Letting Go of Fear- Dr. Neil Anderson @American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference

well good afternoon so good to see all of you I think I was in this room two years ago and I probably was telling you a little bit about my wife and several have asked I said she passed away a year ago October 2nd and I wrote a little book about it we were about three years into a long slide down for seven years of dementia and one day I just picked up a pen and they just almost felt compelled to write and I've never written in real time before like that but that's actually what kind of happened I'd get a phone call from the nurse and said your wife wants to talk to you she feels alone but she's standing right by said the nurse and I was just writing about that and it was an amazing thing but I want to tell you something folks I I look back at that seven years I did probably some of the best writing of my life but God just took me off the road and and there was three years where she was that skilled nursing I never missed a meal for three years and I was the only one in seven years ever give her a shower she wouldn't let anybody else and but the the sense of God's presence during that time just kind of came over me to this day I've never felt the presence of God more than I did during that time and the little book talks about what my presence means to her but what God's presence meant to me I share that because it has a lot to do with what we're talking about in terms of fear the fear of abandonment or being alone is profound we have this letter and sent to our office some time ago let me just start the book with us I said I'm 36 years old for as long as I can remember I have been plagued with fears and anxieties I was raised in an abusive family and lived under the threat of even worse treatment if I ever told in the bondage of fear I decided never to tell anyone I came home one evening and found everyone gone I was gripped with fear and crawled under my bed why weren't they home did they think I told someone what would happen when they came back I could never enjoy the simple little things that accompany childhood my anxieties and fears follow me wherever I went I was too afraid to try out for anything where I could possibly fail I dreaded every exam my stomach would turn up in knots from anxiety I became a perfectionist who had to achieve whatever the cost this pattern of fear continued into my teenage years in young adult life I tried to accept Jesus twice but I feared not being good enough I feared the rejection and ridicule of others so I tried to keep everyone happy even sleep offered no reprieve the nightmares I suffered as a result of the abuse of my childhood continued into my dull years I'm a parent now and I fear for my children I'm an adequate mother will my children be hurt or abducted I know this is robbing me of a life I want to live but I don't know what to do I feel like I'm living two lives on the outside I appeared to be a very successful teacher wife mother contributing member of society but if people could see the condition of my soul they would know us only pain anxiety and fear can somebody help me can I help myself is this what life is supposed to be no it's not what life was supposed to be and it wasn't from the beginning folks were living in incredible times I was an aerospace engineer 50 years ago we celebrated the whole policy space program this year 50 years of celebration that brings back incredible memories to me we had the guidance system for the lunar lander at that time and it was after that that I went into ministry but we also had the Hubble telescope and I'm sure you know some of the history of that and we went up a space and with malfunction and actually fixed it space but now we have the privilege to look into space and we're just struck with all when you look at the extravagance of creation you can't even imagine it it's just beyond our ability to do that and how far that we can see into space and you say and God created that and all of that came from non pre-existing matter but behind all of that creation is the mind of the universe who has always been eternally existent and in all the space of the universe lifeless devoid of life there may be other planets like Earth that have biological life but it's all subject to the natural law of death everything biological will die everything and it has to have some means to propagate itself by sowing seeds or cohabiting or something but then God did something absolutely unique and all of the expanse of the universe he took a piece of clay and breathed into man the life of God it's so concerning to me how we don't fully grasp the content of that the life that he have is his life he shared his life with a man if he ate from the tree of life he could have live forever feel ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and that day would surely die he ate and he died he didn't die physically he lived another nine hundred years but he died spiritually he was separated from God and if you look at archaeology and all the digs that they have around the world and they're finding all these ancient civilizations and they all had an altar but in which it was sacrifice animal somehow I knew the sacrifice would be required to somehow get to that life that eternal life that escaped everybody I call it the primordial fear and it takes some understanding to grasp this but let me take a few minutes to do that think about what happened immediately afterwards the first emotion