The Purity Report - Discussion Forum: Out with Fear

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Out with Fear
Jacobaker	#1 Posted on 03/01/2009
Senior Member Posts: 365 Joined: 02/27/2009	Out with Fear by: James MacDonald You can dress fear up in all kinds of costumes, but for it's never very far away for any of us. Let's talk about what we fear. One word says it all; we fear the future. No one's afraid of the past. The past has other problems. No one's really afraid of the present. We might be upset about the present, but we don't fear it because we know it. Fear involves the future. Fear involves the unknown. "Something's up ahead and I don't want it." Fear is about as accurate as the local weather forecast, but it's scary nonetheless. When we think about the future, we fear loss and pain. We're afraid of losing people. Will my spouse always love me? Will my kids walk with the Lord or go their own way? We fear losing possessions and position. I'm barely able to make ends meet; will I be able to keep my house? Will I have enough? We fear emotional pain. Somebody's not happy with me. They don't want me anymore. We fear failure. I'm not happy with myself. I could have, I should have, I would have, I didn't, I'm not; I failed. Let us agree that fear is a universal problem. It hits us like a wave, threatening to swallow us in its undertow. Scripture identifies the overwhelming emotion of fear almost 1000 times. The word fear is used 441 times; afraid, 167 times; tremble, 101 times; and terror or terrified, 121 times. The words dread, frighten, and faint are also repeatedly used throughout Scripture. Fear is the opposite of all that Christianity is to be. Fear is the opposite of faith. Faith says, "Whatever it is, it'll be okay because of God." Fear says, It's not going to be okay, and doesn't think much about God at all. Fear is the complete state of anti-God. God is seldom further from you then when your heart is filled with fear. An anxious, frightened reaction is never good and never from God. Romans 8:15 tells us, "You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear," and 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." I think you get it. Fear doesn't belong in your life. Out with fear and in with faith. 2 Timothy 1:6-9 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. • Walk in the Word (Sunday, February 15, 2009)


Jacobaker	#2 Posted on 03/01/2009
Senior Member Posts: 365 Joined: 02/27/2009	KJ 2 Timothy 1:6-8 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partakers of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. One thing that this is saying to me is that we, like Jesus, are to put to death on our cross the sins that separate us from the fellowship of God. We are stand firm in the testimony of Christ Jesus and to witness to the world that Christ Jesus lives, he lives in and through us, and that he is in full control from his throne at the right hand of God in Heaven. When Jesus lives in us, the power of his perfected love lives through us. We overcome fear through faith. The spirit of fear can be debilitating at times. The spirit of fear can drive us into isolation where we are left to idleness in our relationships with God and people. When we live outside of God’s will of empowerment, we open the door to the deceptive voice of Satan and his demons. We rest on our own wills, the very will that leads us into the sins that separate us from God and the Holy Spirit. I pray that through faith we all overcome the spirit of fear and stand tall in the testimony of Christ Jesus and the power of his perfected love. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I pray for you and for myself that through the reading of God’s word, we gain the wisdom to apply the spiritual principles to our transforming character and become affective witnesses to the power of love. In the name of Christ Jesus.


Insideout	#3 Posted on 03/01/2009
Tribal Elder Posts: 2113 Joined: 11/27/2008	Jacob; I love this verse, for me it's a great yard stick in measuring my spiritual maturity. His love has yet to be made perfect in me in that I still fear and have anxiety over many things, mostly in the realm of what people can do to me. But I've grown so much in this regard. It has become so much easier for me to stop and center myself in Christ and cast my worries (fears) upon him. And simply trust my life to my Saviors care. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev 21:4) Institutes of the Christian Religion. John Calvin 1536 “we say that it is not the natural body of our Lord Jesus nor his natural blood which is given to us in his Holy Supper. We affirm that it is a spiritual communication, by which in virtue and in power he makes us participant of all that we are able to receive of grace in his body and blood; or again, to declare better the dignity of this mystery, it is a spiritual communication by which he makes us truly participant of his body and his blood, but wholly spiritually, that is by the bond of his Spirit.” http://www.spurge...s/1029.htm


Forgiven	#4 Posted on 04/09/2009
Moderator Posts: 4724 Joined: 07/31/2006	Wow! If that wasn't ever timely. Why haven't I read this thread before??? Thank you so much for posting it. I tend to be afraid of just about everything and the article is right. When I'm afraid I'm far from God. Not that he's far from me. He never moves... but my perception of him and his omnipotence is weakened by my fear. I stop trusting him and I let fear lead me around the nose afraid of people, the future, and even God himself. I'm going to think on this for quite a while. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.~Ps. 19:12-13 NLT

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