The Destiny Killer

Do pastors share sermons with each other? The reason I ask is the last two weeks in two different churches, I have heard the exact same sermon from two different pastors. Granted, today's was infinitely better than the other one, I couldn't help but chuckle a little that they were both basically the same message.

But at the same time I had to wonder if God was trying to tell me something. I mean, what are the chances that two different pastors would do the same sermon? So today I made sure to really listen to what God was trying to tell me.

The sermon was about Fear and how we can combat fear. This got me thinking. What am I afraid of? When I started making the list in my head, I ran out of room, but here are some of the highlights in no particular order:

• Haunted Houses: I just don't do scary if you remember from my post from Halloween last year.
• Zombies: Ok... yes I watch the Walking Dead, but some of the nightmares I have are seriously terrifying...
• Not being good enough: I think this is a common one for a lot of people. Nothing super specific about it either. But I guess, not being good enough in my job, in my family, with my friends, my blog, my writing...
• Being the center of attention: This is a weird one because everyday in class, I am the center of attention. But when I teach it's not about me being the center of attention but trying to draw student's attention to math. Does that even make sense? This is probably why I hate my birhtday so much.
• Never getting married: This is one that I have been struggling with for awhile now. It is one of my greatest desires to get married and have a family of my own, but the older I get the more afraid I am that this is never going to happen. I think this is a big one for me becuase the fear is almost paralizing. To the point that I don't even try because I am afraid that I'll get rejected or hurt or again... not good enough... I don't even know... 

(There are definitely more, but these were the first ones that came to my mind.)

Fear Sucks! Fear hinders people. It prevents them from reaching the full destiny that God has designed for them. Fear is a prison. Fear is a Destiny Killer. Today's pastor shared a quote saying "Everything we want is on the other side of fear." And it's so true right? Our greatests wants and desires are just beyond the reach of our fear.

The Bible says a lot about fear, and the Pastor used John 20:19-23 as his example. This passage describes the moment that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples. It says,

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wonds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

So the disciples were afraid and were hiding because of their fear. Then Jesus just appeared. Crazy right? Locked doors couldn't keep him out. So the first step in combating fear is to confront it. We have to face them otherwise they will always be there. The second thing we have to do is is to cultivate joy. When the disciples saw Jesus standing amond them, they were filled with joy. Joy, just as any of the fruits of the spirit must be cultivated and cared for. We can chose joy in the face of unspeakable things. The third step is to change your perspective. If you sit in your fear, you will be trapped in that prison forever. The disciples were filled with Joy "when they saw the LORD!" Their perspectives were changed. Finally, the last step is to channel what is inside of you. John says that Jesus breathed on them and they recieved the Holy Spirit. We have been given everything we need to conqour fear. Jesus has already conqoured the grave so what have we to fear? Isaiah 41:10 says

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Here, He says, "I am your God! I am over, I am by your side, I am inside you, I am around up, and I am under you." Whom shall we fear?

By His stipes, we are healed. By His death we can live. In Jesus Name!
All oppression/Fear will cease. Every capltive released. In Jesus Name!

The oppostie of Fear is Freedom. Walk in His Freedom!