Fear Not For I have Made A Covenant With Thee With Many Promises
One of the most important promises G-d gives us to counter such fear is in Isaiah 41:10. It says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your G-d. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will uphold you with My righteous hand."
There are more people bound by this spirit of fear than ever. It stops you from reaching your potential. In the first chapter of Genesis fear is born. G-d called to Adam after he sinned. Fear gripped Adam and he went and hid from G-d.
G-d doesn't want us to live in fear. 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
These are some powerful words right here!
G-d has given us the spirit of peace. This is an inference in the English language. G-d has given us a spirit of love, power and sound mind. We must have faith to trust G-d. But Satan comes to paralyze your faith. Fear will destroy you. It is of the devil. Perfect love cast out fear and faith brings you the victory you need.
The more you know and learn about G-d the less you will tolerate the devil. You will begin to counter attack and stand up and use your weapons. Tell the devil, "I've come in the power of the blood and the great commission and I cast you down."
The devil is a spirit. Demons are spirits. You have to keep the devil in the spirit realm. Pastor Nelson told us of his first experience teaching a Sunday School class and how fear gripped him. "The devil said, you can't do this." Then he remembered what G-d said in His word, I'll uphold you and I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. After that, he said he knew G-d was with him.
When fear grips you call upon the Lord and you will hear from Him. G-d says to get fear out of you. Don't be dismayed, He says, I'll uphold you with the righteousness of my right hand. Get to know G-d and what He says about you and what His promises to you are. There are more people who need this truth than you realize.
G-d knows all about us. He is able and willing to help us. Problems are common to man, and all of us have them. Life has its struggles but G-d has promised to deliver us from all of them. He's with us and He takes care of His own. Whatever you face He is there.
G-d wants us to learn this from our trials. Don't lose your joy. If you'll keep your joy then you'll have a mighty, secret weapon. Battles are won through praise. Look at Nahum 1:7, "The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who trust Him."
Man is born of woman full of trouble, but the Lord is our stronghold. Isaiah 43:2 says,"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you."
Psalm 91 tells us that, "you shall not be afraid of the terror by night, because you have made the Lord your refuge no evil or plague shall come near your dwelling."
Don't be afraid of bad news or reports that come unexpected. G-d is with you because you have set your love upon Him. My Pastor, Jerry Nelson went in for a routine visit to his doctor a couple of years ago. He thought it would all be routine but he wasn't expecting or prepared for what happened from that visit. He had a heart blockage. A valve to his heart had stopped working. You have to understand something about Pastor Nelson, he ran several miles a day and he can out dance anybody when the Holy Spirit hits him. He was 60 years old at the time and could run up and down the isles of the church better than a 25 year old.
He said to the Lord that day, "G-d, I know you're a rewarder of those who seek you. And you said, with long life I will satisfy thee." He had already gotten through the water in life and suddenly he was in the fire." Pastor Nelson loves the Word because G-d speaks to him through it. We all have to go through things we don't want to. But G-d promises that He won't let the flames kindle upon you. I saw Pastor Nelson jump up out of his seat with visiting pastor preaching on the seven Hebrew words of praise. He got to the 6th word and Pastor did a hike leg skip all the way across that altar! He was healed in the name of Jesus from that heart valve, as a matter of fact the valve reformed. Because Pastor stood on his promise to be satisfied with long life. We got to hold on to the promises G-d has made to us.
When things happen get alone somewhere and spend time with G-d. You'll hear Him, and G-d said all you have to do is be a good steward. A good steward is taking care of the responsibility G-d has given you. Early on in Pastor Nelson's marriage his wife lost her job as a nurse and they had just had a little baby. His wife, Teresa told him, "Jerry we can't pay our bills."
He told her that day she was going to stay home with the baby. He said, "Don't you worry, cause G-d says, if I'll work and don't neglect paying Him He'll bless me" Guess what, He did bless Pastor Nelson and he'll do the same thing for you. Pastor Nelson grew up poor but in his marriage after this incident he became a purchaser for Bridgestone, Firestone. He is a blessed man today because he was a good steward to the things G-d put him in charge of.
One time, Pastor Nelson booked a trip to Israel. Before they could go an airplane in Egypt was hijacked. Teresa said, "are we still going to Israel after this?" Pastor Nelson said, "Yes, I am! G-d brought me out of Viet Nam alive and I have no fear of hijacked planes."
You'll never conquer your problems if you don't stand up in the name of Jesus. Speak His promises and claim them. Here are the four principles of conquering fear:
1. You Must Recognize Your Fear
Faith does not deny facts. If you deny them you won't overcome them. It must be identified and you must speak to it. We Pentecostals, we speak to things. My spirit is stronger than this problem. I'm more than a conqueror.
2. You Must Know The Source Of Your Fear
Fear is an emotion. The soul of man is the physic. You got to know where it's coming from. It deals with your will power. You must learn how to deal with it. When fear comes into your spirit identify the source. We know that Jesus said, "Fear Not." So, you know it's not of Him when it comes. G-d is peace and so you know the source is from the devil.
We live in Christ, and whether you live or whether you die, you live unto the Lord. Some fears come from parents. The boogie bear or the devil's going to get you. Some have told a child, you won't ever amount to anything. Some fears are born of lies cause the devil is a liar.
Some people jump out and scare a child. It causes them to have fear of things in life. Teach your children to not be afraid. You face fear with a spirit of love. Tell your child they can achieve anything. Cast out fear and take authority over it, and refuse to have anything to do with it.. Put your arms around your child when they are feeling fear over something and tell them you have a covenant with G-d and they are blessed through that covenant. G-d says when you're not with your child He is with them.
Analyze your fear and find its source. You might say Oh, I have forgiven them for putting fear in me, but if you're still dealing with that fear then you haven't conquered anything. You might look at Pastor Nelson and say, well of course he conquered it he was an officer in the military. No, actually, he was like that before he went in the military. The warrior in him was always there. My point is, recognize your fear and get rid of it.
3. You Must Realize The Effects Of Fear
Fear is not helpful, it is destructive and it can ruin a family, a business or anything because it is the destroyer. It can keep you from getting a good job. It will keep you from going somewhere you need to go. Oh, you say, I can't get to that place. Or, Oh, I could fly if I had someone like Pastor Nelson on the plane with me.
Fear can hold you back and keep you from a promotion in life. Step back and say, wait a minute, I see your effects on me and you're trying to keep me from being all that I can be. Look at 2 Timothy 1:7, it says, "For G-d has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
You can see here, fear is a spirit. The devil is not going to lay down because you're reading the bible. He's going to come at you, but when you have G-d in you you'll come back at him.
4. We Must Check The Reality Of Our Fear
Many times, fear isn't real at all like when you get scared before you get a doctor's report. Don't get scared. Start praising G-d and praying and speaking faith into your situation. Here's what fear means:
F -alse
E -vidence
A -ppearing
R -eal
False evidence appearing real!
Sometimes fear is based on nothing. Another preacher once told the legendary evangelist Lester Sumrall when he came home from the mission field years ago that he was 50 and finished. He looked at that preacher and said, "That's a lie." After he blasted the gospel around the globe he got a ship for the Joseph plan and fed the hungry in the world. G-d told him,"you've not even started, go home and raise up some preachers, America is in trouble. Bring me a million souls." Lester Sumerall was Pastor Nelson's mentor and I'm thankful today that Pastor Nelson is my mentor.
Don't let no one's negative words put fear in you. The devil is not a roaring lion, he only sounds like one. So many people are afraid, saying, I can't try anything new. I'm stuck in my situation forever. Rise up on the inside and speak the words of an overcomer.
Look at Phillipians 4:13, it says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Pastor Nelson was a buyer for Bridgestone, but one day he got passed over for that promotion and it hurt him. He knew he was more qualified then the one who got it. He ended up doing that fella's job for him. But G-d wasn't ready to give him that promotion because he had to go through another test first. Perseverance is a hard test and you may have to do somebody else's job for a while and not get the pay, but if you'll be obedient to G-d's word, you will get promoted, cause G-d's got a season for you.
Don't get filled with fear and say, I'll never get the promotion. If you think like this you won't get it. You got to sing when you're in the fire and the sooner you sing, the quicker you will be promoted.
Sometimes, a boy is afraid to ask a girl out. He's afraid, but she is just waiting for you to rise up. Don't fear to try something. Fear can break your home up. I'm afraid he's doing something he shouldn't be.
5. How We Overcome The Spirit Of Fear
If you can ever get these truths you'll be alright. In these verses in Phillipians you're keeping the first 4 commandments which is your relationship with G-d. The last 6 commandments are your relationship with others.
Look at 1 John 4:18 again,"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
If you love G-d with everything then how can He condemn you? He won't. But if your heart condemns you then you're not giving your all to Him. In the area that you have fear you're missing G-d in that chamber of yourself. It's the father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, His righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.
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