LAST WEEK:
I. The temptation to sin when controlled by fear (1 Sam 19-21)
II. The determination to praise the Lord when faced with fear (Psa 34:1-3)
Fear becomes sinful when:
1. It consumes our thinking
2. It controls our responses, words and actions
3. We begin to do handle it our own way
4. When it leads to unbelief in the love, goodness and wisdom of God
? So what is the primary temptation when we are afraid? To handle matters ourselves w/o asking God for help
Fear isn’t a bad thing! We raise our children to be fearful of certain things (stove, traffic, etc). The initial response of the emotion of fear in-and-of-itself is not sin
Dealing with the background
I want to talk to you this evening about living in the reality of fear & WHY IT’S GOOD TO FEAR – Your circumstances are no doubt different than David’s, but the reality of it may be the same
Why is it good for me to fear?
I. Because it shows you have an honest/humble evaluation of yourself (vv. 2, 5, 6, 8, 18, 22)
When we say, “Lord, why is this happening to me?” we don’t have a right evaluation of ourselves
…we say, “I don’t deserve this!”
…we say, “Lord, after all I have done for you!”
It’s not what we have done that counts; it’s who HE IS that counts and what HE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH
Why is it good for me to fear?
II. Because it forces you to depend on the Lord (vv. 4, 18)
? Are you seeking the Lord or are you simply seeking for the Lord to take away your troubles?
Other impactful verses: vv. 6, 8, 17
2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Psa 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee
