Fear-Good & Evil

All right, well, let's pray and ask God to teach us this morning, shall we? Father, thank you again for this day. Thank you for your word, which is sufficient to help us to deal with these things. We thank you that your word can tell us, expose to us the sinful nature of things. It can tell us what to do about them. It can point us to Jesus, the solution.

And so, Father, we pray that you would help us today to give ourselves an attention to your words so that we might understand something more of this thing called fear. Lord, we are right now in a country that is just overwhelmed with fear, fear of this virus, fear of the political events of the day, fear of what's going on in the streets. We have people who are prisoners of fear, and so we pray now that you would help us as we look at this and seek to understand its nature.

We pray this now in Jesus' name. Amen. Is fear always a bad thing? Is it always a sinful emotion? You might say to me, the dog next door to my place goes crazy, foaming at the mouth, barking, yanking at exchange every time I walk out the door. Shouldn't I be afraid of that dog?

Is it sinful to be afraid? How about the fact that last week as you hiked along the mountain trail, you slipped. rocks went tumbling down the mountainside and you were just a little bit afraid. Is that a bad thing? Was it hurtful or helpful that you had a dose of fear for the rest of that hike? Some people fear spiders. Others fear that their car will be stolen if they leave it unlocked.

Others fear identity theft. How is that sinful? right is it wrong to fear terrorists or tornadoes or thieves well we all know down deep that fear can be a positive thing it is not sinful in many ways it is a good emotion For example we enter this world unaware of its dangers and so it good to learn to be afraid of certain things Babies, little kids, need to learn to be afraid of electrical outlets, right? We want them.

In fact, we instill in them fear about that. Or when the stove is hot, we want them to be afraid of that. That's a good thing. Children need to learn to be afraid if a stranger approaches them and to run away, right? Who offers them something. We want them to be afraid.

Fear can be a good thing. Fear can be something that we need to learn. And it's a good thing. Fear is good when it keeps you from physical danger. Whoever does not fear falling off the mountainside on a hike would be better to stay at the campsite. Right?

The fearless soldier who struts across the minefield is no good to himself or to his platoon. Right? Fear is good when it keeps you from physical danger. Fear is good when it keeps you from spiritual danger. We ought to have a fear of temptation, or the fear of being brought into bondage to a life-dominating sin, or a fear of church discipline, or even the fear of being disqualified from ministry.

That's a good kind of fear, the fear that keeps you from spiritual danger. In fact, Proverbs 16.6 says, by fear of the Lord, one keeps away from evil. And so there are times when fear is good. So we need to recognize that fear can be helpful or hurtful, good or evil. It can be constructive or destructive. How, though, can you know?

How can you know whether fear is hurtful or evil? destructive how can you know that what are the markers of sinful fear now in order to know when your fear crosses the line from constructive to destructive we going to look at two signs of sinful fear the first is the outward manifestations of sinful fear and the second is the inward manifestations of sinful fear Now before we dive into this let me just say I had never imagined how difficult it would be to preach to people in masks. It's already dawning on me. I can't see whether you're smiling.

I can't see whether you're frowning. I cannot figure you out at all. This is going to be an exercise for me. I'll tell you that right now. I can't see the smile wrinkles in your eyes from this. My eyes aren't that good.

So I'm just going to have to preach to a bunch of expressionless people. all right first of all i think you're listening what what are the outward signs of sinful fear what are the outward signs what are some of the actions what are some of the things that we can see that we're doing that would that would alert us to sinful fear the first is this Your fear is sinful when you fear what God forbids you to fear. When you fear what God forbids you to fear, such as people, an inordinate fear of people. Now, before we go any deeper, let's talk about what we mean by inordinate.

Inordinate means beyond normal limits. OK, it's not an inordinate fear of man. when you're afraid when you see someone come charging out of the bank with a weapon in its hand. If you're fearful then, that's a good thing. That's not inordinate fear. It is inordinate when you lie on the report because you're afraid that if you tell the truth, your boss will get angry and you may lose your job.

That's an inordinate fear. That's beyond the limits, okay? So your fear is sinful when you fear what God forbids you to fear. And one of those things is an inordinate fear of people. Turn to Psalm 56. Now, we're going to be jumping all over the scripture.

