0:00 Late Night at the Intensive Care Unit in Hong Kong
2:47 Fear Paralyzes
4:01 But You Have Overcome the World
5:23 You are the Ruling Council of God on the Earth
5:57 Activation – Practical Steps to Overcome Worry and Fear – Philippians 4:6-7
6:23 Step 1 Don’t be anxious.
6:40 Step 2 Ask God to Help You
7:53 Step 3 Come Near to God and He Will Come Near to You
8:18 Step 4. Now peace will come to guard your heart and your mind, in Christ’s power.
We had a late night encounter with a Buddhist family in a Hong Kong ICU where God overcame paralyzing fear with faith in His love and compassion for them and their father who was fighting for his life. Learn 4 practical steps to overcome fear at the end of this video. Overcome fear in your life.
Fear Paralyzes
Bad things will happen to you. We live in a fallen world. Fear wants to paralyze you, make you feel you’re helpless, defeated.
You lost your job. Fear moves in and whispers, "You're going to lose your car, they will foreclose on your house., You won't be able to pay your bills. What about food for your family?" All these horrible thoughts swirl through your mind.
Fear wants you, who carry the Holy Spirit (God, Himself) inside you, to think you are a victim, powerless and hopeless.
1 John 4:4 EXB
·God’s Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world
You are no more a victim than Samson was a weakling. Samson lost his strength only when he wandered away from God. The same is true for us.
Jesus said: "apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NKJV.
But Paul reassured us: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 2:13 NKJV
Fear want to keep you from running to God – your proper response when adversity slams into your life. Fear rules the minds and hearts of those separated from God.
But You Have Overcome the World
Jesus told his disciples to not fear what would happen to them. Here's why:
John 16:33 AMP
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” ...
We live from a place of victory. Jesus won complete authority over Satan and his demons through the cross. Jesus gives that authority to us who believe in Him. We are the ekklesia of God on the earth. Ekklesia is the Greek word for “church” used in the New Testament 114 times. It isn’t a religious word, it’s a government word from Greek ancient culture. The Ekklesia was a group of people summoned and gathered to govern a city. They sat as the ruling council of that city. Interesting way to describe the church, isn’t it?
You and I are the church. And we are empowered with all the authority of Jesus to rule over demons and darkness. Including FEAR.
Activation – Practical Steps to Overcome Worry and Fear
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Step 1 Don’t be anxious.
Fear is not from God. Christians should never accept fear in our lives.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Step 2 Ask God to Help You
** Think of the kindest, gentlest, most loving father ever. That’s God only more so. Approach Him now.
** “Father,” now just talk to Him as a loving Father who wants to give you everything He has. Tell Him what makes you fearful.
*** Come to God in faith, knowing He is good, knowing He loves you, and knowing He will help you. Begin to think of all the things He has already done for you.
Hebrews 11:6 TPT
And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.
God responds to faith. Yes, at times, God will have compassion on us and deliver us when we have no faith. But God is pleased when we remember who He is, His love for us, and His desire to help us. Our faith is based on God’s character and His love for us, not our circumstances.
3. If God were to suddenly physically appear in the middle of whatever is causing your fear, would you be afraid? Of course not!.
James 4:8 says; “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
When you stepped closer to God, He came to you. Now, with God at your side, boldly command fear to leave you.
4. Now peace will come to guard your heart and your mind, in Christ’s power. His peace that transcends all understanding.
This is peace ignores circumstances because the peace is not based on your circumstances, but on God’s character, God’s love and God’s power for you!
You just experienced James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.