FEAR AND GOD’S GUIDANCE SYSTEM

1. FEAR AND GOD’S GUIDANCE SYSTEM February 2015

2. General Thoughts on Fear Definition: Unpleasant emotion caused by belief that someone or something is dangerous or likely to cause pain. Concern. Anxiety. A. Many/Most decisions in life made from fear (going to Dr.,family member, tree, reaction of others) B. Fear leads to procrastination C. Not a question of calculation of risks…God may send people into tough situations D. Scriptural References to Fear… 1. Fear-based decisions (Peter to high priest; afraid, said No!) 2. God’s comment on fear: “Do not be afraid” He wants us to trust in Him. (May still be afraid…but God is always bigger than what we fear!) 3. Decisions NOT based on fear (Two spies going into Promised Land obeyed God) 4. God uses fear to guide His enemies and sinners; not His friends

3. Three Kinds of Fear Fear OF The Lord. Reverential awe of God. Reverence for His power and glory (beginning of wisdom, Psalm 111:10. Foundation of life, Proverbs 14:27. Place of safety, Proverbs 14:26) Healthy Fear…90 sec fear. Fear of things that could harm us immediately. Snakes, speeding car, wild animals. Anything that “alerts us” that we could be in danger and we must take cover. This fear response does not linger past the situation. Spirit of Fear. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2Tim 1:7 The Spirit of fear is a situation where fear guides your life and all the decisions you make. Fear is in charge and blocks relationships. Focus on what is scary all the time!

4. BRAIN AND FEAR The brain has two motivations: 1. Love and desire 2. Fear and avoidance Love says “run in to the burning building”. Fear says “stay out!” Question is always whether our love is stronger than our fear. Greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matt 22:36 Fear takes you out of the relational part of your brain! Brain review: Front—love and desire. Back—fear and anger circuits Right side—all relational Left side—not too relational. More reactive!

5. BRAIN AND FEAR • Best to operate from front part of brain. Fear drives you to the back of brain….you look at what you are afraid of. Left side just wants to avoid, stop and make problem end. • Best way to make things stop is to LIE!. “I didn’t do it!” (Ex. Girl w make-up) • Back of brain does not care if answer is true. A lie is just fastest answer to get out of trouble. Back will continue to lie to make issue stop. New lie for every situation. • Front brain thinks about relationships. Wants to “act like yourself” • Example, boys picking on girls till “My Christian self came to me” • “Multiples” are acting out of back of brain and act like a lot of different people.

6. BRAIN AND FEAR • When we are afraid and acting from back part of brain, then the most important person in the world is the person you are most afraid of at that moment. • Fears constantly shift…friends, parents, other people. Right side of brain shuts down. • Left side takes over and just does what it takes to take care of business. Makes stuff up! ****If you are always paying attention to the scary stuff, you forget who you are and what you do in good relational situations. Fear is in charge. Fear takes over and focuses on results.

7. EXAMPLES OF DECISIONS MADE FROM FEAR 1. Adam. Afraid, so he hid from God.(First decision to try to hide from God) 2. Sarah. Said she did not laugh. Lie. 3. Abraham. Lied about Sarah, twice. Brought plague in Egypt. 4. Lot. Sodom and Gomorrah. Afraid when angels came. Offered daughters. Afraid to leave city, Zoar. God saved Zoar. Lot to mountains, cave daughters. Daughters join in fear, get pregnant from Lot. Produce Moab and Ben Amen…tribes that were the classic enemies of Israel. Gods were worst. Demanded child sacrifice! Fear to fear to fear….. 5. Pilotwas afraid. John 17:7 (Here is a case of God’s enemies) Pilot’s wife warns him. He doesn’t want to go ahead with killing Jesus. An example of God’s guidance for enemy.