I had a meeting this week. It was a Zoom meeting with some guys in ACBC And one of them I don know how he found out said to me so are you preaching topically or exposition of the word? And I said, look, I just finished exposition of the word. I don't hardly ever do topical. I hardly ever do topical. And one of the other guys on the meeting said, Tim, I think that's the first time I've seen you blush. well I don't typically do topical sermons but there is a place for them all right and this is one of them so we're going to be jumping around in the scripture just to look at some passages of scripture not unfolding them but just looking at them and seeing what God has to say Isaiah I'm sorry Psalm 56 1 through 4 be gracious to me oh God for man tramples on me all day long an attacker oppresses me.

My enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you, in God, whose word I praise. In God I trust. I shall not be afraid. What can flesh or what can man do to me? All right?

So we are, we have crossed the line to sinful fear when we fear people inordinately. When you fear God, you desire to please God. When you fear man, you're tempted to seek their approval over God's approval. When you fear man inordinately, when you know you're beyond the limits, you know you're sinning, when you want their approval more than God's approval.

When you fear man, you're tempted to disobey God or to compromise your obedience rather than lose the approval of your friends or lose the approval of the group. If you're willing, if you're willing to compromise your obedience because you don't want to lose someone's approval, then you fear man. You see this in the Gospel of John, chapter 12, about many who believed in Jesus.

Look at what the Gospel Apostle John wrote. Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. For they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Do you see that? They did not confess Jesus.

Why? They were afraid of the Pharisees. They were afraid of getting kicked out of the synagogue. They wanted the approval of man more than they wanted the glory of God. Proverbs 29.25 says, the fear of man lays a snare. Anytime you're afraid of men in the wrong way, it's a snare.

It captures you. Okay? It captures you. But whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. you see the fear of man is a snare that's also true when when it's also true that we are involved in sinful fear when we have an inordinate fear of your environment or your circumstances now i just read a few minutes ago psalm 46 right god is our refuge and strength in present help in times of trouble.

And it talks about the earth falling away, the mountains slipping into the sea, these cosmic catastrophes as we saw last week. When you fear your environment or your circumstances, okay, for example, you're paralyzed at the thought of crossing that bridge or you won't go to work because you're terrified of catching the virus. All right? remember god is your environment he is everywhere and wherever god is he's in control so when you fear your environment or your circumstances then you are involved in sinful fear the inordinate fearing of bad news whether it's hastily called meetings or telephone calls or correspondence or email or instant messages, you anxiously await for the hammer to fall on you.

Okay? Alright, look at Psalm 112. It talks about the righteous man. Psalm 112. What is he like? Verse 4.

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, merciful, and righteous. drop down to verse um seven and eight he is not afraid of bad news his heart is firm trusting in the lord his heart is steady he will not be afraid until he looks in triumph on his adversary so if you afraid of bad news if you just waiting for that bad news you know back in my worry days there a period of my life where I was absolutely consumed with anxiety And I can tell you, it was about the first year and a half of being a pastor. Because I realized I wasn't working in the factory anymore, and the kind of responsibilities I had went much, much, much deeper than what I was used to. and I was terrified of certain things and I was worried all the time you can ask Becca about this these were days of of misery for me and by the way God has been very gracious to me and taught me a number of things and and even though I have to be vigilant against it it is not something that consumes me anymore but in those days you know what would happen whenever the phone would ring my heart would jump because I'm just figuring there's bad news on the other side someone's going to tell me something I got to deal with and I don't want to right bad news it's just going to be bad news right that is sinful when you focus on the earthly causes the earth earthly events rather than the sovereign father who for his eternal purposes causes all things to work for good for those who've been called according to his purpose and so you see your fear is sinful when you fear what God forbids you to fear.

Okay? If God tells you, don't be afraid of that, and you are, you're sinning. Alright, here's the next one. Your fear is sinful when it keeps you from fulfilling your biblical responsibilities. How do I know if my fear is sinful? Rather than healthy, it's hurtful.

How do I know that? I know that when because of my fear, I don't do what God commands me to do. or I do the things that God tells me not to do because of fear. I don't do the responsibilities God gives me to do. I back away. I won't obey. Why?

Because I'm afraid. Proverbs 22, verse 13. Proverbs 22, verse 13. The sluggard says, there is a lion outside. I shall be killed in the streets. Alright?

He's afraid. I can't do what I'm supposed to do because there's a lion out there and he'll kill me. So I'm not going to go outside. When your fear keeps you from your duty of loving God and or loving your neighbor when it keeps you from doing what God commands it is sinful I've known parents who do not discipline their children because they are so fearful that if they discipline incorrectly, they'll ruin their children for life.

