Fear began in the garden and ended on the cross… Fear entered in by one man: Adam. Love was perfected and it cast out fear by one man: Jesus. Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve hid themselves in shame. It states that when God called for them in the garden of Eden, that they were, “naked and afraid.” Its the first time fear was mentioned in the Bible. However, 1 Corinthians shows us that was lost in creation, was restored through Jesus. Here’s what it says: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” In John 3:16-17 it tells us that God so loved us… and that He didn’t come to condemn us. I John 4:18 tells us that perfect love casts out all fear.
Fear is meant to keep you where you are. It’s designed to keep you from moving forward. Religion also uses fear to keep things the way they are. Religion deals in rules, fear and judgment. However, Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Fear will keep you from moving forward. It will keep you from seeing things change, that need to change. Jesus came to empower us, and the Bible tells us many times, in numerous passages: “do not be afraid.”
Its my desire to see people set free from fear and to be empowered to live a victorious, peaceful, joyous life. I don’t want to see people be so bound by fear that it keeps them from experiencing all that God has for them. I don’t want you to be so gripped by fear that you never know the joy of surrender or obedience. I don’t want you to live another day, with fear robbing you of joy, hope or peace.
Fear is an illusion that can distort reality and keep you from knowing, seeing, or experiencing what’s on the other side of what you fear most. Don’t allow what you fear the most; to keep you from what you desire the most.
- Here’s how fear is defined in Webster’s: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger or uncertainty. |a state marked by this emotion. |an anxious concern caused by emotion. | profound reverence and awe toward God.
- In the Bible, there are two words for “fear”: One is phobos, a fear that either keeps us bound up with terror or causes us to flee in face of the unknown. The Bible has hundreds of scriptures telling us not to have this kind of fear. The other word for fear is yirah, which is awe and respect. This type of fear keeps us safe from consequences. It’s a healthy fear.
*Genesis 3:9-13 – fear will cause you to doubt, hide, lie, and blame.
In the Bible the most general word in the New Testament for faith is ‘pistos’ which means: belief, confidence, or trust. Or, it could be said this way, “a trust that produces a confident belief.” Faith is trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense from our limited perspective.
*Hebrews 11 – faith will cause you to hope, believe, trust and have confidence.
“Without Faith it is impossible to please God.”
1. Faith is the beginning of all things.
2. Faith pleases God.
3. Faith allows us to receive salvation.
4. Faith gives us access to God.
5. Faith is required, to live the life God desires for you to live.
* We must have faith that God is who says He is!
* We must have faith that we are who God says we are!
* We must have faith that God will do what He said He will do!
You must remember: “Faith is not taking matters into your own hands; it’s putting ‘it’ in Gods hands and trusting Him for the outcome.” Someone said, “everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. We all have fears, but pushing past your fears will determine your success and establish your peace. To counteract fear you will need the antidote of faith.
***An antidote is: a remedy to counteract the effects of something.
Another good antidote to fear is: “Fear the right thing!”
In other words: If you are going to be afraid, be afraid of never accomplishing your dream, be afraid of not walking in freedom, be afraid of not experiencing what you truly desire to experience. This fear of “the right thing”… should give you the courage and determination to do the right thing, that in turn, will grow your faith.
*When Fear Knocks; Answer With Faith.
> You can believe the lie or thought that will produce*(fear) or
> You can believe the fact or truth that will produce *(faith).
> Fear will create a stronghold that binds.
> Faith will create a strong-tower that liberates.