People feel fear.
That is a given.
Some deal with it well – others don’t.
Handle this season in a manner that does not disqualify you in the future. This season will show people for who they are. There are many Bible Characters who were afraid. Some handled it well others did not.
• Afraid to Leave comfortable surroundings - Moses—reluctant to leave behind the safety of his shepherd life in the back country of Midian to answer God’s call to go back to Egypt and confront the mighty Pharaoh with God’s command to free the Israelites (Exodus 3 & 4)
• Afraid of potential - The ten scouts—who didn’t trust God to lead them into the promised land of Canaan, thus causing the Israelites to waste 40 years in the wilderness before finally being allowed to enter Canaan (Numbers 13 & 14)
• Afraid of people - Jonah—who ran away from God and the mission to preach to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 1 & 2)
• Afraid of sacrifice - The rich young ruler—who was afraid and unwilling to give up the comfort of his wealthy lifestyle to follow Jesus (Luke 18:18-23)
• Afraid of the unknown - Young John Mark—who abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13; 15:36-38)
• Afraid of friends – David – 1 Sam 30:6
• Jesus – afraid of what he knew the day’s events held.
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 (1) He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 (2) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, (3) may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:36-39 (NIV)
From Jesus – how to lead when you feel fear.
1. Get together with trusted people. Fear usually never dissipates in isolation. We are not designed for isolation. Fear breads in the isolation of our own thoughts.
2. Fear dissipates in time with God. Relationship and connection – but understand the crowd does not hold the answer. Amazing how many times in scripture a break from the crowd was demanded for a breakthrough to take place. When I get with God he is always bigger than my problems.
3. Remember God has a plan –that is well defined in his word
• “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139: 16, NLT)
• “You chart the path ahead of me and tell me when to stop and rest.” (Ps. 139: 2, NLT)
• “If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell in the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” (Ps. 139: 9-10, NLT)
• “The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.” (Ps. 138: 8, NLT)
And the apostle John also understood the struggle between our love for God and our fears, for he reminded us:
• “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect….Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and shows that his love has not been perfected in us.” (1 John 4: 16, 17a, 18, NLT)
Remember God has a plan - Then submit to it.
Can we change the plan? Is there another way? Can this cup pass from me?
Don't miss the struggle.
When Mark wrote about that painful night (14:33-37), he used phrases like these:
Deeply distressed and troubled
My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow and grief
To the point of death
“He went a little further and fell to the ground.”
Mark uses graphic wording and imagery to portray a Jesus who is struggling and suffering.
We see an agonizing, straining, and struggling Jesus.
We see a “man of sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:3 NASB)
We see a man struggling with fear,
Wrestling with commitments,
Asking God if it is possible to change the plan
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” Heb 5:7 NIV
Pushing against God does not dissipate fear – it intensifies it.
Rebellion does not lead to peace. When afraid – submit to God.
4. Don’t allow disappointment in people to stop you from moving ahead.
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. Matt 26:40-43 (NIV)
Jesus asks for Peter, James, and John to pray with him.
They don't, they sleep instead.
The burden of the world’s sin is not on them that is why they can sleep.
When I lose sleep due to a church-related issue my son sleeps - Why? - does he not love me?
Yes, but there is a singular burden I am to carry.
The point is that there are burdens that nobody can help you with.
The disciples loved Jesus and served and followed him.
This they could not do.
They could not help with this even if they had prayed their prayers would not have been as passionate as Jesus' prayer was.
Jesus lets them sleep - Jesus prays and contends with God. The prayer ends with a declaration. The battle will be won on his face – in a garden – long before he will win the battles of a mock trial, a beating and a cross.
5. Absence of fear leads to action.
While fear is immobilizing Fears absence leads to action.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:45-46 (NIV
His time alone with God has made a significant shift. The time alone with God has altered him.
Prayer, it changes you, so you can be used to change the world.
Prayer of Jesus did not change the circumstance
Prayer did something more powerful than simply changing unpleasant events. Prayer prepared Jesus for the circumstances.
Click here to watch Pastor Bret’s message on fear.