Discipleship on FEARS!

HOUSE OF GLORY

HOUR OF IMPACT!

Topic: FEARS!

Text: 2 Tim. 1:7; Jn. 14:1; Phil. 4:6-7; Isa. 26:3

Fears are real, at times more real than that which we fear.

Fears may leave us unsettled, insecure, doubting our self-worth, having sleep problems or health problems, worrying about how tomorrow will treat us or even if there will be a tomorrow. The issue that we want settled is simple - how do we avoid fear, and what can we learn from it?

Questions & Discussions!

1. What is fear? (a) It is a feeling of anxiety: an unpleasant feeling of anxiety or apprehension caused by the presence or anticipation of danger; (b) It is a frightening thought: an idea, thought, or other entity that causes feelings of fear; (c) It is a worry: a concern about something that threatens to bring bad news or results.

2. What can I do when I am overcome with fear? How do I find the strength to go on?

God promises to comfort us in our fear if we seek Him when we are afraid. We have the confident assurance that He is with us in any circumstance.

Psalm 46:1-2 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.”

In John 14:27 Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart . . . So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

3. When is fear good?

a) Because God is so great and mighty, and because He holds the power of life and death in His hands, we must have a healthy, reverent fear of him. A healthy fear helps us keep our perspective about where we need to be in our relationship with God.

Psalm 2:11 says, “Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

b) A healthy fear of God motivates us to strive for holiness.

2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Let us work toward complete purity because we fear God.”

c) Fear can be good if it teaches us about courage. Joshua couldn’t have truly understood courage if he hadn’t experienced fear. Fear gave him courageous character and taught him to rely on and trust in God.

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 says, “Be strong and courageous! . . . Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you.”

4. When is fear not good?

a) Fear is terrifying if we have to fall into the hands of God without having made peace with Him.

Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

b) Fear is not good if it keeps you from doing the things you ought to do. We are not meant to live in fear.

Genesis 26:7 says, “He was afraid to admit that she was his wife.”

Joshua 17:16-18 says, “The Canaanites . . . have iron chariots-they are too strong for us.”

Memory Verse: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isa. 41:10).

Promise from God: In Leviticus 26:6 God said, “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep without fear.”

Psalm 91:11 says, “He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go.”

• Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Head Pastor)                                     

HOUSE OF GLORY

HOUR OF IMPACT!

Topic: LIVING FEAR FREE!

Text: 2 Timothy 1:7; Jn 14:1; Phil 4:6-7; Isa 26:3

Today I am speaking on the “LIVING FEAR FREE!” Fear holds kings captives. The man who will not be touched in anyway by the Kingdom of darkness is the one who will not fear. If you have no fear you’ll always be victorious. Fear will destroy your confidence in God. Fear is designed to get you to cast away your confidence in God. A fearful believer is a powerless believer.

Fear is a spirit. It is the weapon of Satan. There is nothing the devil can do against a fearless believer. Satan’s first step to attacking you is to get you to fear through words and what you see. If you refuse to fear you’ll always be more than a conqueror.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

A sound mind is a mind that is free from fear. When you are thinking fear, you don’t have a sound mind.

Heaven does not have fear, poverty, sickness, failure. We should therefore resist the spirit of fear. In the Scriptures you find God saying, “Fear not, Be not afraid, Thou shall not fear.”

People of God should fear NOTHING!

Revelations 21:6-8 says, “And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.

8 BUT THE FEARFUL, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

A fearful person is a coward.

Revelations 21:8 says, “But as for the COWARDS and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)--[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death [Isa. 30:33].”

“The ignoble” means the one that is dishonorable and contrary to the high standards of conduct expected of somebody.

“The contemptible” means the one that deserves to be treated with contempt.

“Contempt” is a powerful feeling of dislike toward somebody or something considered to be worthless, inferior, or undeserving of respect.

“The cravenly” means the cowardly or the one that is so lacking in courage as to be worthy of contempt.