8. WHAT ARE WE? ARE WE GOD’S FRIEND OR ARE WE GOD’S ENEMY? If Friend…then we need not “Be afraid” Deut 20:1 “The Lord your God will be with you.” Even though there were horses and chariots galore! Deut 31:6 “For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave or forsake you.” In other words…unless they can take out our God…they cannot take us out!!! …That’s what it means to “ask in Jesus name” by the way. We are His family…so, we ask In His name. Our relationship to Him is more important than anything you can think of that you might be afraid of. Examples of God’s Family: Moses’s parents not afraid of Pharaoh’s edict as example. Hid Moses. Moses by faith left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger Heb 11:27

9. WHAT ARE WE? ARE WE GOD’S FRIEND OR ARE WE GOD’S ENEMY? Four Reasons why we know NOT to make fear-based decisions A. Long history in Bible of fear-based decisions and damaging results that followed B. God says to us “Do Not Fear” C. Biblical evidence of God’s people acting in faith and positive results that followed D. God’s uses Fear to guide enemies, not His people

10. Biblical Decisions Made From Fear 1. Sinai Fear experience of Israelites. Nation afraid of fire on mountain. Did not listen to Moses. Afraid of God’s voice. Being just apart from mountain would not save them! Fear will make you think God is your enemy! Fear transforms the way we look at God! If we think of God in terms of ourselves….we will always be afraid. God is greater, Holier, stronger, smarter than you…so nothing can protect you from a God this size! …decisions based on fear makes us try to get AWAY from the one who can help us! …He wants us to turn to Him, not away! (trouble when we try to look good and puffed up) …Moses was an intermediate for God. He was eager to see God’s face. …Because of sin, we lose that eagerness (Adam) and look to ourselves. …Need to be eager again, or eager for the first time, to really see His face. 2. Canaan Fear. Deut 1:28 People were afraid to go into the Promised Land. Giants! “the people are stronger and bigger’ God said, “Do not be terrified” “The Lord our God will fight for you.” Turned back for another 38 years in the desert….result of fear. …Too puny to face God; Too puny to follow God….Fear means God is not on my side. …Best approach was to remember all God had done for them. …They were frozen. Too focused on tall and scary giants. Miscalculate. God BIGGER

11. Biblical Decisions Made From Fear Saul, A Man Full of Fear …Hid in luggage when he was crowned king. 1Samuel 10:22 …Trembled before Philistines..sought divine magic. …Afraid of David..”Saulbecame still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.”1Sam 18:29. Looked for help from witch. Satan loves fear! All of God’s enemies in history try to make themselves bigger! The bigger you try to make yourself in fearful situations, less you know God. (Gideon by calling in 30,000 troops) God won the battle with 300 men. Solution is always to be small in the hands of a very large God. This leads us away from fear and into God’s peace and rest. Parable of Talents. … One man fears and hides his talent. Matt25:25. … Two acted in faith. God says there is no reason to be afraid of me. “Fear (awe) of the Lord is beginning of wisdom” “Come to me all who are weary..” God wants to guide His people by knowing Him and loving Him and trusting Him. Disciples Arguing About Who is The Greatest. Mark 9:32 They Did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask Him. Focused on self. ….When in fear, you will miss God’s guidance, even if He is walking with you!

12. What God says to His People About Fear—”DO NOT BE AFRAID!” (over 150 times) 1. Abram. Gen 15:1 “Do not be afraid. I am your shield” 2. Hagar. Gen 21:17. “Do not fear” 3. Isaac. Gen 26:24 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you…. 4. Jacob. Gen46:3 “I am God. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.” 5. Israelites: Deut:20:1. In battle, do not be afraid of them,the Lord…will be with you.” 6. Moses to Joshua. Deut31:6. “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 7. Gideon. Judges 7:3. “Whoever is fearful—depart from battle.” (Guidance system is off for those who are afraid. 22,000 left!)