expressed by Adam was I am afraid to this day it is the number one mental health problem of the world anxiety disorders what was he afraid of there was nothing in the Garden of Eden to be afraid of he had no chemical imbalances or neurological conditions that would require medication couldn't blame mom or dad what was he afraid of the absence of life and there has been a pursuit throughout human history a people to somehow grasp at and you go to the pyramids of Egypt when they I will put in the canoe and in the pyramids as he could sail into the celestial see it has dominated every early culture of human history of trying to find that life that primordial fear and let me tie it in strange it was something you wouldn't normally think about because the first Adam was born both physically and spiritually alive because of sin he died spiritually the last Adam was born physically and spiritually alive and true orthodoxy says that Jesus was both man and God I mean all of that was settled hopefully in the ecumenical councils but listen to a comment made by Ambrose the Bishop of Milan in the fourth century in taking upon himself a human form he also took upon himself the affections of the soul as God he was not distressed but as a human he was capable of being distressed it was not as God he died but his man it was human voice that he cried my God my God why have you forsaken me as human therefore he speaks on the cross bearing with him our tears for amid dangers it is very human response to think ourselves abandoned as human therefore he distressed sweeps and is crucified the Apostles Creed said that Jesus descended into hell hell if you're not aware of it in the Old Testament Sheol or Hades in the Greek is the same word used for death why because they're essentially the same hell is loneliness where no love can penetrate what happened between the cross and the resurrection is that Jesus in the excruciating pain took the plunge into the abyss of total isolation and alone it wasn't the destiny that he went it was the separation from God that's the primordial fear that's what he abandoned at that time and even to this day the whole concept of death have you ever gone into a mortuary where you didn't know anybody and suddenly you find yourself in a room at the corpse of a person you don't know how did you feel a little uncomfortable maybe even a little afraid or eerie there's nothing there to be afraid of the guy's dead but it's the fear we can't easily dismiss it's like walking through the woods at night alone is dark and you just feel kind of fear come over you and then all of a sudden a person walks up and hi and suddenly the fear dissipates or somebody walks into that room where you were alone with the carbs and suddenly it's gone it's hard to understand that thing but abandonment issues are so focused into this concept that there is really nothing more frightening than to be absolutely isolated and alone I remember I when I was a little child on the farm I was taking a nap apparently mom and dad didn't know it had gone over to the neighbors and and so I got up mom nobody there ran around the house mom and they'll be there ran outside nobody and I could just kind of feel the fear they'd be tensions rise up and all of a sudden I saw him turning into the lane done over with just like that and what's interesting about fear this primordial fear that I'm talking about really it's all resolved in Christ the eternal life that Adam had is what Jesus came to give us we're all born dead in our trespasses and sin we all learn to live our life independent of God and then one day were born again in that life he who has the son has the life what Adam and Eve lost in the fall was life that's what Jesus came to give us that means our soul right now is in union with God that's why in one sense for every believer we're never alone never your body's a temple of God and the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your life and in tragically most the world that I have traveled is laboring under a third of the gospel we presented Jesus and Messiah who died for our sins and if we will put our faith in Him and we die well go thinking heaven that would give you the impression that eternal life is something you get when you die that is not true he who has the son has the life I said what he came to do was to walk to that cross and died for our sins but to be resurrected that we would have new life that's what you have folks life he who has the son has the life on the bread of life I'm the resurrection and the life he who believes in Me will live even if he dies you will live spiritually even if you die physically that should be so embraced and everybody's mind that you would immediately respond but that's only two-thirds of the gospel when Adam sinned God had given them dominion over the birds of the sky the beasts the field the fishes sea but when they sinned they lost that and Satan became the rebel hold of authority and the god of this world and what did Jesus come to do to undo the works to Satan read it first down 3:8 and during this time we were also not with flesh and blood offense the penalties and powers and that's the gospel most of the world is waiting to hear because the dominant religious orientation of this world any Missy ologist will tell you this is spiritism and they're leaving little baskets of fruit out to ward off the demons they're contacting their shamans and the witch doctors even in America you have to wait to the light late-night-tv to see all the ads for the psychics that are going to give you guidance now I saw one last week at 8 o'clock at primetime call the California psychic will guide your life all kinds of testimonies come out folks that's the world we're living in he is the god of this world that's what Jesus called him and I believe that and we wrestle not with flesh and blood by principalities and powers all that enters into this you can't give a complete answer to leave off the reality of the spiritual world you can't you don't have a complete answer and so fear is the most prevalent emotion that we are experiencing in the world today and it has been from the beginning ptoo commandment in the scripture 400 times fear not did that work no well you shouldn't be afraid didn't work did it so let's take a serious look at him anxiety disorders by definition includes panic attacks anxiety and depression let me just say a little bit because in our book we cover all three but I'm gonna focus on fear here today but anxiety is like fear without an adequate cost people are anxious because they don't know therefore don't be anxious about tomorrow etc I discovered something about that though that I think is very very critical to understand it's only used about 25 times in scriptures in five times it's in a positive sense all emotions are a god-given thing I mean they're important feedbacks in our life and that are very real that we should never deny we should just understand them and but if you think of anxiety and the sense of care if you got an important exam tomorrow you should feel a little anxious proper response study you know your kids two hours late you should feel anxious didn't you if you care for your child proper response praise or call the police or whatever but and so it's not always negative but the word itself Mira Mandel comes from two root words knew us and Marissa meets divided mind and you can see that when Paul talks and in Matthew about the Sermon on the Mount it says no man can serve two masters you leave the serve God or ma'am and therefore don't be anxious about tomorrow take no thought for tomorrow the King James said they brought the right attitude out of that in other words you're double minded man according to James double minded man is unstable in all his ways so when you come to Ephesians five six seven and eight which you're familiar with be anxious for nothing what he's really saying don't be double minded about anything get single focused how you do that but by prayer supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God and the peace of God will guard your heart in your mind in Christ Jesus but don't stop there turn to God first now you got responsibility think upon that which is true in Loveleen right and don't stop there read the next verse do the right thing do the noble thing you live it out if you just think about it we'll do it for you you have to put into action the words that you believe faith always requires an action and a response to it but we're looking at fear primarily because fear is the dominant issue I believe and now fear is different because fear is actually identified by its object we identify fear by this object we have a whole categorization of fierce claustrophobia agoraphobia etc arachnophobia is a fear of now you saw in the movie and now in order for a fear object to be legitimate it has to have two attributes it has to be in my own mind somehow potent somehow present now fear again is the god-given thing anytime your physical or psychological safety is threatened fear is what you're going to experience that's good that's natural even animals have it or they'd all be roadkill and so what's interesting about it is in order for it to really be legitimate it has to have both attributes all you got to do is take one of the attributes away and it's no longer potent phrases I moved from Arizona to here in my home I had in Arizona I counted seven rattlesnakes on my property over the time we lived there one of my garage freaked my wife out and it did me until I found out what it was anyway it was uh but right now I actually have no fear of rattlesnakes you know why there's none here and now if you threw one of those babies in and it landed right here man if be exit stage right folks just like that I mean I would probably do a little damage getting out of the way because there's both eminent and it's both potent now what if you threw one unit landed right here present but dead provided I was sure was dead I probably wouldn't go 2-0 I'd probably go to a - you know I'd kick it every now and then something but but here's my point all you gotta do now let me let me put a little more insight into that if I can let's say you got a two-year old you got a fenced-in backyard and a nice mother watching her child the two-year-old sees a garter snake going along and he reaches over damn it she's like a big worm and he picks up the garter snake what would the mother do freak out probably but the garter snake is really harmless what would a zoologist do we do you have trouble picking up that snake no what I'm saying is there's a learned aspect to this and there is for everything people are afraid of heights I said if you've fallen off a ladder a few times you're going to learn to kind of respect Heights if you burn your fingers you learn they have a caution with stalls the problem is a lot of that learning is not based on truth and then you end up with a phobia now that'll come into play when we get to it just a little bit later on but so let me just