(February 8, 2009)

Last week, we committed to overcome one thing. Whether it was a financial issue, a faith issue, an emotional issue, we were working to overcome their challenge. God knows your potential. Our opponent, satan, knows your potential as well and his goal is to get you to the graveyard still clutching your potential close to your chest. His number one goal is to make your life ineffective. His top strategy to achieve his goal is to instill you with fear.

If we took our commitment to overcome something last week and it didn't get worked on, then it's a fear issue. What if something bad happens? What if I miss the shot? What if no one will follow me to Christ? When we ask these questions, we are consumed with fear. Even the strongest person on the outside has to deal with fear and anxiety on the inside. In translation of the greek work for fear, it reads as a divided mind.

If you are double-minded...

1. Fear will paralyze you. Black Bart was a professional thief in the 1800s. He robbed 29 stagecoaches. He never used a gun, never took a hostage and was never trailed by the law. His reputation made him bigger than peoples' resolve, thus their fear was their enemy. Therefore, Black Bart was successful at robbing without physically hurting anyone. Fear paralyzed those on the stagecoaches.
2. Fear distracts us. Fear gets us off of our real purpose. It distracts us from victory. We become confused.
3. Fear confused the facts. Dihydrogren Monoxide is a killer. It caused thousands of deaths each year. It erodes. It's in acid rain. It's found in every cancerous tumor. It causes billions of dollars of damage each year. So, what is it? Water. Two different cities almost banned water based on a science project on dihydrogen monoxide done by a 14-year-old. Fear gripped these cities and thousands of others because their facts paralyzed them.
4. Fear drains us. People who have anxiety and fear drain other people. It will drain the energy out of you. Enthusiasm literally means "God in us".
5. Fear gives us a wrong perspective. We see the world in the wrong way. We are always seeing the worst in people and circumstances.
6. Fear gives us a wrong focus. If you are always focusing on what might go wrong, it will. What we focus on, we will receive.

See, if you are focused on your fear and your anxiety, you are not focused on what God wants for your life. If you are consumed with fear and anxiety, this selfish focus will not allow you to share the greatness of God with others.

To overcome your fear and anxiety...

1. Take action. You can't possibly overcome fear without moving forward. It's when we're idle that we get consumed. The first step is to jump in and get started. Fake it 'til you make it!
2. Activate positive faith instead of negative faith. The theater of the mind gives you a preview of coming attractions. You are constantly creating movies. Those with fear create movies and scenarios of might go wrong. It's vivid, clear and projects all kinds of bad circumstances of what's coming this week. Being positive faith minded will change that preview so it gets you to focus on the great things in store for you over the next week. This is a level of prayer. It's praying and seeing awesome results ahead of schedule. This will make the coming week much better than if you are negative minded.
3. Face your fear with the confidence of God's Promises. He's on your side and you are more than a conqueror.
4. Focus on truth. Only 8% of our fears are warranted, but even that 8% can be hit head on if you are willing to step out of faith and attack that fear with the Power of God.
5. Give it all to God. Get rid of it all.

Every evening, give it all to God...He's going to be up all night anyway.

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Jon Bruney
Pastor

Leona Sattison
Secretary

James Bruney
Worship Leader





Drew Kuespert
Webmaster