Unbelief and fear go hand in hand. Fear has a platform that holds it up. And this platform is “selfishness.” Fear is founded on selfishness.

Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

Where ever you see “I” you see “selfishness.”

Here is how fear first came into the earth.

Genesis 3:1-5 says, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

In verse 3 God said they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But in verse 4, Satan says another thing to oppose and contradict what God said. Satan tries to convince you that God does not really mean what He said. At this point you must choose who to believe – God or Satan? Listen folks, God means what He says and He says exactly what He means.

In Genesis 3:5 Satan is saying, “Let me give you the reason to think that you are missing out on something.” For instance, God says sexual perversion is not alright. But the world tells you that there is nothing wrong with sexual perversion. God says divorce is not alright. But the world tells you that there is nothing wrong with divorce. In fact they have baptized the name to “Pauline privilege.”

This is the first time Eve encountered such an opposition. Notice how fear came into Eve’s life: Fear came into her life through:

1.       Words (what you hear), and

2.       Images (what you see),

3.       What you say – the mouth gate.

Fearful words and images will produce fearful thoughts à Fearful feelings à Fearful desire à Fearful decision [decision made out of fear] à Fearful action à Fearful habits à Fearful character à Fearful destiny [Destructive destination].

So, don’t allow Satan to engage your thoughts in any way. When you hear wrong words or see fearful images, fear is born in your life, and that gives Satan the permission to come in and operate in your life. You see, Satan requires you to become afraid for him to be able to have access into your life.

The greatest fear Satan wants you to have is the fear that what God promised in His Word will not come to pass. For instance, the fear of poverty is rooted in the fear that Philippians 4:19, Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Matthew 6:33 will not come to pass in your life. The fear of sickness is rooted in the fear that 1 Peter 2:24 will not come to pass in your case.

Is your motivation for tithing fear of Malachi 3:9? Because if you don’t tithe the curse of God will come upon you? Or is your motivation for tithing love? You tithe like Abraham did in Genesis 14.  He paid tithes of all his increase to God because of how God delivered him from his enemies – he tithed out of gratitude to God; he paid his tithes as a sign of his love for God; he tithed as a sign of his gratitude to God.

Let us deal with fear as a motivation. It is not okay to be motivated by fear. For instance, a woman could be motivated by the fear that she is not beautiful enough to get married. So she goes about adorning herself to be beautiful. She should rather be motivated by the love for herself than to be motivated by the fear that she is not beautiful enough.

If what you want is motivated by fear then that fear will hunt and torment you. Fear torments. If you allow fear to be your motivation, that fear will torment you.

Don’t ever allow fear to have access into your life. The devil gains access into your life through fear. “The devil comes to kill, to steal, and to destroy” (Jn 10:10).

When you are motivated by fear you will not receive from God.

In James 4:3 God said, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

How do you get free from fear?

If you believe that God loves you, then that love will cast out every fear that comes your way.

1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

The moment you move into the zone where you believe that God does not love you, you cannot believe His Word.

What you did does not stop God from loving you. God is love. You must have faith in the love of God. When you don’t believe in the love of God fear comes in and torments you.

Most fear comes from not knowing what is going to happen. How do you deal with that?

In John 16:13 Jesus said, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

The Holy Spirit will show you things to come.

Beloved, what are you afraid of today? Realize that fear denies God access into your life. Fear blocks the power of God from flowing into your life to break that yoke of bondage – sickness, poverty, failure, untimely death. I challenge you to start living a fearless life from today!

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)

HOUSE OF GLORY

HOUR OF IMPACT!

Topic: A FEARLESS ATTITUDE!

Text: 2 Timothy 1:7; Jn 14:1; Phil 4:6-7; Isa 26:3

Today I am speaking on the “A FEARLESS ATTITUDE!” Fear holds kings captives. The man who will not be touched in any way by the Kingdom of darkness is the one who will not fear. If you have no fear you’ll always be victorious. Fear will destroy your confidence in God. Fear is designed to get you to cast away your confidence in God. A fearful believer is a powerless believer.

