When we face a sinful and broken world without the resources of God’s grace through Christ, we will inevitably end up relying upon our own abilities, schemes, thoughts, and designs for self-preservation. The debt that this process incurs in our souls is a plague of anxiety and worry: two toxic thought patterns that will lead us into further brokenness and sin.
FEAR is the emotional awareness, of imposing danger or harm, designed to precipitate a response.
Being AFRAID is the emotional state, of inaction or lack of response, to any negative stressor.
Observations & Conclusions:
– When we replace our uncertainty of tomorrow with a confidence in our Lord we are freed from anxiety and worry and we are welcomed with peace.
Application: Principles of Shalom
- Stay close to Jesus
- Pray continually
- Treat your trials with thanksgiving
- Think about what you think about
- Pattern your Christian life after maturity
- Rest and rejoice in God
Quiz
- Do I commune with Jesus throughout my entire day? Yes / Somewhat / No
- Do I keep my circumstances from controlling my joy? Yes / Somewhat / No
- Do I exercise control over my thoughts throughout my day? Yes / Somewhat / No
- Am I growing in my faith through patterning Godly habits? Yes / Somewhat / No
- Am I resting in God’s grace and daily discovering peace? Yes / Somewhat / No
Matthew 10:28-31
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Jude 24-25
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Proverbs 4:23
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Romans 8:5-6
“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Colossians 3:1-3
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
Hebrews 4:9-10
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.”