And so they don't do anything. They're paralyzed. they won't discipline their children I remember one couple in particular I met when I was teaching down at the mission in North Carolina a master's mission oh they had been listening to Christian radio which by the way let me tell you right now most of Christian radio please avoid it's really bad and they'd been listening to one famous guy who was wonderfully famous in the old days and telling people how to do it now if you have a birthday party for one child, then make sure that you do something for the other one so that they don't have low self-esteem. And if you're going to do this, then you need to do this.

And these folks were just absolutely paralyzed. They didn't know what to do. Right? They were so afraid that they didn't do what God called them to do. It's paralyzing. That's when you know it is sinful.

Folks, and you're looking at one, I'm looking at you. Folks who refuse to confront others about their sin because they're afraid. They're afraid of what might happen. I can't go talk to them about that. I'm the only one who knows about it, but I can't do it. We come up with all kinds of excuses.

Now, do you see how this proverb connects laziness with fear? it is the sluggard who says there's a lion outside i will be killed in the streets all right it's interesting how the bible connects fear with laziness now phil read for us matthew 25 the parable of the talents where the master gives talents five to one and by the way notice, it doesn't matter how many talents the person got. That wasn't, he said, well done, good and faithful servant to the one who gained five. He gave the same to the one that, to whom he gave two talents.

It's not how much you produce. Alright But do you notice what he said to the one who buried the money Right And what did that servant say to him I was what I was afraid I was afraid, and so I didn't do what you wanted me to do. I hid it, just so you'd get it back. I was afraid. Then he makes some cockeyed excuse, like, you're really a tough guy to work for.

Right? I was afraid. Now, do you see what the master says to the faithful servants? He says, well done, good and faithful servants. What does he call the one who was afraid? You wicked and slothful.

You wicked and lazy servant. Do you hear the excuse of the lazy servant? Fear paralyzed him. And his master characterized him as lazy. Now listen to me. Fear often produces laziness.

Let me take you back to my worry days. There were days where I'd be consumed with worry. And literally, I would do nothing but think about what was coming. I would pace I would think I would keep doing that and you know what I got done on those days absolutely nothing I was lazy I was so consumed with my fear that I didn't get anything done people characterized by fear tend to be lazy rather than focusing on their responsibilities Rather than focusing on their responsibilities, they focus on their fears.

You see? Lou Priola. Lou Priola is one of my heroes in the biblical counseling movement. He's written some phenomenal books. He really can see into things. Lou Priola writes this.

That which they fear distracts and even incapacitates them from faithful obedience. exactly what the sluggard is saying in the proverb. I can't do it. There's a line outside. I can't do it. I'll get killed. Right?

The sluggard says that. The lazy man says that. All right? So, your fear is sinful when it keeps you from doing what God calls you to do. Your fear is sinful when rooted in selfishness rather than love. You know that your fear is sinful when it's driven by selfishness rather than love.

1 John chapter 4, verses 17 and 18. Now this is going to be a key verse for us as we proceed. Next week we're going to look at what are the answers God gives us for these. I don't want to leave you hanging, but I will, kind of. Next week we'll get to the positive part of what do we do about it. But please note this in verses 17 and 18.

By this is love perfected with us so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment because as he is so also are we in this world. 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. All right, a mature love, perfected, a mature, a love where all the pieces are in place.

Okay, that is the answer to fear. According to this text, what is the opposite of fear? Most of us would say courage. Most of us would see faith, say faith, and those are opposites. But here's one that we don't pay attention to. The opposite of fear is love.

It is love. Again, Lou Priola. People who are selfish tend to be fearful. People who are fearful are necessarily selfish. If you're fearful, then you're selfish. That's all there is to it.

How is that so? When you're sinfully afraid, you're concerned with self. You are self-protecting rather than being concerned about others. You're concerned about you, not others. You're concerned about how that discussion that's coming up in two days is going to affect you. You're not worried about the person who you've got to confront.

You're worried about you. It's protecting yourself. Love is more concerned with what you can give rather than with what you can get or with what you might lose Right Love sacrifices It says it doesn matter what I might lose This is what I must do I love this person I got to do it Love is antithetical to and the antidote for fear All right? By the way, redline that one.

That is absolutely true. Love is antithetical to and the antidote for fear. Have you ever contrasted the thoughts of a fearful person with a loving person? The fearful person says, I wonder what he thinks of me. While the loving person says, I wonder what his needs are. If he gets too close, he'll figure me out and he'll reject me.

