Has fear stolen your joy? This message teaches us how to turn that around. We also learn how valuable we are to God and how he’ll take care of us if we let him.

Through this series, you’ll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.

Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.

No need to fear today, or ever, with God in your corner.

We’re all in God’s hands.

We have seen that there are two types of fear: healthy fear and unhealthy fear. We have looked at a number of scriptures regarding fear (2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 23:4, 2 Chronicles 20:15).

Fear, terror, dread or the feeling of being afraid has a proper place, and it’s in God’s hands. Give it all to Jesus.

Give all your unhealthy fears to God. As Christians we have no reason to fear or be afraid. As Christians we should always be focused on Christ and on the day before us.

We have no need to fear or worry about tomorrow or the future. God will take care of you both today and tomorrow. Decide to rejoice and live in Christ today. Believe and know for certain that God knows what tomorrow will bring and understand that he can take care of today as well as tomorrow, so you have no need to worry or fear about tomorrow.

It is freeing to know that God is in control, and we are to live one day at a time. Do not take the bait of the enemy and do not worry about something that God has under control. Leave the situation in God’s hands.

We can, however, acknowledge that it is good to know and have the fear of the Lord, meaning a reverence, a respect, and awe, in our hearts for God.

In Proverbs 1:7 we were reminded that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and Proverbs 15:33 says that the fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. The Hebrew word for fear here means a reverence, respect and not that of being afraid or dread of the Lord. Having a healthy reverence, respect and fear for God will help you keep from straying spiritually from the Lord. It can guide and guard you from doing something spiritually foolish. Why is it that we should not be afraid or dread the Lord? It is because he loves us.

Perfect love casts out unhealthy fear because unhealthy fear is not from God. So, if you are in Christ, you have no reason to experience unhealthy fears or to be afraid, whatsoever may come. Instead rejoice and be glad in him.

Be encouraged in your spirits, Jesus told his followers not to spend time worrying about the future. But rather to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and things will go well with you.

We learned last week that Jesus taught us to pray for our need of the day and we are not to worry for tomorrow’s needs. In other words, we are to live in Christ and focus on Christ today, and not worry about tomorrow.

Have any of you found this teaching of Christ to be freeing? Not worrying about tomorrow is freeing and will give peace to your soul as you learn to trust God with your needs.

Hold on to God’s truth.

It’s my prayer that you be free from unhealthy fears, anxiety, doubts and worries.

As we look over the past year plus, and all the news regarding the virus pandemic, when we consider just how many people around the world have died because of this virus, as we learn of friends and family members who have been affected in one way or another by the virus, lockdowns, loss of employment and other physical issues, when we hear of crimes and shootings in different parts of the country and the talk of different types of unrest and terrorism in the world today, I can understand how some people might develop a feeling of hopeless anxiety, worry and struggle with unhealthy fear. Give them to God. As Christians we should not fear as the world fears who have no hope.

Your hope and life are in Christ. Allow faith in Christ to arise during times of troubles. Speak words of hope, recall the blessings of God, remember God’s faithfulness in times past and allow the peace of God to ease your heart and soul.

Let’s be honest: people are struggling. In some parts of the world, life is far from easy or peaceful and yet Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow, that each day has enough trouble of its own. Remember the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus. Hold on to that truth in Philippians 4:6.

Not only are we not to fear or worry regarding tomorrow, but Jesus also tells us we have no need to worry or have anxiety regarding our life today.

“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 than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV).

You are valuable to God.

You are so important and valuable to God Almighty.

You have no need to worry, Jesus says that you are more important that birds and God takes care of the birds: The birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (v. 26).

Another example is found in Matthew 10:29-31 where Jesus says two sparrows are sold for a penny, but he knows when even one of them—these seemingly insignificant creatures—falls to the ground. But you are worth way more than the sparrow, so God cares deeply about you.

God loves you so much that he sent his son to die in your place, that you might be saved:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

‘Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”’ (Romans 8:34-36).

You are so important to Christ that he would suffer and die so that you might live, and he is now interceding for you before the throne of God.

That is how valuable you are to God. If you are so valuable to God, wouldn’t you think God would be concerned about all your needs? Sure, he would. So why worry, why fear, concerning what might come tomorrow?

Things such as what we eat, drink or wear on our bodies, that may cause us to experience anxiety, are far less important than our spiritual life and body according to Jesus.

Focus on Christ

Jesus asks, two questions of his listeners.

• Is not life more important than food?

• Is not the body more important than clothes?

I think we would all agree that life is more important than food and the body more than clothes, and yet I believe Jesus cares about each of our physical needs.

Jesus tells his listeners that the pagans, the unbelievers, all care and run after such things as food and clothes, but your heavenly Father, knows what you need, and you have no need to worry about such things.

Jesus is clearly implying, for the believer to let God handle needs such as food and clothing. Instead, we are to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

In other words, focus on Christ. Focus on seeking the kingdom of God and do not worry, God will care and provide for you.

We learned last week that the secret to breaking the bonds of unhealthy fear, anxiety, worry, and doubt is to put those things in God’s hands and do not take them back. Make your requests and petitions known to God, he will meet your needs.

God cares about you.

Your heavenly Father doesn’t want you wasting one second of this precious life paralyzed by unhealthy fear, worry, anxiety or doubt. He’s willing to take it all on. The secret about fear, anxiety, and worry is that they belong in the hands of God - not yours.

