Don’t be afraid. Fear is an enemy. Give fear walking papers–get rid of it. Don’t allow fear to live in your house or in your life. To overcome fear we must 1. acknowledge that it is present. 2. Confront it. We cannot conquer what we agree with. Don’t agree with the negative word of the enemy or even your own mind. Agree with what God says about you.

• Isaiah 41:10 New King James Version – 10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

There is another type of fear that we should have and that is–the fear of God. This type of fear is a reverence or respect for God. We should be afraid to disobey God or disrespect Him. People are doing things in the broad daylight that they should be afraid to do. We must always realize that He is the Creator and it is He who has provided our gifts and blessings. He can see everything we do and we will have to give an account for everything we have done and said.

• Matthew 10:28 New King James Version – And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. If we are not careful, we can fear people more than we fear God. God doesn’t want us to be men pleasers. It is better to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). Hold your standard in Christ even if it causes you to be an outcast.

When we truly fear God, we can’t just sin and not be convicted. If we can sin and it doesn’t bother us, it means we don’t have the Holy Spirit with us.

• Hebrews 11:24-26 New King James Version – ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Nothing on earth is worth giving up our heavenly reward. When we fear God, we will do what God wants us to do.

• Hebrews 11:7 New King James Version – By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Heaven is coming. We don’t see it yet. But everything God said is coming to pass. When Noah heard God, he moved with reverential fear. Even the animals had the fear of God. The animals were obedient, while the people were mocking. But all the people died in the flood except Noah and his family. God closed the door to the ark, and no one could open it–not even Noah who built the ark.

• Genesis 7:13 New King James Version – On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— ¹⁴ they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. ¹⁵ And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. ¹⁶ So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.

We must side with God, not man. Don’t follow the majority–follow the Lord. The majority of the people in Noah’s day didn’t believe the message. They were wrong and perished in the flood. But if we have a healthy fear of the Lord, we can be saved.

Pray for the grace to obey when the Lord speaks.

If a man says he loves you and there is no evidence, question that love. Actions confirm what we say. For example, God showed His love for us by sending Jesus. Our loving words must be backed by loving actions. And be sure to speak the truth with love too.

Works do not save us. But our salvation will cause us to do good in Jesus’ Name.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 New King James Version – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

One of the best works we can do for God is preach the Gospel. Everyone needs salvation through Jesus.

• Mark 16:15-20 New King James Version –¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ¹⁹ So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

The Lord will work with us, but not for us. We have a role to play. We must do our part. Our faith will grow as we go (to do God’s will). Being tired or uncomfortable is not an excuse to not do God’s will. Employers do not hire people to come in and look nice. No–they have a job for you to do. God has a job for us to do too. He wants us to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with all people.

• Proverbs 11:30 New King James Version – The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Be BOLD snatching souls.

God wants to lead and guide us. We are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight. This requires trust. The more we trust God and HIS ABILITY the less we will be afraid. God doesn’t want us to fear NO EVIL.

• Psalm 23:4 New King James Version – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Consider David. He was a man of after God’s own heart who didn’t let fear stop him from serving God fully. David was willing to face an actual giant named Goliath who was over nine feet tall. He defeated Goliath even though he was younger, smaller, and had no experience as a soldier. But what David did have was giant faith. David’s faith in God slayed the giant.

The other soldiers of Israel paid attention to Goliath’s intimidating taunts. He taunted and mocked the armies of Israel and the God of Israel for forty days. By the time this giant got finished talking, all the men of war were afraid. They warriors of Israel paid attention to Goliath’s size instead of the size of the true and living God. David focused on God and was willing to confront the giant everyone else was afraid of.

• 1 Samuel 17:4 8-51 New King James Version – ⁴⁸ So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. ⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. ⁵¹ Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

We must be willing to confront FEAR. Being afraid is not a sin, but letting fear hinder us from obeying God is. We can pray for courage to overcome fear and the Holy Spirit will help us. In whatever we must face, we can face it IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. Sometimes God will have us face the very thing we fear. Facing our fears knowing God is with us makes all the difference.

Some people in the world are faced with the threat of being killed because of their faith in Jesus. Many of these men and women of God face this fear head on and refuse to deny Jesus. They give up their lives and becomes martyrs rather than reject Christ. God promises those who confront this fear and overcome will be rewarded.

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelation 2:10