So I hold people at arm's length. as opposed to what matters isn't what he thinks of me. What matters is how can I serve him. The fearful person says, I'll probably make a fool of myself. The loving person says, if I make a fool of myself, so be it. But he needs help, and I can help. You see the difference?

Your fear is sinful when it's rooted in selfishness. so those are the outward manifestations of fear we can often detect fear though before it shows up in actions if we examine our heart so outwardly these are the things when you see those things happening you know you're you're involved in sinful fear but we also know that the outward flows from the hearts from the heart's loves desires allegiances and so forth its thoughts It's beliefs. The heart drives behavior. And so let's take a look at the inward manifestations of fear.

What are the inward signs of sinful fear? Here's the first. Your fear is sinful when it proceeds out of unbelief or distrust in God. Your fear is sinful when it proceeds out of unbelief or distrust in God. Now in Numbers chapter 13, which again, Phil read to us a little bit earlier, Let's look at that again. Turn to Numbers 13.

Numbers 13 look at verses 11 and 12 I think it's 11 and 12. It's looking different here. It's not 11 and 12. I was looking at the wrong Bible. Oh, you guys. Let me read through the chapter real quick because this is important.

Oh. 14, 11, and 12. There it is. Okay. I don't know if we can edit this out or not. You can't even comprehend the fear that overtakes someone in a pulpit. when he's lost.

All right. All right. 14, 11, and 12. That's a healthy fear, by the way, right? You guys think about it this week. Give me the answers next week.

Numbers 14, verses 11 and 12. And the Lord said to Moses, how long will this people despise me? Okay, remember, they've said, we can't go over. They're stronger than us. We can't take it. It's too much.

So this is what the Lord says in response to their reaction. And the Lord said to Moses, how long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they. And then Moses intercedes for them.

But do you see what God says? They despise me. Why? Because they don't believe me. And they don't believe me after all the things I've done on their way here, on their journey to the banks of the Jordan while they stand there and say, we can't do it. They don't believe me, right?

Look over at Hebrews 3. Here's the divine commentary on that. Hebrews chapter 3, where the writer to the Hebrews points that out as a lack of faith. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse 16. For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses And with whom was he provoked for 40 years Was it not with those who sinned whose bodies fell in the wilderness And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest But to those who were disobedient.

So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. They were afraid because they did not believe God. the Israelites did not enter the land when they stood on the Jordan because fear overwhelmed them because they did not believe the promises of God they did not believe what he told them he was going to do he told them I'm going to drive them out now keep in mind I used to wonder why God got so mad at these people well keep in mind they had the whole all the stories from the book of Genesis as well and I hope you remember this when we went through Genesis what did we see was the consistent theme of the book of Genesis this is God keeping his promise of a seed that was promised in chapter three and how through everything that happened he kept that promise in fact in Genesis 9 what does he say? You remember where Noah is found drunk?

Who gets cursed? Cursed be Canaan. God had cursed the Canaanites centuries before, and they still did not believe him. They did not believe him, even when they saw all the miraculous things he did on their journey there, providing them with water. Not to mention ten plagues and dividing the Red Sea for them. And they stand there and they say, we can't do it.

That is unbelief. When you're afraid because you do not believe what God can or that he will do what he has clearly promised in his word, then you have sinful fear. Let me ask you, what do you fear? Right now, what do you fear? Do you believe that God works all things for good? Do you believe that God has the wisdom to figure out better than you do, what is your good?

And do you believe that God has the power to accomplish that good? Do you believe that? Well, when you are wrapped in sinful fear, you're not believing it at that point. Listen, every fear, every bit of sinful fear contains some implicit doubt about God in it. As I've looked at fear in my life, as I've listened to people struggling with fear, it's evident to me that every evidence of sinful fear has an implicit doubt, has a doubt buried in it about God of some kind.

Yes, I believe God is sovereign. But do you believe that that sovereign is working for your good? Right? I know how that is. Yeah, I believe God is sovereign. I believe he's working for my good, but I don't want that good to be painful to me.

Okay? So God, can you work good without any kind of pain? What's the implicit doubt there? That the pain is something that I could do without when God says, no, no. It's necessary for your good. You see?

There's always some implicit doubt buried in every bit of sinful fear. Here's the next. Your fear is sinful when you believe that what caused the fear or what's behind that fear has more power than God. Luke chapter 12. Turn there. Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 verses 4 and 5 or 4 through 6 I tell you my friends do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do but I will warn you whom to fear fear him who after he has killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies and not one of them is forgotten before God?

Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you're of more value than many sparrows. What does he say here? He says, don't fear people who can only do so much and no more. God has greater power than that. You fear your boss. you fear that the government will rob you of your liberty you fear that someday you won't be able to live on your social security look at the the israelites on the bank of the jordan what did they say it caught my attention as i listened i missed this but as phil read i heard this We cannot do that because they are stronger than we are Right We cannot take this land because they are stronger than we are.

The point is, do you really believe that God is bigger than the problem? Is God bigger than the problem? so what happens is we think that this thing that we fear has more power than god that's the problem that's why it's sinful if you really believe god was an omnipotent you wouldn't be so frightened by the way can i can i tell you that's helped me tremendously when i'm worried about something i say to myself this god's bringing me to that point He's got a purpose in it. And this is the God who split the Red Sea.

Do you think he can handle this? That's helped me so much. Yeah, he can handle this. This isn't bigger than he is. So, keep that in mind. Don't attribute more power to something so that it looks like it has more power than God does. third your fear is sinful when it attributes to god characteristics that are inconsistent with his nature your fear is sinful when it attributes to god characteristics that are inconsistent with his nature turn to hebrews chapter 11 let's just see this just for just a bit hebrews chapter 11 verse 6.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, referring to God. And without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Do you ever think about that? He rewards those who seek them. Boy, you seek after God? He's going to reward you for that.

Isn't that amazing? But you know what? Sadly, sadly, and I must say, in our circles that really believe in the sovereignty of God, we Reformed, we Calvinistic kind of people, sadly, we too often have the unmerciful tyrant view of God. That is to say God is a cosmic killjoy who shows little compassion or mercy to his children and makes it his goal to squash any happiness and fun they might have You say I don think that about God Really How many times are you enjoying yourself and you wonder, is this sinful?

Right? I remember studying about this guy he was a real a real I would call him a crank his name was Mencken he wrote for the Baltimore Mercury he said something like a Puritan is anyone who thinks God no a Puritan is anyone who feels bad about having fun ever right is that the way you think is that the way you think about god you know god is sovereign but do you also know that he's good do you also know that he desires for you to have joy do you know that do you really believe that a man by the name of samuel samuel born wrote a treatise called on religious fear in 1760 he says that the title most consistently the title most consistently given to God by Jesus and the apostles was what? Father.

That is the most consistent label or descriptive phrase that Jesus and the apostles used about God. Father. And here's what he wrote. If we impute to God qualities inconsistent with the parental character and represent him to ourselves as seeking and delighting, not in the happiness, but the misery and ruin of his creatures, we dethrone, as it were, the Father and set up in his stead a tyrant.

And the dread of such a false deity produces timidity, distrust, dejection, horror, and despair. now look do you have an accurate knowledge of god do you know what i've learned not to like this phrase here's the phrase god is more interested in our holiness than our happiness i don't like that phrase because what it says to us is this god really wants your holiness he doesn't really care about your happiness but boy you better be holy that what counts with god now i know what i know what people are getting at They getting at this idea that God just about our happiness but He really wants our holiness Let me suggest to you that God wants our holiness. Why? It glorifies Him, and what?

It makes us happy. It makes us happy. God is about your joy. Let me ask you, what glorifies God more? I've got to endure this. God says he's working for my good.

I believe it. But I've got to just get through this. Or, you know, things are really tough. But I know that God's working for my good. And you know what? I'm so happy about that.

That God is for me and never against me. What do you think is going to glorify God more? Long-faced Christians or Christians who are joyful? John Piper is absolutely correct when he says, God is most glorified in us and we are most happy in him. God is for your joy. And so your fear is sinful when it attributes to God things that are inconsistent with his character.

Here's the last. Here's the last. And this is another red liner. This is one I think you really need to remember. Turn over to James chapter 1. James chapter 1.

This is a key verse. This is a key passage for us in understanding the taxonomy or the way sin works. All right? James 1, beginning in verse 13. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Now, by the way, that doesn't say evil desire. It shouldn't say evil desire. And if it says lust, it's just the neutral term desire. We can be lured into sin by desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

Here's the point. Sin always starts inwardly with a desire. Okay? All sin starts with a desire. All sin starts with an idol of the heart. And the same is true of fear.

So if you have a desire, for approval or the idol of man's approval, you serve that idol, it rules your heart, then you will find yourself afraid. Okay? All sin starts inwardly with a desire. And when we give in to that desire, it gives birth to sin. That's how I put it. Desire connects with temptation and it gives birth to sin.

