Fear and Discouragement

First:

Last Sunday the Word spoke to us on the topic of fear and discouragement.  To be honest, I'm still learning how to apply the words the Lord gave me.

 

Fear freezes me so that I don't step out in obedience.

Fear freezes me so that I don't reach out for intimacy.

Fear freezes me so that I don't speak out against injustice.

Fear freezes me so that I don't look for divine appointments.

 

Discouragement holds me so that I don't care about what I am missing.

Discouragement holds me so that I don't believe life could be different.

Discouragement holds me so that I don't let go of pervious failures.

Discouragement holds me so that I don't taste freedom of spirit.

(there's a new outline for a new sermon)

 

I can be frozen by fear and held by discouragement.

 

Second:

This morning I started reading Jeremiah (I have a hunch I'm going to be there a long time).  I found myself camping on 1:12 "I am watching over My word to perform it."

 

Our God didn't speak to fill the universe with words.  He didn't give us the Word as a historical diary.  I am stuck this morning that the Bible gives me a heads up on the modus operandi of God.  He behaves in line with His word.   God speaks and stays involved to complete His word (sorry agnostics).

 

Third:

This is the connection between the first and the second.  My fear and discouragement don't fit in a faith walk with a holy God that is performing His word.  In fact - fear and discouragement bring a disconnect in my life between myself and the God who is actively performing His will.

 

The truth of the second point liberates me to let go of the lie of the first point.  In other words, we don't conquer fear and discouragement alone or with positive thinking.  Victory is found in being close to the God who is doing His word!  God's "doing" what He said directly releases me from the grip of fear and discouragement!

 

The second point renders the first ineffective.

 

Living the Second,

 

Pastor Dave