KNOW FEAR

2 Timothy 2:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love
and of self-discipline. 1

We are starting a study of “know Fear” this morning and tonight. Fear is an ugly word
that can cause marriages to end, people committing suicide, and the destruction of our
relationship with others.

I hope that as we study the concept of Fear we can learn together that God still in control
and He can help us to over come our fears

WE CANNOT ESCAPE FROM FEAR

Every one has fear of something or someone. There are those that fear to the future,
their spouse, their death, heaven or hell.
There is fear of another attack like September 11, 2001. What are you afraid of? Are
you afraid of the dark, frogs, flying, etc?
Illustration:
From Ann Landers
It is reported that the newspaper counselor, Ann Landers, receives an avenge of
10,000 letters each month, and nearly all of them from people burdened with
problems. She was asked if there was any one of them which predominates
throughout the letters she receives, and her reply was the one problem above all
others seems to be fear.
People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, their loved ones. People are
afraid of life itself.2

God knows that humans needs to deal with fear that is the reason there is more than 189
times the phrase “FEAR NOT” is mention in the Bible.

Since we cannot escape from it how we can deal with?

These are THREE suggestions how to deal with it.

1The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
2Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations,
anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Bible
Communications: Garland TX

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 I. Recognition that there is Fear in us

Illustration:
Anatomy Of Fear
In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today’s
physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with
cough or chest pain or hyperacidity. In 90% of the cases, the first
symptom was fear.
This is the opinion of a well-known American internist as expressed in a
roundtable discussion on psychosomatic medicine. This is also the
consensus of a growing body of specialists. Fear of losing a job, of old
age, of being exposed—sooner or later this fear manifests itself as “a
clinical symptom.”
Sometimes the fear is nothing more than a superficial anxiety;
sometimes it is so deep-seated that the patient himself denies its
existence and makes the round of doctor to doctor, taking injections,
hormones, tranquilizers and tonics in an endless search for relief. 3

The first step to recovery in for any illness, there it needs to be a recognition that is
something that we need to deal with it.
For example, Alcoholic Anonymous first step of recovery is to recognize that
there is a problem with alcohol.
It is the same thing with fear, to be able to deal with the subject in our life we
need to honest with ourselves and look deep inside of us and deal with fear.

However deal with it sometimes is very difficult and painful. Also, we are very
bias in dealing with our own shortcomings. Therefore, we need to ask God for help.
We need to be like Job when he said in Job 13:23
How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my offense and my sin.4

God can help us to deal honestly with the fear that we have and keep leaving. As we are
honest to ourselves we can be honest with others and better relationships can be build up.

3Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations,

anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Bible
Communications: Garland TX
4The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids

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 II. Fear can be good or can be bad

There is good in fear and bad in fear.

Bad Fear:
When we let fear control our life: it can ruin every change that we have to feel at easy
with others and ourselves. Can you imaging some afraid to go outside? What will
happen to that individual? It will never see or feel the beauty of the out side world.

1. It can ruin our behavior toward others. It might push us to act crazy.

Illustration:
Head In The Sand—Louis XV
Louis XV, King of France, foolishly ordained and ordered that death was
never to be spoken of in his presence. Nothing that could in any way remind
him of death was to be mentioned or displayed, and he sought to avoid every
place and sign and monument, which in any way suggested death. Carlyle
said of him: “It is the resource of the ostrich, who, when hunted, sticks his
foolish head in the ground and would fain forget that his foolish body is not
unseen too.”5

Fear can make us make decision that will regret it later.

Illustration:
I heard that the leaders of a cult always talked about Satan and hell. He
told his followers if they did not get rid of their earthly possession they
will be going to hell. Of course, this leader had a banking account for
them to deposit everything. A lot of people lost money because of fear.

But also Fear can be good:

1. Because we can learn from it,
Illustration:
Do you think that the people that lost their possession on that cult will follow someone
like this individual again?
Or if you touch a life wire full of electricity do you think that you will do it again? You
learn from it.

2. It can teach us to trust God. Where to turn when we have fear in our life? My own
and simple opinion is to the one that has the control of life and death and the creator of
the universe. God.

5Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations,

anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Bible
Communications: Garland TX

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Psalm 27:1-3
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2
When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,a
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident. 6

Illustration
Luke 8. The Christ when he calmed the storms. The fear became calm.

a Or to slander me
6The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids

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 III. FIND THE SOURCE OF THE FEAR (EVIL)
Every time that something bad is happening there is that question: WHY GOD IS
ALLOWING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN?

Well need to understand that there is evil in this world and that man has the choice to do
good or evil.
The Bible explains:
Romans: 1:28-32
28
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the
knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought
not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness,
evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and
malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and
boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they
are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God’s
righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only
continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice
them.7

Illustration:
Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel, September 11, 2001, that little girl or boy that some one
is abusing today. There is evil in this world

However, God still in control! You and I may not see, because the constant bad news out
there but there is verse in the Bible that states:
19
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.8 Psalm 103:19

Also in Isaiah 43:1 says:

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 9

We may think that is not in control but he is and he wants to help. Just look what
happened this morning. The sun faithfully went up

Illustration
7The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
8The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
9The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids

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Garfield Calms The Crowd

On the morning of Lincoln’s death, a crowd of fifty thousand people

gathered before the Exchange Building in New York. Feelings ran high,
natural enough in the circumstances, and there was danger of its
finding expression in violence. Then a well-built man in officer’s
uniform stepped to the front of the balcony, and in a voice that rang
like a trumpet call, cried:

“Fellow citizens! Clouds and darkness are round about Him. His
pavilion is dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Justice and
judgment are the establishment of His throne. Mercy and truth go
before His face. Fellow citizens! God reigns! And the Government at
Washington still lives!”

Instantly the tumult was stilled, as the people grasped the import of
those sublime words. The speaker was General James A. Garfield,
himself to become a martyr-president sixteen years later. 10

We cannot avoid fear

Can you recognize the fear there is in you life?

Can the fear that we have in our life be use

positive?

Do you know the source of your fear (Evil) and can

you say that God is in control?

10Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of

illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian
workers]. Bible Communications: Garland TX