Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, October 19, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.
DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1-5
Text: 1 Samuel 23:3
1 Samuel 23:3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
Introduction: One of the main reasons why people don’t do God’s will is that they are afraid. More specifically, they fear man and circumstances more than they fear the Lord. I believe that fear is one of Satan’s devices.
I. DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM TRUSTING THE SAVIOR
Revelation 21:8 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.
Do not fear that
A. People will be unbelieving about your conversion
1. That happened to Paul, but God used him to shake the world for Christ
B. Pleasures will be unavailable
1. You won’t quit drinking; you will just change bottles!
C. Purposes will be unfulfilled
1. Whether or not you are successful at “living it” after you are saved should not keep you from trusting Christ.
2. God will give you the power to live for Him (Phil. 4:13).
II. DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM TELLING SINNERS
Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
A. You have the power to go – Acts 1:8
B. You have a partner to guide – Mathew. 28:20
C. You have the protection of God – Acts 18:9-10
III. DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM TRYING TO SERVE
Nehemiah 6:6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
Nehemiah 6:13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Don’t be afraid of:
A. Fault-finding critics
B. Fighting cost – wounds, dedication, hardships
C. Failing Christ – I would rather see someone try and fail than someone never try to succeed at anything
IV. DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM TRIUMPHING OVER SATAN
1 Samuel 23:3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
Deuteronomy 1:25-31 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us. 26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God: 27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. 29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
A. Go fight – don’t just be an observer
B. Go to the front line – be right in the middle of it!
C. Go forward – try new things; grow
D. Go by faith – like David did against Goliath