I recall a story about a man who had to cross a wide river on the
ice. He was afraid it might be
too thin, so he began to crawl on his hand and knees in great terror.
He thought he might fall through at any moment.
Just as he neared the opposite shore, all exhausted, another man glided
past him nonchalantly sitting on a sled loaded with pig iron. How like some Christians!
Headed for Heaven, they tremble at every step lest the divine promises
break under their feet. They need
only to look at the context of Isaiah 12:2 to realize that God is their
salvation and the Lord is their strength and song.
By resting completely upon Him and taking His
promises at face value, we can drive out the paralyzing fear that hinders our
effectiveness in serving Christ. The
biblical antidote always works: "I will trust, and not be afraid."
From Bible Illustrator.
Text:
Dan 6:7
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the
counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal
statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any
God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the
den of lions. 8 Now, O king,
establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according
to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius
signed the writing and the decree. 10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God,
as he did aforetime. 11 Then these
men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his
God. 12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the
king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a
petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall
be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is
true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13 Then answered they and
said before the king, That Daniel, which is
of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor
the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he
heard these words, was sore
displeased with himself, and set his heart
on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to
deliver him. 15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the
king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be
changed. 16 Then the king
commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him
into the den of lions. Now the
king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he
will deliver thee.
I.
What Fears hold you back from serving the Lord as He would want you to?
And what prevents us from allowing the Lord to lead us forward as a church?
For the Lord’s church He wants us to
go forward into the community and seek and save the lost.
For some the Lord wants us to be saved, for some the Lord wants us to
be baptized, for some the Lord wants us to invite our family to church, for
some the Lord wants us to step forward to serve in the church, for some the
Lord wants us to enter into a prayer ministry, for some the Lord is leading us
to go into the ministry, to join the church, to attend the Wed. night service,
to sing in the choir, or to attend VBS. The
Lord desires us to move out and up in our lives to become the people that He
wants us to be.
1.
Fear of what others will think, do, or say?
Gal
1:10 For do I now persuade men,
or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be
the servant of Christ.
Fear
of losing our public image before the people that we see every day. They may
call you names ...or not look on you favorably.
Results in failure to witness, to grow , to become the child God wants
us to become. Fear God not Men...
2.
Fear of Failure or disaster. Failure
to be successful in the eyes of our peers (Pride).What
will happen if we are eaten alive by the lions? What if we don't know what to say or do?
We may look like a fool. How
can anyone ever begin without beginning?
What if the Lions eat us and destroy us?
Failure isn't final in the Lord. How
can you go wrong in God's will? Final
failure will occur when we fail to fear the Lord and don’t follow his
direction for our lives.
3.
Fear of Change... How can I make
it? Will I be able to make it?
Afraid we won't be able to make it into the new change. Fear of
voluntarily changing our lives. We would rather remain as we are. Remain in the same seats.
Remain in the same life instead of allowing God to change us to grow
us. Change from the comfortable
seat to the lions den, so don't rock the boat.
4.
Fear of the Unknown: Not
having been there before we wonder what may happen and of course we always
imagine the worst.
5.
Fear of being left behind: What
if the church changes, moves forward, and we get left out?
You will never be left behind if you go with the Lord.
You will always have the Lord’s Spirit to comfort and guide you.
You will know that you have been who God wants you to be.
You will always have a place in the Lord’s body.
That place of service will change as you grow, but you will always be
accepted and you will always have a place.
II.
How can we overcome the Fears that devour us daily?
1.
Stand Firm in what the Lord wants us to do...Continue to
serve the Lord or change our lives to become who the Lord wants us to be.
Pray, serve, live, be who the Lord wants us to be....
2.
Trust in the Lord's promises.. Mat
28: 19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit . 20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen .Phil 4:13 I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
3.
Continue to go forward in the Lord's Will for your life..
Dan 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him
into the den of lions. Now the
king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he
will deliver thee.
Step forward today to follow the
Lord's Will for your life. If you
will go where the Lord wants you to go, go today.
4.
Take a chance on the direction and desire of the Lord.
Take a chance on the Lord.