Fear
When I am Afraid, I will Trust in You!
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© May 1, 2011
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Today the message is about who to look to, when we are afraid.
What makes us afraid?
The dark?
Heights?
Sickness?
Death?
How has God helped you when you were afraid?
• Tell someone your story of God’s help during a fearful time.
How has God’s Word told us to conquer fear?
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will trust in You.
David wrote Psalm 56 when he feared for his life while in the Philistine city of Gath. What in the world happened to David in Gath to make him so afraid?
Do you know of someone who came from Gath…someone whom David confronted and conquered as a teenager?
Goliath was from Gath (1 Samuel 17).
Gath was one of the five royal cities of the Philistines.
We know of at least two times when David was in Gath…and I believe he had good reason to be afraid as both of these times he was running for his life, from the jealousy of King Saul.
1. When David first fled for his life, out of Israel, from Saul (1 Samuel 21:10–15).
(See then Addendum for the passages from 1 Samuel.)
2. David again fleeing for his life, from Saul, 10 to 15 years after first going to Gath. Psalm 56 was probably written during this time. (1 Samuel 27; 29-30)
Psalm 56:3–4
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
Everyone Faces Fear
There is something normal about fear.
God has allowed us to experience this perception and emotion so that our spirit and body can be on high alert against life-threatening or emotionally damaging danger…so we can either fight for our life, or run away.
Fear seems to be the warning system, which goes off when something is about to hurt us. It is part of God’s natural human “radar” system that trips an “alarm” within us when danger is near.
Sometimes it is unwarranted. Sometimes there are those whose “radar” seems to be “tripped” too often – we call that “paranoia”.
What makes you and I afraid?
I believe there are at least five primary areas, which can cause us to be afraid.
1. God
• The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom for those who are seeking God (Psalm 111:10).
• The fear of God is palatable for those who have rejected God.
Revelation 6:14–17
14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
If you fear the Judgment of God…God has provided a way, through Christ’s sacrifice whereby you can be cleansed from your sin and be reconciled to Him!!
2. Unknown things that could bring harm (to family, friends, or ourselves)
• When a cruel person pushes us around.
• When we hear news broadcasts that suggests that some part of our nation is threatened by severe weather or terrorism.
• When we are misunderstood or threatened.
• When we think we are going to be severely hurt or die.
3. Insecurities
• When we don’t have enough money to pay our rent or other bills.
• When we hear the doctor tell us that our loved one or ourselves, has a life-threatening disease.
• When other trauma affects our family or us.
• When we are about to lose our job.
4. Languishing guilt over sin
• When we sin against God.
o Adam and Eve hid after their disobedience and sin against God.
• When we sin against others.
5. Things to come – the Judgment of God
John 16:13–14
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
1 John 2:28
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
Is the thing you fear too big for God to handle?
Nothing is too hard for God
Jeremiah 32:17
17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32:27
27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Indescribable Peace can be had through Prayer and Petition to God, with Thanksgiving
Philippians 4:6–7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
• Prevent anxiety from overtaking you by casting your care upon God.
• Prayer and petitions in everything to God – with Thanksgiving.
• Peace – transcending all understanding (it wouldn’t seem possible for a person to have this peace, when there is so much potential for fear) …will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Being afraid vs. Hope
Frustration vs. Faith
Guilt vs. Forgiveness
Anxiety vs. Rest
= Fear = Peace
Following the Godly example portrayed by Paul and others who trust God is a way to see how peace can be experienced rather than fear
Philippians 4:9
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Jesus Christ tells us not to be anxious about our life
Matthew 6:25
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
We are to cast our Anxiety on God
1 Peter 5:5–7
5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Conquering our Natural Tendency of being Afraid
1. Struggling with Fear
• Our natural tendency.
• Finding understanding in communication with God – crying out to Him in prayer.
2. Waiting on God
• Learning more about my relationship with God through prayer and listening to the Voice of the Holy Spirit.
• Finding cleansing through confession of sin, as the Holy Spirit brings those things to my attention.
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• Finding security by resting in hope when sin has not been committed.
3. Hoping in God
• Finding refuge in God and in His Word – Hope does not make us ashamed.
Romans 5:3–5
3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
4. Resting in God
• Finding comfort by making it my habit to continually go to back to the refuge of my Hope and Refuge in God’s Word, Prayer and Guidance of His Holy Spirit.
5. Restoration by God
• Finding ministry in communicating my story of faith with those who are struggling with theirs.
6. Looking forward to the Hope of Eternity, and living in that Hope
• Testing of faith produces steadfastness
James 1:2–4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
• Testing of Faith produces Eternal Hope
Romans 8:18–30
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
If our mind is steadfast in trusting God, God has promised us peace…indescribable peace
Isaiah 26:3–4
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.
Colossians 3:15
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Through this Faith in God, God’s Power and Peace can supersede even the most heinous circumstances and threats
Faith in God: Responding as did the three Hebrews when faced with the fiery furnace heated multiple of times, just for them.
Daniel 3:16–18
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Their response evidenced their faith in God – even though the worst-case scenario could happen.
Conclusion
What can cause fear?
1. God
2. Unknown things that could bring harm (to family, friends, or ourselves)
3. Insecurities
4. Languishing guilt over sin
5. Things to come – the Judgment of God
Conquering our Natural Tendency of being Afraid
1. Struggling with Fear
• Our natural tendency.
2. Waiting on God
• Learning more about my relationship with God through prayer and listening to the Voice of the Holy Spirit.
• Confess sin if the Holy Spirit brings it to your attention.
• Rest in hope if you are not facing a sin issue.
3. Hoping in God
• Finding refuge in God’s Word.
4. Resting in God
• Finding comfort by making it my habit to continually go to back to the refuge of my Hope and Refuge in God’s Word, Prayer and Guidance of His Holy Spirit.
5. Restoration by God
• Finding ministry in communicating my story of faith with those who are struggling with theirs.
6. Looking forward to the Hope of Eternity, and living in that Hope
• Testing of faith produces steadfastness.
• Testing of Faith produces Eternal Hope.
Nothing is too hard for God!
Indescribable Peace can be experienced through Prayer and Petition to God, with Thanksgiving…
Philippians 4:6–7.
God is The Refuge for those who trust in Him.
God allows the trial of our faith to reveal the reality of our faith.
Fear has torment, but Faith has rest.
Addendum
1. David first went to Gath when he fled for his life, from Saul.
1 Samuel 21:10–15
David Flees to Gath
10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
2. David again fled for his life, from Saul, 12 to 15 years after first going to Gath. Psalm 56 was probably written during this time. [Note that the name of the person David stayed with this second time, was “Achish”, but this Achish was not the King of Gath (Maoch, his father was king), although “Achish” was the name of the previous king when he first came to Gath – in case you were wondering why “Achish” did not recognize him from before!]
1 Samuel 27 – David Flees to the Philistines
27 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’ ” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”
1 Samuel 29–30
The Philistines Reject David
29 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. (Was this when David feared for his life and wrote Psalm 56?)
David’s home city Ziklag is destroyed by Amalekites
30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.
11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.”
David Defeats the Amalekites
16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.
Psalm 56:3–4
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
