Growing Closer to God Pt 15
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Freedom from Fear
Freedom from Fear
We have been talking about Different freedoms over the last several weeks. We talked about freedom form condemnation, Freedom from discouragement, And Freedom from Defeat. This morning we will be discussing freedom from fear. There are many phobeas in today’s age. From fear of tight places, to fear of spiders fear is drilled into our heads at young age. There is a huge difference though between fear and common sense. I look both ways before I cross the street not because I fear getting hit, but because I know getting hit hurts and could kill me. We talked before that I don’t fear death, I welcome it, but it doesn’t mean I should seek it out either. Death here is life with Christ for all who believe. Fear is a negative emotion that takes its tool on the body and the Spirit. The bible tells us multiple times to fear not.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
This verse tells us that there is no fear in love. It is possible to not be afraid and still have no desire to jump off a bridge. Having no fear doesn’t mean living adventurously, however it means that there has to be faith to walk out the plan.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans
God is for us
God is for us
This is a reality most of us need to repeat on a daily basis. I hear God get the blame for many bad things that happen in people’s lives, but the reality isGod is on your side. I love the question Paul poses: If God is for us who can be against us? It doesn’t take a stronger person to wage war, but it does take a stronger person to win the war.
If you truly believe in God and follow his ways, I mean truly because you can’t fool God, than stating that life is drowning you, that you can’t make it, that it’s too much is stating that there is something out there that is bigger than your God. If something is bigger than God than God can’t be God—that something bigger will be your God. So if you’re struggling with debt—saying that God can’t free you from debt if you follow his ways and his plans is stating that debt is your God. Nothing is worth being worshipped if it can be over taken.
If God is for you nothing you are struggling with can come against you. There isn’t sin in your life you cannot overcome. There isn’t a problem in your life that God hasn’t already planned a way. This doesn’t mean you sabatoge the journey either. I have watched someone tell me that they can’t get free from something only watch them fight God down the entire path to freedom.
I love Verse 32
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Someone say all things. I am tired of Christians living in lack and without.
God will bless you ONLY to the degree you can handle the blessing.
God will bless you ONLY to the degree you can handle the blessing.
If you aren’t growing in your ability to manage money, why will God give you more of it—it’ll destroy you
IF you can’t manage people, why would God bless you with a promotion at your work place---it’ll all fall apart.
If you don’t take care of the house you have—why will God give you a bigger one?
Before God can bless you he first has to transform you.
Before God can bless you he first has to transform you.
He wants to give you all things, but more than that he doesn’t want to destroy you. So if all things will destroy you he will hold back some things.
So how do we obtain all things—the answer is in verse 33
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Listen, Billy Graham was entrusted with more money, more Holy Spirit Power, and more souls that most anyone else I know. And I said this before---he is also the only nationally known man I know to never have a scandal brought against him.
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Christians are supposed to live their lives above reproach. When God blesses people take notice. When people take notice of someone better off than themselves they begin to judge them and condemn them. If we are faulty in our ways we will be destroyed because we are blessed.
If God is keeping you from anything he is keeping you from being destroyed.
The biggest fear Christians need to get over is the
Fear of Failure
Fear of Failure
Because God loves you—you cannot fail. As a father I do not set my kids up to fail, I try to give them the best chance of success they can have. If I being an Earthly father want my kids to succeed how much more does our heavenly father want us to succeed. In fact this is why I love v35. Many use this verse for eternal security, but in reality it helps us to fail-proof our walk with Christ.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Nothing can separate you from God except you. There isn’t anything anyone can do to you to remove you from the hand of God. The bible tells us that we canot be plucked from His hand. Meaning we can’t be taken. We believe God is omnipresent. Which means—God is everywhere. You can’t escape him and he can’t lose you, but if you ignore him now his word tells us that he will ignore us in front of the Father.
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
On Earth seperation from God is impossible. That’s why atheists can be atheists. There are no atheists in Hell and Hell is the only place separated from the presence of God.
You are secure in the fact that as long as you want to be with God—God will be with you. Paul goes on to belabor the fact in the ending verses of chapter 8
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These three verses are meant to over ensure you about your standing with Christ.
I have found that fear comes out of the removal of choice. Fear of heights isn’t fear of heights it’s fear of falling. I took Shayne up a 40 foot boom lift and when we reached the top he was terrified. He wasn’t scared of being up high—he may tell you he is afraid of heights. But the reality is if he could stand 40 ft in the air and have such security that falling was simply a choice not to fall than he wouldn’t be scared. in a boom lift anything could happen. It could break (outside of your choice) I could flip it (outside of his choice) I could fall out the door (outside of my choice). Fear is simply a realization that something bad can happen that you cannot control, but God has put everything under your control.
You control if you trust God.
You control if money will destroy you
You control where you live
God says if you follow me you cannot fail, but you control your ability to follow.
Satan cannot control you—he can persuade you. He can convince you. He can lie to you, but he cannot control you.
Satan could force Eve to bite the fruit. Nothing would have happened. She had to willingly eat. He did everything he could. He was like a frat boy trying to convince a girl to cross that line. He pulled out all the stops. he said every lie he could think of, but the option was still hers, just like the option is still yours. There isn’t a better way. There isn’t a faster way. There is only THE way and if you follow THE way there is no fear because there is no failure.