It always starts on the inside. Now, such desire or heart idolatry is like a coin. It has two sides to it. One side says, this is what I must gain. This is what I must have. All right?

I must have their approval. On the flip side of the coin is fear. This is what I fear. I must avoid their disapproval. So, our fear grows out of our desire or our idolatry. Okay?

If you are fearful, then you have to say, what's going on in my heart? What is it that I want? Or what is it that I want to avoid? That will tell you why you're fearful. If you must have money, then you will fear poverty. If you must have approval, then you will fear disapproval and conflict.

If you must have intimacy, then you will fear loneliness. If you must have pleasure, then you will fear boredom or discomfort or even hard work. If you must have your own life, then you will fear losing it. whenever you find yourself paralyzed or whenever you find yourself overwhelmed or whenever you find yourself controlled by fear so that you do not do what god requires then ask this question what is it that rules my heart right now what is it that rules my heart right now so it not just about I get over fear it I gotta get over fear and I gotta go a little bit deeper What driving that fear I have to deal with that too.

You see? So whenever you find yourself paralyzed, whenever you find yourself controlled by or overwhelmed by fear, always ask the question, what is it that's ruling my heart right now? What is it that I want? What am I afraid of? Ask those questions. Now you might say to me, but I am afraid.

I fear so much that it's just the way I live. What possible hope can I have in my fight against fear? One more place to go. 1 Peter chapter 2. Why don't you go to 1 Peter chapter 2. by the way first peter is the textbook on suffering and therefore subcategory a textbook on fear we don't like to suffer how did jesus handle it first peter chapter 2 verse 22 no verse 21 for to this you have been called what's he talking about he's talking about suffering for to this you have been called we've been called to suffering because christ also suffered for you leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps he committed no sin neither was deceit found in his mouth when he was reviled he did not revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds you have been healed for you are like strange sheep but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls all right where do we begin to deal with fear let me just give you this as we end look to jesus today he did not fear but he entrusted himself to the god who judges justly you face down fear first of all by entrusting yourself to god you follow the example of Jesus if you want to deal with fear then follow the example of Jesus and entrust yourself to your faithful creator In fact, at the end of this book, he sums it all up by saying this, therefore, those who suffer according to God's will should entrust themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good.

Right? And so it is. We entrust ourselves to God. But look beyond Jesus' example, verse 24. Because he did not fear in his suffering, but he entrusted himself to God, he fulfilled his purpose. In that instance, when Jesus was tempted to fear, he did not fear, he entrusted himself to God.

And because he did that, what happened? He was able to fulfill his purpose. And what was that purpose? the purpose of redeeming you from your sin so that you might live righteously he himself bore you know what that word means he himself carried our sin he carried our sin in his body to the cross and there those sins were killed he's not talking here about the substitutionary effect of Jesus death as if he died because you're a sinner no no here's what it's saying he took all our sins and took them to the cross, and at the cross those sins were killed, so that now you can live righteously, because the sins that you struggle against were taken to the cross and killed there.

Because Jesus took them to the cross, there's a clean break with our sinfully fearful responses. We can, because of what Jesus did, we can live free from the tyranny of fear. It is possible, and you can do it, because your sinful fear responses were taken to the cross with Jesus, and there they were killed. Their power was destroyed, and therefore it is entirely possible.

In fact, it's guaranteed that if you entrust yourself to God, you will be able to live free from the tyranny of sin, a tyranny of fear. So ask yourself this morning how does fear show up in my life Think about that this week How does fear show up in my life I understand that some forms of fear are good and healthy and constructive But do I find fear that's sinful and destructive? Identify those areas.

Take the inventory. Listen, if you really want to do something against it, then think about it. Write it down. where do I find sinful fear showing up begin outwardly does fear show up in my actions start there and then move inwardly move to the heart what are the beliefs what are the desires what are the idols that drive those fears and let me just say this you should always end up with Jesus you always end up at the cross and the resurrection.

That's where we'll always go. Father, thank you for your word. We would pray today that you would help us take inventory and realize our sinful fears. Help us, Father, to be serious about this so that we can live for your glory and our joy. help us to realize that you are a God who desires his children be free from the tyranny of fear and anxiety. Help us to see that you're a God who loves his children and wants their joy.

And part of that is dealing with the fear that so easily intrudes. Father, we know that what's going on in our nation today is doing nothing more than exposing the idols of our hearts already. So, Father, I pray that we'd be serious about this, that your name would be honored and glorified as a result of what we're doing here. Thank you for your word today in Jesus' name.

Amen.