13. What God says to His People About Fear—DO NOT BE AFRAID! (over 150 times) 8. Samuel to People: 1 Sam12:20 “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, yet do not turn away from the Lord. (Come back. Knowing Him will change you) Even when we mess up—God still desires relationship with us! He does not guide with fear! 9. Elijah to Widow. 1Kings17:13 “Don’t be afraid. Go make small cake” So, even in our scarcity and lack, it is not a time for fear. 10. Angel of Lord to Elijah. 2Kings1:15 “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him. “ 11. 2Kings19:6. Isaiah to King Hezekiah’s officials. “Do not be afraid of what you have heard. (Nation dealing with fear) 12. Hezekiah to people of Jerusalem. 2Chron32:7. “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear the King of Assyria. Greater power with us than with him.” 13. Nehemiah to people. Neh14:4 “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord and fight for your family.” Nehemiah prayed for strength. Neh6:9 “Now, strengthen my hands” Fear weakens us.

14. Fear Does NOT Strengthen Us. • Worried? Talk to Jesus. If He is worried, then fine. If He is not worried, we should not be worried….but rather connecting to Him who has all under control. • Isaiah states. Is 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.” • The attitude of not being afraid in NOT because there is a lack of threats! • Truth is, there are LOTS of threats. We are not to be afraid because the one that is THE ONE is the one who wants relationship with us.

15. Fear Does NOT Strengthen Us. • We are not to listen to or to fear man. • Isaiah 51:7 “Do not fear the reproach of man or be terrified by their insults.” • What you are afraid of is not important. What’s important is the relationship I intend to have with you..even when there is delay (Daniel) surrounded by enemies (Jeremiah). • Matt 14:27 “Be of good cheer.” “Take courage, It is I”(Jesus walking on water)

16. Decisions Based on Love and Faith—The Approach of God. • Moses Parents. Heb 11:23 Hide Moses because they are not afraid of kings edict. • Moses. Heb 11:24. Moses identified with Hebrews, not fearing the king. • Joshua1:9 Joshua was not afraid and took the people into the Promised Land. • Ruth. Boaz tells Ruth not to fear and calls her virtuous woman. • Daniel3:28 Three men threatened with death were not afraid of King. • Jarius. Synagogue ruler. Luke 8:49 Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed. Which voice did he hear? • Hebrews Chapter 11. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, • Gideon, Barak, Samson, Samuel, the Prophets • Disciples. Matt 8:24. Tempest. Jesus asleep. Jesus asked. “Why are you afraid”

17. Decisions Based on Love and Faith—The Approach of God. • If we are guided by fear, we will feel abandoned by God and think He is not listening to us. What we think when we are calm does not help when afraid! We must learn to trust God in scary places. • Gideonhides in wine press. God shows up, calls him “man of Valor”, Gideon follows God. • Davidled by faith with Goliath, Philistines, Saul…even though in danger • Peterwalking on water, in and out of fear. Walking. Sinking. • ***Training the brain must be under the conditions that brain will face. • ***Brain only learns in relationship

18. God Uses Fear Against His Enemies • God with Israelites. Ex 15:13 ells them other people will “fear and tremble” • Moab, sick with dread. Numbers 2:3 God used donkey to scare Balaam • Joshua 9:23 Gibeonitestrick Joshua. Then, they “feared for their lives” • Philistines. 1Sam 4:7. They were afraid. “woe to us” • Saul and David. 1Sam 18:29. David was God’s friend. God had departed from Saul. Saul was very afraid of David, because David acted wisely. • Jonah1:10. Men were afraid. Knew he was fleeing from God. People start to understand that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” • Lord to His people . 2Kings19:6. Do not be afraid. Will send spirit to cause king of Assyria to fall on sword. • Jeremiah50:34. God says He will give rest to Israel and fear to Babylonians

19. Summary of Fear • Decisions made by fear in Bible did not please God and did not end well. • God’s way and directive.” DO NOT BE AFRAID.” • Decisions made of faith & relationship with God please God & have Godly outcomes. • Fear is reserved for God’s enemies and sinners. God does not use fear to guide His people. “ God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim 1:7

20. Triumph Over Fear * 1. Acknowledge your fear 2. Ask for God’s help Immediately 3. Determine the root fear. 4. Go to God’s word. 5. Praise the Lord. 6. Take a positive step. 7. Make a decision. • Psalm 5:11 “…let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” * From article by Charles Stanley