3. The [Philippian] crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.. stripped and beaten.... severely flogged.... thrown into prison.... ( Acts 16:22-23) ...the Jews in Thessalonica ....agitating the crowds and stirring them up. ( Acts 17:13) ...the Jews [in Corinth] made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court. (Acts 18:12) One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “ Do not be afraid … Acts 18:9a
4. But the angel reassured him, “ DO NOT BE AFRAID, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. Luke 1:13 But the angel said to her, “ DO NOT BE AFRAID, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus. Luke 1:30-31 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “ Do not be afraid … Acts 18:9a
5. But after He had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to Him in a dream and said, “ Joseph son of David, DO NOT BE AFRAID to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to the shepherds, “DO NOT BE AFRAID. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:9-11 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “ Do not be afraid … Acts 18:9a
6. Faith Point FEAR HOW OFTEN DO I MAKE DECISIONS, APPROACH LIFE, LIVE LIFE BASED UPON FEAR?
7. Faith Point Fear of the UNKNOWN! FEAR Fear of the POSSIBILITIES! Fear of PEOPLE! Fear based on PRIDE! Fear of UNMET EXPECTATIONS! Fear of LOSING CONTROL! Fear of the PAST! Fear of the FUTURE! Fear of FAILURE! Fear of SUCCESS! Fear of PEOPLE “FINDING OUT”! Fear of PEOPLE “GIVING UP”! HOW OFTEN DO I MAKE DECISIONS, APPROACH LIFE, LIVE LIFE BASED UPON FEAR?
8. FEAR For you did NOT receive a spirit that makes you a SLAVE AGAIN TO FEAR , But you received the SPIRIT OF SONSHIP . And BY HIM we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 God did NOT give us a spirit that makes us afraid but A SPIRIT OF POWER and LOVE and SELF-CONTROL . 2 Timothy 1:7
9. Faith Point YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE DEFINED by what has happened in your past or is even now going on around you or what may happen in the future REJECT FEAR YOU ARE ALREADY DEFINED BY WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN YOU, IS DOING IN YOU, & WILL DO IN YOU From now on everyone is DEFINED BY CHRIST…. Colossians 3:11 "If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) "Be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a SPIRITUAL REFINING PROCESS, with GLORY right around the corner." (1 Peter 4:13) "...He set [you] on a solid basis with Himself... He [stays] with [you] to the end GLORIOUSLY COMPLETING WHAT HE HAD BEGUN." (Romans 8:30)
10. Faith Point Understanding the Reality of our INCREDIBLE STANDING IN CHRIST RESCUES US from a life of fear! REJECT FEAR We KNOW IT so well, we’ve EMBRACED IT heart and soul, THIS LOVE THAT COMES FROM GOD. God is love. WHEN we TAKE UP PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN A LIFE OF LOVE , WE LIVE IN GOD and GOD LIVES IN US . This way, love has the run of the house , becomes at home and mature in us , SO THAT WE’RE FREE OF WORRY ON JUDGMENT DAY —our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is NO ROOM IN LOVE FOR FEAR . Well-formed love BANISHES FEAR . Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. 1 John 4:16-18
11. That would have been the easy way out... If he just didn’t say anything, most likely hardship & pain would not find him ...God’s Word came to Jonah: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God . Jonah 1:1-3 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “ Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent .” Acts 18:9
12. Faith Point Fear often leads us to avoid God’s Calling on our lives because we focus on what appears to be the impossible Reject Fear & LIVE OUT Your Calling
13. Faith Point Reject Fear & LIVE OUT Your Calling What might God be asking of YOU that SEEMS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE ? RATHER THAN hyper-focus on the impossibilities of your situation... HYPER-FOCUS ON THE GOD WHO SPECIALIZES IN THE IMPOSSIBLE!
14. Faith Point Reject Fear & LIVE OUT Your Calling God can do ANYTHING , you know— FAR MORE than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but BY WORKING WITHIN US , HIS SPIRIT DEEPLY AND GENTLY WITHIN US . Ephesians 3:20 For NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.” Luke 1:37 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.” Matthew 19:26
15. Faith Point Reject Fear & LIVE OUT Your Calling EVERYTHING that goes into a life of pleasing God has been MIRACULOUSLY GIVEN TO US by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! 2 Peter 1:3
16. For I am with you , and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” Acts 18:10
17. Faith Point The incredibly awesome news of Christmas is “GOD IS WITH US” Reject Fear & REST IN "GOD WITH US" EMMANUEL The Word BECAME FLESH AND BLOOD , and MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD . We saw the Glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind Glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. John 1:14
18. Faith Point The incredibly awesome news of Christmas is “GOD IS WITH US” Reject Fear & REST IN "GOD WITH US" EMMANUEL ...God has said, “ NEVER will I leave you; NEVER will I forsake you.” So we say WITH CONFIDENCE , “ THE LORD is MY HELPER ; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID . What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
19. Faith Point PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE YOU. I do not give to you as the world gives. DO NOT LET your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 “ DO NOT LET your hearts be troubled. TRUST GOD, TRUST ALSO IN ME. John 14:1 Reject Fear & REST IN "GOD WITH US"
20. Faith Point ...I have told you all this so that TRUSTING ME, you WILL BE UNSHAKABLE and ASSURED, DEEPLY AT PEACE. In this godless world you WILL continue to experience difficulties. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE CONQUERED THE WORLD !” John 16:33 Reject Fear & REST IN "GOD WITH US"
21. And he knew the reality of GOD’S PRESENCE WITH HIM to be TRUE Because he KNEW the REALITY of his STANDING BEFORE GOD, that he was DEFINED BY CHRIST and not his circumstances So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God. Acts 18:11
22. Jesus said to His Disciples, “ Anyone who intends to come with Me HAS TO LET ME LEAD . YOU are NOT in the driver’s seat; I AM . Don’t run from suffering; EMBRACE IT . FOLLOW ME and I’LL SHOW YOU HOW . Self-help is no help at all. SELF-SACRIFICE is the way, MY WAY , to finding yourself, your true self. Matthew 16:24-25 Reject Fear & WALK in Faithfulness
23. ... ALL YOU NEED TO REMEMBER is that God will NEVER LET YOU DOWN; He’ll NEVER LET YOU BE PUSHED PAST YOUR LIMIT; He’ll ALWAYS BE THERE TO HELP YOU COME THROUGH IT. 1 Corinthians 10:13 Reject Fear & WALK in Faithfulness
