Do Not Be Afraid – 6

Do Not Be Afraid – 6

Subject: Fear Can Be Paralyzing

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 14:25‑33 (NKJV) 

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 

28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 

29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 

33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." 

–Last week we looked at “Fear the Lord Your God” and how learning to fear Him causes us to grow and trust Him. Tonight I want to take us where we can deal with our fears.

Herman Melville - He who has never failed somewhere, that man cannot be great. Failure is the test of greatness.

1. Afraid of Falling as We Get Older.

–When we were younger failure did not seem to affect us as much...we actually thought that falling or messing up was pretty much a given.

–It is a good thing that children do not give up on walking just because they fall over and over again.

–As we grow older we become more and more afraid of messing up...why is that...we become the child who decides to crawl instead of walk.

–Peter was like a small child...He was about to attempt something that looked like it was doomed to destruction...something that he had a high chance of failing at.

–Here is the key early in this message...Peter was willing to risk failure for the adventure of trusting Christ more fully.

–Know this...even if Peter fails Jesus is not going to use his failure as grounds for dismissal...Jesus takes Peter’s faith seriously...he is learning and because of that Jesus rescues him when he begins to sink.

–Very important that you notice this about Jesus...He saves before He disciplines...but the saving and the disciplining are proof of Jesus’ love for Peter...He wants him to learn. He wants us to learn.

John Ortberg - I believe this is one of the most important questions in life: Why is it that for some people failure is energizing, while for others failure is paralyzing?

–News flash - All of us experience failure, and no one likes it. For some it is the push they need to go on to new learning, deeper persistence, vigorous commitment, and more courageous hearts. Jumping off the pier. 

–For others failure produces utter defeat–a sense of discouragement, a loss of hope, a desire to hide, a secret resolve to never step out like that again.

–Years ago at a conference Joni Eareckson Tada did a question and answer after speaking and someone asked her how she kept going, how she kept leading, serving, and creating despite her obvious physical challenges?

Tada - This is the one and only time in history when I get to fight for God. This is the only part of my eternal story when I am actually in the battle. Once I die, I will be in celebration mode in a glorified body in a whole different set of circumstances. But this is my limited window of opportunity, and I am going to fight the good fight for all I am worth.

–Our perception of our failures and how we respond when it seems we have stepped out to do what we think we should be doing and find ourselves sinking...is critical. She fought! We must fight!

2. Dealing with the Fear When Life Heads South.

–I am so glad for the real-ness of the Word of God...example King David.

–We see a shepherd boy’s life seemly take off...He is anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel, he defeats Israel’s greatest enemy (Goliath), King Saul chose him to be a warrior and musician.

–The army loved him, the ladies wrote songs about him...Saul has killed thousands ...David his tens of thousands.  Everything he did seem to turn to gold...He was on his way to being King

–Something happened, life happened and it happened suddenly! David lost his job...he went from shepherd to musician and warrior...the most successful officer in Israel’s army. Now he is out of a job again…heading south

–Talk about fear...Saul is jealous and starts throwing spears, and David is unemployed. He loses his income and security...He would never serve in Saul’s army again.

–This is bad...wait a minute...now he loses his wife...Saul’s daughter...and now his father-in-law is sending soldiers to kill him.

–He runs to his mentor Samuel who had anointed him to be king...Saul hears of it...and David has to escape again...Samuel dies not long after this...David’s life is upside down.

–He runs to his BFF Jonathan who confronts his father...He risked his life for David...He could not leave the court...He could not or would not raise a sword against his own father.

–Once more David is on the run and he is on his own. Can you imagine the fear and emotions?

–His job, his marriage ends in failure...His mentor dies...His best friend is out of his life. Then things get worse.

–You know it is bad when the only place David felt that he could flee to was to Gath...the hometown of Goliath the Philistine whom he had killed. How did that go?

1 Samuel 21:11‑15 (NIV) 

11 But the servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David, the king of the land? Isn't he the one they sing about in their dances: "'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?" 

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 

13 So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 

14 Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 

15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?" 

–This is the time when David wrote Ps. 34...I will bless the Lord at all times.

3. We Want to Run and Hide in a Cave

1 Samuel 22:1 (NIV) 

1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam...

–David, not too long ago had wealth, power, fame, friends, security, and what he thought was a guaranteed future, now he is running for his life and living in a cave.

–I counsel with people like this quite often...usually because of a failed marriage...people feel they need to run to a cave called “Failure” and hide.

–This is the cave you end up in when all your props, supports, and crutches are stripped away. You thought you were going to do great things, have a great family, a great life, and you realize that dreams are evaporating. 

–Maybe you are in the cave because you made bad choices or you are there as a result of circumstances that you had no control over. Usually it is a combination of the two.

–There may be someone who is in a cave right now...lost your job...your finances...family life in disarray ...personal relationships seem to have gone south...maybe it is physical or maybe you are all alone.

–For whatever reason...you are in a cave...everyone ends up there at some point in their lives...it is the way life is. Again, everyone ends up in a cave at some point!

–The hardest thing about the cave is that you begin to wonder if God has lost track of you. Did He forget His promises? Does He remember where I am? Will I ever be anywhere but in this cave?  Will I die here?

This is key - You need to know that it is when we are in the cave that God does His best work in molding and shaping us. 

–When all of our props and crutches in our lives are stripped away we find that God is all we have and we discover that He is enough! More than enough!

–Hear me...it is a good thing to discover our worst fears have come true and that we find ourselves totally inadequate in a certain situation and that we are out of our league in how to deal or cope.

–How so? You find that it actually can be liberating to know you do not have the answer or the resources to make happen what you think needs to happen because God specializes in flowing through our weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:8‑10 (NLT) 

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 

9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

--God says...My power works best in weakness.  Oh, if we could grasp this and believe it with all our hearts.

–David knew weakness and he knew what it felt like to be a failure...He spent about ten years of his life in the wilderness on the run.  It looked as though God’s promises would never become true.  

–Have you ever heard “Misery attracts company.” 

1 Samuel 22:2 (NKJV) 

2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. 

–I am a failure and everyone around me is a failure.

–One day they return home (Zicklag) and discover their village is burned, their wives and children are gone...David and all his men raise their voices and weep until they had no more strength to weep...been there?

–Things get worse...His men speak of stoning him...tough being leader sometimes. David did what we have to do:

1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV) 

6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 

–This is one of those great spiritual lessons in life...when all your resources are gone, when every prop is kicked out from underneath you, every crutch is taken away, when you have reached the point of utter failure...You encourage yourself in the Lord!  How?

–A Psalm of David when he was in the cave:

Psalm 142:1‑7 (NLT) 

1 I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD’s mercy. 

2 I pour out my complaints before Him and tell Him all my troubles. 

3 When I am overwhelmed, You alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. 

4 I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. 

5 Then I pray to You, O LORD. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. 

6 Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. 

7 Bring me out of prison so I can thank You. The godly will crowd around me, for You are good to me.”