ago the title of the message was DON’T GIVE UP! Many people said pastor, “you must have been talking to me.” My response is that I was talking to myself! But one thing that I think causes Christians to think about giving up—or to give up altogether is fear.
And so today I want to talk about how to handle and ultimately conquer fear.
Now not all fear is bad. I don’t agree with Roosevelt who said “there is nothing to fear but fear itself.” A child better fear crossing the street, right! So there certainly are legitimate fears. Obviously the most legitimate fear is the fear of the Lord, but that is not what I am talking about today.
So some fears are good as long as they don’t control us. Fear can be a safety mechanism from God. Now that is the positive side of fear. In fact, the Bible even says that we should fear God. So fear can be very good.
But I am talking about the negative side of fear. Some people live a life of fear. I once saw a documentary on a woman who did step foot outside of her house for over 30 years! That is not a healthy fear. Fear can paralyze a person from living life.
Today in our text, we will see what the Bible calls the “Spirit of fear.” Today this would perhaps be called a phobia. You know the dictionary lists over 700 hundred kinds of phobias. If you don’t have a problem with fear then don’t read the dictionary or you might!
Some people have acrophobia, a fear of high places. Or claustrophobia, a fear of being closed in. Or agoraphobia, those who don’t like to be in open places—like the woman I just mentioned. Some have pathophbia, a fear of germs. Now none of us should want germs, but some people won’t even touch other people because of it. Some of you say “man that must be what my spouse is struggling with recently.” Well, friend I’ll pray for you!
But the point is that there are many phobias. In fact, I’ve known some people who have ergophobia—a fear of work. One man said: “work never bothered me, I lay down beside it and go to sleep!”
Perhaps the worst phobia is phobophobia. This is a fear of fear. Some people stay afraid because they fear that they are going to be afraid. These are not productive fears. They fit into this category of “spirit of fear.”
Now let’s read our text. And I want us today to focus primarily on fears that we might have that will keep us from serving God the way He wants us to.
2 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
Now that phrase right there is our starting point: “according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus.” We are those who have a heavenly home waiting for us and nothing will keep us from that. So then, really we have nothing to fear!
2 Timothy 1:2-3
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
This is not the thrust of the message this morning, but I want to point this phrase out: “whom I serve with a clear conscience.” This is so important. This is important for every believer, but especially for those in the ministry. Not to long ago a friend of mine said that he was going to resign his ministry position. I attempted to talk him out of it and he cited this verse. It is important that we have a clear conscience before God. Unfortunately, sometimes having a clear conscience before God and pleasing everyone are contradictory!
2 Timothy 1:4
As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
What love these two had for each other. When is the last time you cried when a dear brother or sister moved away or something? This is the kind of love that we too often lack. Notice that Paul remembered them and longed to see them. Do you ever feel that way about other believers?
2 Timothy 1:5
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
So the stage is set. Paul makes his love for Timothy abundantly clear. Paul also makes it clear that Timothy had a sincere faith (Lit: an unhypocritical faith). Timothy did not merely have his grandmother or mother’s faith, but his own sincere faith. Now with all of that being said, what could be the problem? Well, we will see that Timothy dealt with what many of us deal with daily and that is fear!
Now again remember we are not talking about productive fear, but destructive fear. The type of fear that can
keep us from serving God to the fullest.
I want us to observe two aspects of fear:
I. The destructive power of fear – vv. 6-7
Four very basic and typical aspects of fear:
A. Fear often makes us forget – v. 6
2 Timothy 1:6-7
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Now Timothy was a very gifted man. Paul reminds him to use his gift. Timothy had forgotten to some degree what God had called him to. But what was his problem? Why did he forget? Because he had a spirit of fear. That is what Paul says in v. 7.
Some of us are not serving God the way we should be because we are afraid. Now it does not appear that Timothy even had a lot to be afraid of at this point. If anyone had a reason to fear it was Paul. I mean, people wanted to kill him. Paul was in prison when he was writing this! (v. 12)
Paul knew that God would work his will in his life. Paul was focused on God not his circumstance. Now listen to what I am going to say: “If you are in fear today, it is because you have forgotten who God is.” You say no my doctor said this or that. Friend, I’m telling you what the greatest doctor of all said.
*Not only does fear cause us to forget but:
B. Fear often paralyzes us – v. 8
2 Timothy 1:8
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
Apparently Timothy was paralyzed by fear. He was also apparently afraid of being linked to Paul. Perhaps he didn’t want to go to jail too. So Timothy wasn’t using his God-given gift. Now we must remember that God gives us spiritual gifts to bring Him glory. It is not about us, but about God. God only requires that we allow Him to use us in the way in which He has gifted us.
*Not only does fear cause us to forget and paralyzes us but:
C. We often have a fear of failure
Now I don’t know if Timothy had a fear of failure or not. But I know people who do. I have in the past, as well.
(Sometimes we feel like the man who lost his job and was trying to provide for his family. He felt like he could do nothing right. So he figured he would rob a bank to get some money for his family. He gave the bankteller the gun and pointed the bag for the money at her and said “don’t stick with me, this is a mess up.”)