We learned in the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Jesus was telling his disciples to not worry about tomorrow, but rather to trust God, and ask God for what is needed each day.

Listen to what the prophet Isaiah told the people of God:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish” (Isaiah 41:10-11).

‘But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”’ (Isaiah 43:1).

In Jeremiah, we learn that God knew Jeremiah even before he was born:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

I believe this is true for each of us. God is the creator of the entire world, he is the creator of all things, and he is also your heavenly Father. God cares for your well-being.

He is all knowing and every single day has ample amounts of trouble. Troubles that include things that can cause a person to fear, worry, and to have anxiety. But not for you, who walk in faith and victory in Christ. Therefore, he reminds us to fear not. He’s reminded us to ask specifically for our daily bread, and we’re told to stay focused on today, not on tomorrow. God knows that one day at a time is enough of a challenge. You don’t need to be consumed with what might happen tomorrow, or next week.

Reject unhealthy fear, trust God to take care of you.

You are too valuable to God, and your time on earth is too precious to be paralyzed by fears or situations that you have no control over.

As people of God, we must learn to live and walk by faith not in fear. We are to trust God even in the face of fear and begin to identify unhealthy fears and give them to God.

This is our daily responsibility: to daily reject unhealthy fears and allow a healthy reverence, respect and fear for the Lord to guide us in all of life’s decisions. We must not fear what the world and unbelievers fear. Nor should we listen or pay attention to the lies of the enemy. Reject the lies of the enemy, view every situation with faith in Christ.

Even the most difficult situation God Almighty can turn around for his glory, if we will believe and have faith in God.

A story of 10 men, whose fears affected an entire generation.

In Numbers 13 & 14 there were twelve spies that were sent in to explore the promised land. Ten of the spies returned with a fear-filled report about the giants who lived in fortified cities throughout the land. Their lack of faith caused unhealthy fear to well up in their hearts. Their unhealthy fears caused them to doubt God and their ability to take possession of the land. These ten spies had forgotten that the battle was not theirs but the Lord’s.

Caleb and Joshua were the only spies who trusted that God would deliver his people into the land as he had promised. Both Joshua and Caleb knew the battle was the Lord’s. The other 10 spies and all the people of God rebelled against God and Moses and they thought it would be better to return to slavery in Egypt.

The unhealthy fears of the 10 spies affected a generation of Israelites. The fears on the part of the Israelites who thought they should return to Egypt, stole away their faith to believe they would be able to possess the land. The unhealthy fears clouded their hearts to believe that God would fight for them and give them victory. Those fears cost the people of God 40 additional years of wandering in the desert. The people of God allowed fear to rob them of the promise of God and steal the blessing of God for that moment. For a generation of people, it meant the rest of their lives they would wander in the desert. An entire generation of Israelites would die in the desert because of their lack of faith.

Only Caleb and Joshua and those of the next generation would enter the promised land and experience the blessings of God. An entire generation of Israelites became fearful and would die in the desert, because of the fearful report that the 10 spies brought back.

What can you do if unhealthy fears have stolen your joy?

Friends, unhealthy fears will rob you of God’s blessing.

Understand unhealthy fears that you project can also negatively influence and rob others of God’s blessing, much like in the case of the 10 spies who returned with a bad report.

Unhealthy fears will:

• Keep you from walking in faith and victory.

• Cause you to have spiritual, emotional paralysis.

• Keep you from becoming all you can be in Christ.

Due to unhealthy fear, worry, anxiety and doubts, you may find yourself wandering in a spiritual dry desert. It will be a spiritually dry time in your life. You may not remember or recall the last time you experienced the peace of God. You may have forgotten what it is like to live free of worry and fear. You may not realize when was the last time you felt like lifting your hands and rejoicing.

Have unhealthy fears stolen the joy of the Lord that once flowed freely in your spirit? You can reverse that spiritually dry and empty feeling in your soul. Reject unhealthy fears and anxiety and focus on Jesus and know the battle is the Lord’s. Whatever giant fears you are facing, God will defeat them as you walk in faith give them over to him.

Remember, over 90% of things that we worry about never happens; and the other percent that does happen, God can easily handle.

Trust God every moment. God desires you to live in the present and not worry about tomorrow. Know that God has delivered you from the bondage of sin just as he delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt.

Live each moment of the day focused on Jesus. He will lead you through life’s wilderness to the promised land of his kingdom in glory. He has and will provide for all you need on life’s journey.

Fear not today or any day. Let God lead you through the storms and difficult times, and keep trusting Christ.

Remember, God has not given you the spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and sound mind leading to self-discipline for today and every day.

Learn to identify the difference between healthy fears and unhealthy fears. Focus on Christ and not on the situation. Lean on the Lord and allow faith to push fear out of you heart and mind. Start and end your day with prayer and know God’s got everything under control.

In Exodus 14, the Egyptian army was in pursuit of the Israelites as Moses led them out of the bondage of Egypt. Moses tells the people:

‘Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still”’ (Exodus 14:13-14).

Let me encourage you to be still and know God’s got it and he will fight for you. Be still, have faith, believe and rejoice in Christ. Tell the enemy of your soul that you will not bow or succumb to unhealthy fears or anxiety. No matter what may happen, God will deliver you.

Christ is already interceding for you. So, rejoice and be glad.

Suggested Praise and Worship

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This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA.