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Fear’s Worst Enemy
Fear leads to leads to stress, which leads to…
- Heart problems
- High blood pressure
- Increased susceptibility to infection
- Skin problems
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Sleep problems
- Pain
- Diabetes (If pre-existing conditions exist)
- Infertility (not a cause but a link has been found)
The good side of fear: The Sympathetic Nervous System
1 John 4:18 (ESV) 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Love?
1 John 4:8–9 (ESV) 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
Big Idea: Fear’s worst enemy is love.
What about the fear of the Lord?
Psalm 111:10 (ESV) 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Jeremiah 32:40 (ESV) 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.
Proverbs 8:13 (ESV) 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (ESV) 13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Matthew 10:28 (ESV) 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
1 Peter 1:17 (ESV) 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Takeaways
- Put fear in its rightful place
- Love to cast out fear
- Don’t fear coming to God
Growth Questions
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