Fear is a spirit. It is the weapon of Satan. There is nothing the devil can do against a fearless believer. Satan’s first step to attacking you is to get you to fear through words and what you see. If you refuse to fear you’ll always be more than a conqueror.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

A sound mind is a mind that is free from fear. When you are thinking fear, you don’t have a sound mind.

But what do you do when the storm comes? You ought to sleep through or in the storm. That was what Jesus taught us. Rest on His promises and His faithfulness. He will certainly bring you over to the other side.

Mark 4:35-37 says, “And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, LET US PASS OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.”

In verse 35 Jesus said, “Let us go over to the other side.” This is what Jesus said. And that is all that you need to hang onto. Because whatsoever He said is final, and it must surely come to pass. What is it that Jesus has said unto to? Hang on to it.

And there arose a great storm.

And the waves beat into the ship such that the ship was now full. In other words, there was water in the boat.

So what’s the problem here? What were the disciples afraid of here? They feared that the ship will sink. “It looked like” the ship will sink. That it looked like does not mean that it is true. It looked like the children of Israel were stuck on the other side of the Red Sea. It looked like the person will die. It looked like you will remain poor in your life no matter how much you try. It looked like you are never going to conceive and have a child. It looked like that your child that has been giving you fits will never change. It looked like you are never going to get admission into the university. It looked like you will never recover from that sickness as it looked like in the case of Job, etc. Hold on to what Jesus has said to you. I don’t care what the doctor has said to you.

But Jesus has promised that they were going over to the other side. So, it does not matter what storm you meet with on the way, you’ll still get to the other side, because the mouth of the LORD has spoken it. And when Jesus speaks, just rest on what He has said.

In Isaiah 55:10-11 Jesus said, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Remember that Jesus did not promise you a storm-free trip. However, He promised us a safe landing.

So, quit looking at what it looks like, and start looking at what Jesus has said in His Word to you in your storm. Don’t look at the water in the boat, rather look at what He has promised you in His Word.

Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

“Looking unto Jesus” means looking at what He has promised you in His Word concerning your situation.

In Mark 4:40-41 Jesus said unto them, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

In verse 40 Jesus was asking His disciples saying, “How is it that you do not have faith in the promise I made to you – that we are going over to the other side?” You allowed Satan to gain access into you through your physical senses.

In Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Luke 1:45 says, “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Mark 4:38-41 says, “And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Look at the book of Matthew!

Matthew 14:22-32 says, “And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled [terrified, afraid], saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; BE NOT AFRAID.

28 And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water [If it is You, prove it].

29 And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”

In verse 29 Peter said, “If it is really You, prove it.” You promised that by the stripes of Jesus I have been healed. I am not saying that I don’t believe, but prove it, etc.

Notice that Peter began to sink because he was afraid because of what he saw (the eye gate – image). When you fear, you will sink.

Beloved, what are you afraid of today? Realize that fear denies God access into your life. Fear blocks the power of God from flowing into your life to break that yoke of bondage – sickness, poverty, failure, untimely death. I challenge you to start living a fearless life from today!

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)                            

HOUSE OF GLORY

HOUR OF IMPACT!

Topic: WHAT YOU FEAR COMES UPON YOU!

Text: 2 Tim. 1:7; Jn. 14:1; Phil. 4:6-7; Isa. 26:3

Today I am speaking on the “WHAT YOU FEAR COMES UPON YOU!” Fears are real especially with all the news in CNN – Constant Negative News. Fear is not natural. It is devilish. The issue that we want settled is simple – to show that what you fear comes upon you?

Fear is the key weapon of Satan. You empower him when you walk in fear. You please Satan when you walk in fear. Fear will connect you to the very thing you are afraid of. But faith will connect you to the very thing you believe. Beloved, whatever you fear will come upon you. When you fear, you put yourself and everything you have under the power of Satan.

Proverbs 10:24 says, “The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.”

Once you tolerate any measure of fear at any time in your life, you will be grouped with the wicked. This is why that very thing you fear comes upon you.

A good example is the case of Job. Job operated in fear and thereby opening himself and his children up to the devil through fear. Fear connected Job to the very thing he was afraid of.

What was it that Job feared? Job 1:1-12 says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared [reverenced] God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest [wealthiest] of all the men of the east.

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”

What was Job afraid of? Job was afraid that his children may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.

Job 1:5 says, “And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”

What did this fear drive Job to do? The fear drove Job to sanctify them. He rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. This, Job did continually.

By this attitude Job opened himself, his children and his possessions up to Satan. The fear in his life granted Satan the permission to come into his life and bring to pass that which he feared.

You are praying the same prayer every day because you did not believe that God heard you the first time you prayed. In other words you feared that God did not hear you the first time you prayed about that issue in your life. So you needed to pray that same prayer over and over again until you believe.

That was why Job had to repeat the process each time his children feasted.

Out of fear Job kept doing the same thing over and over again. And as a result of that, he lost all his children and all his possessions.

Job 1:6-12 says, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”

Job was a perfect and upright man, a man that feared [reverenced] God and avoided evil. But he had fear in his life. And this allowed Satan access into his life to come in and cause those things he feared to come to pass.

In Job 3:25 Job said, “For THE THING WHICH I GREATLY FEARED IS COME UPON ME, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

You see, what Job feared came upon him because fear connected him to that very thing he was afraid of. The very thing your fear most will come upon you. The thing you fear most is what will be manifested in your life.

If you are afraid that your children will die in accident, that fear will grant Satan access into your life to come in and make it happen.

What are you afraid of?

Are you afraid of losing your job?

Are you afraid of losing your spouse to another person?

Are you afraid of losing your wealth?

Are you afraid of losing your house through fire outbreak?

Are you afraid that thieves will snatch your vehicle or phone from you?

Are you afraid that the economic mail down is going to catch up with you and as a result you don’t give anymore so that you can conserve whatever you have? Don’t be afraid of running out of stuff. Have faith in running over [overflow]!

Are you afraid that Deuteronomy 28:13 won’t come through in your life this year?

Whatever you are afraid of is what will come to pass in your life.

Satan wants you to grant him access into your life. You open the door to him through fear. And fear comes through what you hear, see, and say.

When you refuse to fear, you paralyze the devil. When you refuse to fear, you deny Satan access into your life. There is nothing else that breaks your hedge faster than fear.

Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.”

You can shut the door against the devil by removing every atom of fear from your life. You can say, “I’m scared no more.”

In Revelations 3:20 Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

Satan also uses this Scripture by saying, “Behold I stand at the door of your heart [mind] and knock [by getting you to disbelieve the Word of God]: if any person hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in and deal with him ruthlessly.”

To avoid attracting defeat to Israel, Gideon asked everyone in the army who was afraid to go home. Judges 7:1-3 says, “Gideon and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is TIMID OR AFRAID may leave* and go home.’” Twenty-two thousand of them went home, leaving only ten thousand who were willing to fight.”

Can you see that it is you that is responsible for opening the door to Satan? If you refuse to fear that the Word of God won’t come to pass in your life, you shut the door against the devil. This makes it impossible for Satan to operate in your life.

Beloved, what are you afraid of today? Realize that fear denies God access into your life and grants Satan access into your life. Fear blocks the power of God from flowing into your life to break that yoke of bondage – sickness, poverty, failure, untimely death. I challenge you to start living a fearless life from today!

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend, I.I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)                                                  

Promise for the week: “…You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast” (Isa 61:6, NIV).

OVERCOMING THE SPIRIT OF FEAR!

Fears are real especially with all the news in CNN – Constant Negative News. To overcome the spirit of fear you need to note the following:

·         Fear is the key weapon of Satan. Fear is the exact opposite of faith.

·         The number one fear Satan wants you to have is to fear that the Word of God will not work for you. When you don’t believe what God promised you in His Word, it is because you are afraid that what God promise won’t work. When you don’t believe Philippians 4:19, it is because you are afraid that it won’t really work for you. When you don’t believe Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24 and James 5:14-16, it is because you are afraid that God won’t fulfill His promise.

·         Fear contaminates your faith.

·         Just as without faith you cannot receive anything from God (Heb 11:6), without fear Satan cannot connect you to what you fear. He can’t gain access into your life. Fear gives Satan access into your life.

·         Fear torments. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is NO FEAR IN LOVE; but PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: because FEAR HATH TORMENT. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

·         Just as without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb .11:6), without fear it is impossible to please Satan.

·         Just as faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17), fear cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of the devil. For sure, the words of the devil are completely contrary to the Word of God.

·         Fear empowers the devil to operate in your life.

·         When you refuse to fear, you paralyze the devil. When you refuse to fear, you deny Satan access into your life. There is nothing else that breaks your hedge of protection faster than fear.

·         Fear will connect you to the very thing you are afraid of. But faith will connect you to the very thing you believe. Whatever you fear usually comes upon you.

·         When you are afraid, you put yourself and everything you have under the power of Satan.

·         Fear and Unbelief go together (Rev. 21:7-8).

Fear is the evidence that you don’t believe what God has said in His Word concerning your situation.

·         Fear is the spirit of bondage and oppression (Rom. 8:15).

·         Realize that fear brings you into bondage. Fear leads to bondage and oppression. “And deliver them who THROUGH FEAR of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb 2:15). “…who through the fear of failure, poverty, sickness, the Word of God not working for them, motor accident, armed robbers coming to their house, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

·         Realize that what you fear connects you to that very thing you are afraid of. In Job 3:25 Job said, “For THE THING WHICH I GREATLY FEARED IS COME UPON ME, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

Proverbs 10:24 says, “The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.”

Once you tolerate any measure of fear at any time, you become the wicked at that time. This is why that very thing you fear comes upon you. Fear breaks your hedge of protection and allows Satan to come in and attack you with that very thing you are afraid of.

However, the issue that we want settled today is simple - how can one overcome the spirit of fear?

1.       Realize that fear is not from God. If fear is present at any instance in your life, it is not endorsed by Heaven.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” A sound mind is a mind that is free from fear. When you are thinking fear, you don’t have a sound mind.

1.       Realize that fear is a spirit.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Fear must therefore be dealt with, not with carnal weapons, but with spiritual weapons.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

Fear must be cast out in the name of Jesus Christ, because it is an evil spirit.

2.       Get the LORD on your side. Simply walk by faith. Do things that please Him. Obey His voice. Walk in righteousness and holiness. Fear the LORD – avoid evil.

Psalms 118:6 says, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”

Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:37 says, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

3.       Realize that faith overcomes the spirit of fear. Therefore you should activate your faith and not your fears.

Expect that your best days are still ahead. Quit expecting the worst and start expecting the best! I am expecting this year to be my best year so far. I am expecting God to make a way for me where men say there is no way. I am expecting God to do a new thing in my life this 2010. I am expecting God to cause rivers to flow in my desert. I am expecting the riches of the Gentiles to flow unto me and the abundance of the sea to be converted unto me. I am expecting to eat the wealth of the nations. Hallelujah!

1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world [fear], even OUR FAITH.”

Faith is standing on God’s Word no matter what. Faith is staying in agreement with God no matter what. Faith is doing the Word of God in spite of what your five senses are telling you. Therefore, find out what God said in His Word concerning the very area in your life that you fear. And stand on that Word. For Instance, this is how you overcome the fear of lack – find out what God said in the Bible concerning lack; and stand on that Word no matter what.

Deuteronomy 2:7 says, “For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.”

This clearly says that God has blessed me in all the works of my hands. I am blessed! Can you image that the children lacked nothing for 40 years? Just believe what God has said about you in His Word. It is not the will of God that you be in lack. Now, if God provided for the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, He will surely provide for you for at least 40 years in spite of where you are located (Gen 26:12). If you start counting 40 years from today, can’t you see that your future is so great?

Luke 9:1-4 sys, “Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

3 And He said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.”

In Luke 22:35 Jesus said to His disciples, “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing.”

So you can know that Jehovah Jireh is able to take care of you.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us...”

God is able to:

1.       Give you much more than you desire.

2 Chronicles 25:9 says, “And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.”

2.       Deliver you from any kind of trouble.

Daniel 3:17 says, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”

3.       Raise children from stones. God is able to do the unthinkable or unimaginable.

In Matthew 3:9-10 Jesus said, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

4.       Build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.

Acts 20:32 says, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

5.       All grace abound toward you.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

6.       Do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or imagine.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

7.       Keep that which you have committed unto Him against that day.

2 Timothy 1:12 says, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

Look at what God said He will do for you and I assure you that He is able:

In Zephaniah 3:18-20 God said, “I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes.”

Psalm 126:1-3 says, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”

1. God will undo all that afflict you. Lack has been afflicting you. God will undo every lack in your life.

To undo means to reverse. God will reverse all the afflictions that have made you sorrowful. For instance, if the doctor says that you have kidney problem, when God reverses it, the doctors will not see any trace of kidney disease again.

2. God said, “For your shame, I will give you fame.”

Judges 11:2-6 says, “And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”

In Matthew 21:42 Jesus said, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

3. God said, “After I have turned your captivity, I will give you a name” (Zeph. 3:20).

Name is a symbol of identity. There are three levels of names:

a)       Everyone has a name but it is not all names that create waves. Some are called Baby. Some are called Bomboy.

b)       Family name: Here, you are living on past glory.

c)       Those who have made name for themselves. If I say to you, “Mention 5 names in the world you can remember.” You certainly will call them.

God says, “When I turn your captivity, I will give you a name.” When they count the people of importance, your name will be among.

As a servant of Jehovah, I prophesy today that “God will change your story to glory and give you a name.”

Daniel 6:3 says, “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

I prophesy, “You will be preferred among your equals, in Jesus’ Name.”

In Joshua 1:3 said, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

Psalm 106:24-25 says, “Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His Word: 25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.”

NLT puts it this way, “The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promise to care for them. 25 Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the LORD.”

When you refuse to believe the very promise God has spoken concerning your predicament, you are refusing to enter the pleasant land – a land flowing with milk and honey, the land of more than enough.

When you refuse to believe Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24, you will not see your sickness healed.

When you don’t believe that this is your year of enlargement according to the Word of the LORD, you’ll be hearing others give the testimony of how God has enlarged them, but you will not experience it.

Luke 22:36 says, “Then said He unto them, But NOW, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.”

Now that you know that I can take care of you out of nothing, he that has a purse, let him take it…….

Now listen, if God took care of the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, and took care of the 12 disciples when He sent them out , He can still take care of everyone of us today because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

In Malachi 3:6 God said, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

It is the perfect will of God that you lack nothing. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 says, “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”

Psalms 34:9-10 says, “O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.”

Deuteronomy 28:7 says, “The Lord shall cause thine enemies [lack] that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”

Lack is an enemy. It may be lack of money, peace in your marriage, spouse, admission etc. But today I declare that your days of lack are over, in Jesus’ Name.

In Proverbs 24:10 God said, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength [faith] is small.”

Everyone has his evil day. But the question is, “What do you do when the storm or evil day comes so as to maintain your balance without fear?” If you would just stay in agreement with God, you will surely cross over to the other side no matter what. This is faith!

Mark 4:35-41 says, “And the same day, when the evening was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships.37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And He arose, and (1) rebuked the wind, and (2) said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Whenever the evil day comes, just depend on what God said to you in His Word. To His disciples He said, “Let us go over to the other side.” So no matter what happens on your way to the other side, for sure you will get over to the other side. Why? Because Jesus has said it and nothing can stop it.

In Isaiah 55:11 God said, “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

His Word can never fall to the ground. His Word cannot go unfulfilled. In Matthew 24:35 Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.”

Because of fear they woke the King of glory up and said to Him, “Carest not thou that we are about to sink and perish?” (Mk 4:38)

As Jesus got up He (1) rebuked [stopped] the wind and (2) calmed the waves (Mk 4:39). Jesus got up and said to the terrible wind causing the storm, “Stop!” And to the waves that were threatening to sink the ship He said, “Be calm!”

Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

As you are on your way crossing over from sickness to divine health, from poverty to overflowing abundance, from the land of less than enough to the land of more than enough, whatever storm that rises on the way, just say to it, “Stop!” And whatever waves that may threaten to sink you, just say to it, “Be calm!”

In Mark 4:40 Jesus said to His disciples, “Why are you so fearful?” In order words, He was asking them saying, “How is it that you don’t even have any measure of faith in what I said before we began the journey?” I said to you, “Let’s go over to the other side.”

You see, fear robbed them of this faith. Satan got them to disbelieve what Jesus said. So beloved, always stay in faith! Stay in agreement with Him that you will get to the other side come what may. Stay in agreement with Him that the riches of the Gentiles will flow unto you and the abundance of the sea will be converted unto you. Stay in agreement with Him that Omni-Enlarger will surely enlarge you this year. Stay in agreement with Him that you are a success and not a failure. Stay in agreement with him that though your beginning was small, your latter end shall greatly increase (Job 8:7). Stay in agreement with Him that you are the head and not the tail; that you shall not borrow but you shall lend to nations (Deut 28). Stay in agreement with Him that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa 54:17). Stay in agreement with Him that your future is brighter than what it is today; so your best is yet to come (Prov 4:18) etc.

4.       Walk in love.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 says, “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.

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Any contradiction to God’s Word is the seed fear grows out from. Anything that goes against God’s Word is the seed of fear.

God does not have love. God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). So everywhere you see God it is all right if you replace it with love. This will help you to begin to develop in love. Love is the power God intends us to walk in. Nothing works in the Kingdom of God outside love. The love of God is the most important thing you need to know as a Christian. The love of God is the most significant power in all the universe. If you must tap Jesus’ power, then you must first cultivate Jesus’ love.

Faith worketh by love. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love.” Perfect love will flush out fear. So, when you walk in love, you flush out fear from your life. Fear melts in the presence of love.

Now, how do I get rid of fear? How do I flush fear out of my life? How do I remove fear completely from my life?

1 John 4:7-21 says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God [Love] so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God [Love] at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in Him [Love], and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth [flushes] out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love Him, because He first loved us.

20 If a man says, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God [Love] whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from Him [Love], That he who loveth God [Love] love his brother also.”

Perfect love flushes out fear (v 18). When you are outside of love, everything is paralyzed. When you are in strife with anyone, you are outside of love. When you hate your brother, you are outside the circle of love. When love is not in operation, faith is not in operation.

Without love, you will not see the power of God. What is the power of God? This is the ability to get results.

What then is this perfect love?

1 John 5:1-6 says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous [oppressive].

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Verse 4 says, “For whatsoever is born of LOVE [God] overcometh the world.”

1 John 2:5 says, “But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.”

This is how the love of God perfected. You perfect love by obeying the Word of God where love is concerned. Your love is not perfected when you pay your tithes. It is perfected when you obey God’s Word concerning love. Don’t allow anything to take you out of the love of God.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

Beloved, what are you afraid of today? In Psalms 91:5 God said, “Thou shalt NOT BE AFRAID FOR THE TERROR BY NIGHT; or for the arrow that flieth by day.”

You must therefore cultivate the love of God in order to flush out the spirit of fear from your life.

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend, I.I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)