Remember the man who buried his talent? I wonder how many people here have buried talents. Well, today I want you to get out the shovels!
Listen, we cannot be afraid of failure. We must boldly use our God-given gifts. Don’t be afraid to fail. Some people won’t change because they are afraid to fail. Some people won’t follow God’s lead because they are afraid to fail.
Now let me be transparent for a second. One of the greatest battles of fear I have had was over whether or not to be a pastor. Just talk to enough former pastors and that will make you not want to do it! I was afraid to put myself and my family under a microscope. I know that as a pastor everything you say and do, or your family says or does may be analyzed and scrutinized. That is a scary proposition. But we have to follow God’s lead.
Now notice that Paul wanted Timothy to join him in “suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.” Now that doesn’t sound like fun does it? Paul did not lie to Timothy, he made it clear that he needed to use his gift from God and that it would cause some suffering. Living for God will cause some suffering. There is no way around it. Just as you can’t grow physically without pain, you can’t grow spiritually without pain of some sort. But we ought not to fear this type of suffering, but rather we ought to embrace it!
D. Fear often leads to frailty – 1 Tim. 5:23
Now did you know that fear can literally make us sick. Timothy may have been sick because he was fearful or under stress. We don’t know for sure. Listen to what one doctor said about psychosomatic medicine: “about 90% of people who see physicians today have one common problem. There problem did not start with a cough or chest pain. There trouble began with fear.” Arthritis, for example, is said to be exacerbated by fear and worry.
Jesus said that one of the marks in the last days was that “men’s hearts would fail them for fear.” Fear in your life can cause medical problems. Fear is to your spiritual life what sand is to an engine. Faith in your spiritual life is like oil in your engine. Some of us just need a spiritual oil change. See Dan for a discount on that! We need to exchange fear for the Holy Spirit.
So fear can be a destructive power in our lives, but there is some good news:
II. The delivering power of the spirit of faith – v. 7
2 Timothy 1:7
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Here are the three empowerments that God has given to us in order to overcome destructive fear. Now remember I am not talking about being free from productive fear. I will always be afraid of snakes. Now that may not be productive to you, but it is to me! I’m talking about that negative fear.
Now let me say this. Most of us know of no bigger fear than things involving our children. Remember a few things. First of all, your children are not yours they are God’s. Also, remember that you are not omnipresent, but God is.
I also want to say this to all parents and future parents. You can pass on fear to your children without even trying. Be careful what you model before your kids. Now should you instill healthy fear in them: yes! They should fear crossing the road. They should fear strangers coming up to them in certain places. But don’t instill unhealthy fear in your kids.
I know children who are afraid of almost everything. Now I am not saying that we should go out of our way to condition our children not to fear.
Ok, now let’s look at the three elements to overcoming destructive fear:
A. God has given us the spirit of power – v. 7
Now look closely at v. 7. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power. Remember this, God is with you. He will never leave nor forsake you. All of us, like Timothy could be susceptible to fear when serving God, because the world will hate us. Sometimes it may feel like God is not with us, but He is.
I remember how I used to fear walking home from school in third grade. There was this bully who was in seventh grade. He would threaten me and on occasion hit me on the way home. There were two routes to get home. So sometimes I picked the one he was not at. But then he began to station a friend there. So no matter what way I went I was in trouble. Well, I had a cousin, Tommy, who was in ninth grade. When I told him about it he said, I’ll walk home with you next time. And boy I couldn’t wait to walk home! I walked home with chest stuck out! Why? Because I knew that my cousin was going to protect me. My cousin had a chat with this bully. I don’t know exactly what he said, but that bully never messed with me again. You get the point. God will protect us!
One man has well said: “The man who kneels before God, can stand before anyone!”
B. God has given us the spirit of love – “and love”
“and love”
Now you say, “wait just a minute, how is love going to make us strong and not fear?”
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Now this verse is pointing out that we should not fear because of God’s love for us. It is not our love, but
God’s love for us that should make us not fear.
And so God endues us with power, enriches us with love, but he enlightens us with a sound mind.
C. God has given us a spirit of self-control – “discipline”
“and discipline”
Many things that we are afraid of are not really legitimate or based in reality. Sometimes we fear things that don’t even pertain to us.
The Bible says “the wicked flee when no man pursues.” Have you ever been out in the dark and you feel like someone is behind you. I used to feel that way when I took that trash out as a little boy.
Now the word “discipline” here refers to a person who makes sound judgment. When you are living in a state of fear you cannot make sound judgment.
I once worked with a man who was a Christian but he made some of the strangest judgments I have ever seen. In fact, his occupation called for him to make a lot of important decisions. I never understood his decisions. But this text helped me to understand him. He was living in constant fear. He feared his superiors and those who were involved in the judgments he had to make. So his decisions were usually based on fear, not on sound judgment. And I’ll tell you this: This poor man had health problems and he was miserable. Because he was living like a coward before God.
Now as we close listen to why Paul did not fear:
2 Timothy 1:12
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Are you convinced of that today? Will you live by faith and not fear?
