God says “Do not fear” not because danger is not real. He tells us not to fear because His presence is more real than our danger.

God’s presence is more powerful than our fear.

OPENING SCRIPTURE:

“FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; Be not dismayed, for I AM YOUR GOD. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJ)

• “I am with you” – Speaks of His presence;
• “I am your God” – Speaks of His relationship

#1: Fear Disrupts Fellowship with God

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8 NKJ)

• Fear will cause us to hide from the presence of God

Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “WHERE ARE YOU?”

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I WAS AFRAID….” (Genesis 3: 9-10 NKJ)

• Fear enters when our relationship with God is disrupted.
• The cure to all fears is fellowship with God.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4 NIV)

• Deliverance from all fears come in fellowship with God.

#2: Fear Distorts God’s Truth

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3: 1 NIV)

• The devil distorted God’s truth and introduced fear.

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:2,3 NIV)

• He did not overpower them, he persuaded them. He simply planted a seed.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4, 5 NIV)

“You will certainly not die”- The devil contradicted God’s word in chapter 2

• Fear happens when we believe something other than what God has said.
• The devil questioned God’s character by implying that God was withholding something good from Adam and Eve.
• Instead of seeing God’s command as protection, They saw it as restriction.

The devil offered independence instead of dependence on God.

• The greatest deception is the belief that you don’t need God.
• Self-reliance instead of reliance on God

Fear often begins with believing the wrong voice.

#3: God’s Voice is Louder than Fear

• Instead of the voice of the serpent, we have the voice of the Good Shepherd.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28 NIV)

• The voice of the Good Shepherd produces faith, security, and eternal life.
• Sin disrupted the fellowship between God and Man, but Jesus came to restore that fellowship.

Fear begins with believing the wrong voice. Faith begins with knowing and listening to God’s voice.

#4: God Replaces Fear with His Spirit

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJ)

• God HAS NOT given us a spirit of fear!
• God has given us POWER: It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and now lives within those who belong to Him.
• God has given us LOVE: Fear isolates. Love restores. God’s love restores us back to Him.
• God has given us SOUND MIND: A calm, disciplined and well-balanced mind.

 CONCLUSION

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?