Fear is common to all. We all fear something. Some fear is God given. Children come into this world with a fear of heights and of loud noises. Some fears are there to protect us from physical harm: snakes, darkness, suffocation, being burned, death, etc. In christians, most fear is a tool of satan

1. OVERCOMING
FEAR
OVERCOMING

2. Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch
then as the children have
partaken of flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise shared in the
same, that through death He
might destroy him who had the
power of death, that is, the
devil, 15 and release those who
through fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to
bondage.

3. FEAR
A. Fear is common to all. We all fear something.
B. Some fear is god given. Children come into this
world with two fears: loud noises and height
(falling).
C. Most people fear: snakes, darkness,
suffocation, being burned, death, etc. Some of
these are healthy fears instilled to protect us
from physical harm.
D. Most fear in Christians is a tool of Satan - (2 Tim
1:7-8) For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
{8} Therefore do not be ashamed of the
testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner,
but share with me in the sufferings for the
gospel according to the power of God,

4. I. EXAMPLES OF FEAR
A. MOSES
1. (Exo 4:1) Then Moses answered and said,
"But suppose they will not believe me
or listen to my voice; suppose they say, The
LORD has not appeared to you.1"
2. (Exo 4:10) Then Moses said to the LORD, "O
my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither
before nor since You have spoken to Your
servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of
tongue."
3. (Exo 4:13) But he said, "0 my Lord, please
send by the hand of whomever else
You may send."

5. I. EXAMPLES OF FEAR
B. THE TEN SPIES - (Num 13:30-33) Then Caleb
quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let
us go up at once and take possession, for we
are well able to overcome it." {31} But the men
who had gone up with him said, "We are not
able to go up against the people, for they are
stronger than we." {32} And they gave the
children of Israel a bad report of the land which
they had spied out, saying, "The land through
which we have gone as spies is a land that
devours its inhabitants, and all the people
whom we saw in it are men of great stature. {33}
"There we saw the giants (the descendants of
Anak came from the giants); and we were like
grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were
in their sight."

6. I. EXAMPLES OF FEAR
C. ELIJAH - (1 Ki 19:1-4) And Ahab told Jezebel all that
Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the
prophets with the sword. {2} Then Jezebel sent a
messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me,
and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of
one of them by tomorrow about this time." {3} And when
he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to
Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant
there. {4} But he himself went a day's journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree.
And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough!
Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my
fathers!" (1 Ki 19:14) And he said, "I have been very
zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the
children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn
down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the
sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." (1
Ki 19:18) "Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel,
all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every
mouth that has not kissed him."

7. I. EXAMPLES OF FEAR
D. PETER - (Luke 22:54-57) Having arrested
Him, they led Him and brought Him into
the high priest's house. But Peter
followed at a distance. {55} Now when
they had kindled a fire in the midst of the
courtyard and sat down together, Peter
sat among them. {56} And a certain
servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the
fire, looked intently at him and said, "This
man was also with Him." {57} But he
denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not
know Him."

9. II. TYPICAL FEARS
A. The fear of failure
B. The fear of criticism
C. The fear of rejection
D. The fear of problems
E. The fear of being misunderstood
F. The fear of hard work
G. The fear of pressure
H. The fear of being wrong
I. The fear of embarrassment
J. The fear of insufficiency

10. III. THE RESULTS OF FEAR
IN THE CHURCH
A. A lack of church growth
B. Lack of joy in living
C. Eliminates faith in planning
D. Allows Satan more influence in our life than
God
E. Spoils unity
F. Hinders evangelism -(2 Tim 1:7-8) For God has
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of a sound mind. {8} Therefore do not
be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of
me His prisoner, but share with me in the
sufferings for the gospel according to the power
of God,

11. III. THE RESULTS OF FEAR
IN THE CHURCH
G. Prevents enthusiasm and optimism from
spreading
H. Allows the flesh to lead - (Rom 8:13-15) For if you
live according to the flesh you will die: but if by
the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live. {14} For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, these are sons of God. {15} For you
did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom
we cry out, "Abba, Father."
I. Drives the courageous away
J. Its contrary to Christlikeness
K. It produces a troubled heart - (John 14:1) "Let not
your heart be troubled; you believe in God,
believe also in Me.

12. III. THE RESULTS OF FEAR
IN THE CHURCH
L. IT DIMINISHES THE POWER OF GOD - (Eph 3:20)
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
M. IT HINDERS SPIRITUAL GROWTH - (2 Pet 1:5-7) But
also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, {6} to
knowledge self-control, to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance godliness, {7} to
godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness love.
N. IT CAN RESULT IN BEING LOST ETERNALLY-(Rev
21:8) "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death."

13. IV. OVERCOMING FEAR
A. ADMIT ITS EXISTENCE - (Mark 9:24)
Immediately the father of the child cried out and
said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my
unbelief!"
B. RECOGNIZE ITS ORIGIN - (2 Tim 1:7) For God
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind.
C. PRAY FOR STRENGTH AND HELP TO DEFEAT
IT-(Eph 3:14-16) For this reason I bow my knees
to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, {15}
from whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, {16} that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might through His Spirit in
the inner man,

14. IV. OVERCOMING FEAR
D. Resolve to daily reject fearfulness - (Rom 8:14-
15) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God. {15} For you did not
receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we
cry out, "Abba, Father
E. Claim God's power - (2 Tim 1:7) For God has
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of a sound mind.
F. Be a lover - (2 Tim 1:7) For God has not given
us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind.
G. Be a disciplined person - (2 Tim 1:7) For God
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind

15. YOUR FEARS?
A. Are fears holding you back from
fulfilling your potential?
B. Remember, God has not given you a
spirit of fear?
C. He has given you a spirit of power,
love and a healthy mind.
D. Use what God has given you to
overcome your fears.

17. TONIGHTS SERMON
LOVE TOWARD ALL MEN