Facing Down Our Fears: Faith in God 

Scripture: Psalm 27

Introduction:

Psalm 27:1 mentions fear and being afraid. We do not know the source of David's fear however; we suffer fear from many sources. Fear of change, failure, success, the unknown, harm, rejection, and loss of control. We often feel vulnerable

Fear causes us to avoid doing certain things and keeps us enslaved in doing other things. No one likes to be embarrassed or humiliated. We will do anything to keep from suffering like that.

Fear can have an incredibly controlling effect upon our lives. It is one of the most paralyzing problems we face. Fear can hold us back from God's best.

The truth is that we can find faith and courage when we face down our fears with the assets God provides.

F.E.A.R stands for "False Education Appearing Real"

Emerson said, "Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain." You defeat worry and fear by filling your mind with the certain faith that you can do it."

That is the best way to get rid of the worry and fear about those many things that are bothering you. Get out of yourself and do something about it, realizing that your Heavenly Father says to you, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you."

You see the most important resource for facing down our fears is God himself. Psalm 27:1-3 is a confession of faith made by David in the sufficiency of his God to help him face his fears and deal with them.

"The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."

We need to concentrate our thoughts on God, especially His attributes which are the opposite our fears. Here are three insights that focus our attention on God.

I. God is your light

He gives guidance through the unknown future.

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I know I can face the future. Ps 31: 15 "my times are in your hands." Times means, my seasons of life.

It implies morning and night. Job 14: 5 says, Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.

Prove 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Prov 4:10-13 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

Ps. 32: 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalm 73: 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Isa. 58: 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Does this mean that nothing bad will ever happen to me? Whatever happens we know that the Lord is the Light of life.

When I know that the Lord is the light of my life, fear dissipates quickly.

II. God is Your Salvation

27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear?"

Before we can know God as our deliverer we need to know Him as our Salvation from sin. When you know Christ as your savior fear will flee away. This is the first step. 

Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, then you have a resource to lean on from when fear comes knocking at your door.

The Hebrew and Greek words for "salvation" imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness: "Salvation" is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.

Salvation is in three tenses:

(1) The Christian (has been) saved from the guilt and penalty of sin (Luke 7:50; 1 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15; Eph 2:5,8; 2 Tim 1:9) and is safe.

(2) The Christian (is being) saved from the habit and power of sin (Rom 6:14; 8:2; 2 Cor 3:18; Gal 2:19 - 20; Phil 1:19; 2:12 - 13; 2 Th 2:13). And

(3) The Christian (will be) saved from the presence of sin at the Lord's return, from all the physical infirmities that are the result of sin and God's curse upon the sinful world (Rom 8:18 - 23; 1 Cor 15:42 - 44), and brought into entire conformity to Christ (Rom 13:11; Heb 10:36; 1 Pet 1:5; 1 John 3:2). Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift and wholly without works (Rom 3:27 - 28; 4:1 - 8; 6:23; Eph 2:8). The divine order is first salvation, then works of service. (Eph 2:9 - 10; Titus 3:5 - 8).

We should see Salvation in a general sense. Christ not only saved us from our sins but he continues to deliver us from the habit and power of sin. He will yet deliver us from the presence of sin.

What are the difficulties you are going through? God is able to deliver you from them. Isaiah said, Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Isa 12:2)

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Once again, this does not say that we will never have trouble. It means that God will deliver us from the fear troubles bring on us.

III. God is your Stronghold

Protects you from harm and strengthens you in times of danger.

There is much danger all around us. There is the possibility that someone will harm us or injure our loved ones.

In 1 Samuel 23: 26-29 Saul was called away just as he was about to capture David. David was not imagining his troubles. In Psalm 27, David pictures his enemies as a pack of hunting animals advancing against him to devour his flesh.

Many of us suffer from unfounded fears, fears that are not based on reality. David knew the calm assurance of growing confidence of faith because he concentrated upon who God is. This same peace in the midst of pressure can be yours too. If you know the Lord as your light, salvation and stronghold you too can overcome your fears real or imagined. However, our focus must be right. It must be on who God is and what He is able to do when we trust in Him.

Paul assures us with the same confidence. If God be for us, who can be against us. (Rom 8:31)

He knew what fear was about. He said, We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor. 4: 8,9)

Paul said, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all he churches. (1 Cor. 11: 26,27)

Paul had every reason to be afraid. His life and future was often threatened. What did he do about it He did the same thing as David.

In verse three David creates a worst-case scenario in proving the extent of his confidence in God. If these verses were spoken in today's scene, this is how it might read. "Though an army besiege me, like the man who stood before the tank in China's struggle for democracy, my heart will not fear; though the whole nation were to declare war upon me, my heart will not fear. I would still be confident because the Lord guides me, and strengthens and protects me!

That is what David is saying here. No matter what the odds are against you, God is still with you!

David knew the calm assurance and growing confidence of faith because he concentrated on who God is. When he was tempted to be fearful he remembered that God had promised his presence, his provision and protection. He is our Light to guide us. He is our Salvation to save and deliver us and he is our stronghold to defend us.

STRONGHOLD: a fortified place; a defense: fortress, rock, (hold). He is the strong hold of my life.

Conclusion:

There will come a time when we will face fear real or imagined. It is an inevitable fact of life.

Prov. 3: 25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, 26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

(KJ) Proverbs 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. [26] For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

It almost seems trite. Trust in God.

Jesus as repeats this call "Have faith in God, (Mark 11:22.) Jesus answered, 23 " I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Jesus called His hearers to place their confidence in God. It is common in the Synoptics for Jesus to say after healing someone, "thy faith hat made thee whole" (Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; Luke 7:50; 8:48.) One's confidence in or allegiance to God makes one whole.

Faith, Summary: The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works (John 1:12; James 2:14 - 26).

(1) For salvation, faith is personal trust, apart from meritorious works, in the Lord Jesus Christ was delivered because of our offenses and raised again because of our justification (Rom 4:5,23 - 25; 5:1).

(2) As used in prayer, faith is the "assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1 John 5:14 - 15).

(3) As used in reference to unseen things of which Scripture speaks, faith gives substance to them, so that we act upon the conviction of their reality (Heb 11:1 - 3). And

(4) As a working principle in life, the uses of faith are illustrated in this chapter. It is our confidence in the Lord that causes us to face down our fears. May God give us the victory over our fears this week.

Some Christians are so afraid of failure that they become reserved, overly cautious, and uninvolved in life. They follow a policy of guarded living, holding back time, talents, and treasure from God's service. Their motto is to keep from failing -- don't try! On the other hand, those who are willing to make mistakes and risk failure are the ones who ultimately achieve great things. Instead of being filled with fear, they go forward in faith. Problems are challenges. While they may not all be solved, these courageous people would rather live with that reality than have a clean record of no failures and no accomplishments. Benjamin Franklin said one time, "The man who does things makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all -- doing nothing."

See: Phil 3:12-14 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

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