look at three major fear objects these are the big ones in fact to be honest with you almost all of the others are sub boarding it to these three maybe four i kind of kind of added that on i'll get there in a little bit but but first of all really death is the other one and that's I'm talking about physical death now I mean your physical life is really nothing compared to your spiritual life we have to get that value in our own thinking to understand the truth of God's gospel folks Paul says for me to live is Christ the die is gain precious in the sight of God is the death of one of his godly ones how do you make sense out of that while they're with him I said but what attribute has he taken away it's appointed unto every man that one day you shall die that could happen to you tomorrow where O death is your sting where's your victory what's the worst thing that could happen to you like you're doing well beloved you'd be absent from the body present with the Lord and a resurrected body singing Hallelujah and now listen to me that is not a license to commit suicide because we're supposed to be a good steward of the life that God has entrusted to us my point is the person who is free from the fear of death is free to live today that's my point and that's the point I think God wants us to have is that I don't have to face our fear tomorrow for the simple reason God's going to supply all of my needs according to his riches and glory but not only that even if I should die tomorrow I know where I'm gonna go I know where I'm gonna be I've written these into that you may know that you have eternal life it's something that God wants us to know I'm not faking fun of this because you know people listen I just lost my wife of 52 years and the loss is the loss and loss is oftentimes are the key thing that triggers off depression in people's life but you know I've written on that as well and I thank God for the truth that God has given to us because I'm neither alone nor depressed over this whole issue because I know where my wife is and I look back and said thank God for the 52 years we had together and I thank God I had to use almost all my retirement to take care of her but truth of the matter is I'm glad I had the money to do it and I don't regret any of that for a second folks and and but there was no fear there there shouldn't be for any of us if we understood it and for what it's worth be a responsible parent and don't leave those decisions for your kids work out your will take care of that kind of stuff when I go on a trip I got in my pool table in my office right there where my will is where my money is well remember retirement is that's all taken care of for my kids I've already made arrangements at the funeral home for myself that's not morbid folks that's just being responsible and we're all out to do that nothing's more tragic than to have a sudden death and leave all that decision making for bereaved family members that's just not good I had picked out our plot in a burial spot and I got one of those things once on top of the other because I gonna win in the end and so there should be no fear of death not if we understood this properly most Christians are living up to that the ultimate value is your physical life and we hang on to things that are don't make sense and I said let it go put your hands in the life of God what you have is eternal the primordial fear is gone and now you know I'm not looking forward to dying that's a little different thing he lost truth of the matter is but death I'll tell you what I'm at a point in my life where I'm just literally looking forward to what is heaven gonna be like you want an interesting thing what's the first verse in the Bible God created say that word again is the plural or singular plural isn't that odd do you ever think about that Paul was caught up into the third heaven what is that I don't know but I'm looking forward to finding out see that's the point it's a secondly don't fear man that's the other big issue whether it's your husband your spouse your kids even your boss at work you know dictators politics Wow but jesus said don't fear those who kill the body in that industry see statement just stop right there don't fear them who can kill the body why because death has no power over me the last victory that Jesus conquered was death and he said but fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell isolation loneliness separation from God and now think about that for a moment Paul says if you call me a people pleaser I'm not a bondservant of Christ if you're a people pleaser who are you a bondservant of man what power does that person have only over you only what you give suppose you got a of an obnoxious boss and terrorizes you at work and you're afraid of the man and and but you're not right now are you why not he's not here but you go to work Monday morning there is you know and you're terrorized and and then every morning about 10:00 10:30 something like that you go into the lunchroom and there's a little sanctuary he's not in there so you talk about him you know and your friend sitting across the table and suddenly he's present what power does he have over you like he'd fire me how would you solve that quit no don't do that but we willing to I mean if he wants you to live for him will what will you say sir I'm gonna be the best employee I can Murphy I respect you come under your authority but I cannot lie for you he said well I'll get somebody who will then that would be your choice but if he fires you for that trust god he's got something better than for you and than that folks and that just goes across the board you know marriages and our families and whatever else don't fear their intimidation but sanctify Christ as Lord of your life we're going to see how that's gonna be the answer in a few minutes here but but letting people control your life like that there's no way to live and you know us happened and it's happening in the marriages of families countries even churches you know that people are being intimidated by other people in such a way and using fear to control other people that's horrible God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind third point Satan you go to any church in our country right now I'll guarantee you something folks more people in your church right now fear Satan more than you do God most of them have very little fear of God why is the fear of God the beginning a wisdom and the beginning of knowledge how is it the one fear that can expel all other fears the moment that you elevate him as a greater fear object than God you elevate him as a greater object of worship isn't that sobering but it's also true there's not a verse in your Bible to fear Satan that's the 3rd point of the gospel he's disarmed that's why he came to destroy the works of Satan you can see that wrapped up in Colossians chapter 2 verses 3 13 through 15 he gave us a certificate that we are forgiven and gave us new life in Christ and then he disarmed Satan you got to have that third of the gospel in your mind in preparing the twelve and Luke chapter nine the first thing he did and the disciple in process was to give them authority power over demons when the seventy were sent off the first thing they said when they came back Lord even the demons are subject to us when Jesus revealed the things that people's heart do you know what the Pharisee said at that time he has a demon they understood at that time if people had that kind of esoteric knowledge about other people that they were getting their information like fake shamans and psychics and those kind of people that's where they're getting their information from we're told in 1st Timothy 4:1 the Holy Spirit explicitly says think of that language it's not used anywhere else in the New Testament in latter days people will fall away from the faith paying attention to deceiving spirits it's happening all over the world right now I can't tell you how many hundreds of people I've sat with taking them fewer steps to freedom submit to God resist the devil walk out with a piece of God guarding in their heart in their mind I can't tell you one today this hearing blasphemous condemning thought that it hasn't been demonic everyone has been for me everyone and the best way to answer that question is did you want to think that thought did you make a conscious choice to think that thought then why do you think it's your orders well I got a chemical imbalance how kind of chemical produce a personality and a thought how could your neurotransmitters randomly fire create a thought that you're opposed to thinking you have a natural explanation for that there isn't one what you'll hear our game antipsychotic medications in the voices stuff well course sorted everything else all you did was narcotized to take the medicine away in his back you haven't fixed the thing you hear me on this this is not just me talking everybody out there is dealing with people are hearing voices but it's just the secular world has just passed this office somehow some natural phenomena it is not people it is not no I could tell you sorry for getting money but I'm running all the time so I go to go on it's you know let me be honest with you this is the eternal battle this is not a game when you read your Bible today it's all about the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God between the truth the lies the father of lies in the spirit of truth and the Christ and the Antichrist it's all a battle in the garden when you go to Revelation what's the end times like it's all back to the Christ Natick Christ again isn't it and we're in that battle whether we like it or not when I went public with my ministry starting in 1994 from 94 for 1990's 94 for years every night before he started a conference three o'clock in the morning I was literally awakened sometimes frightened and 3 o'clock in the morning every night frightened before the conference started and and it's happened to most of you you could feel the pressure in the chest something grabbing your throat tried to say something I couldn't say it if you want to see a basis for that read job chapter 4 tonight same thing happened to him just describing it just like that that is the spiritual attack how do you solve that I tried to call up a name of the Lord but I just felt paralyzed as she can always talk to God in relay because he knows the thoughts intentions of your heart so as soon as you acknowledge God and turned to him submit to God you can resist the devil all you'd have to say is Jesus and stop just like that just like that every church I've done a conference in I've asked something they've had that experience third of the people raised their hand every time in the more high-profile the ministry numbers go way up when I did this to all the leadership at swindles church when he was in Fullerton 250 leaders almost every hand raised we're under attack why does that surprise us we'd be clearly warned that but we have all the protection we need in Christ I like the story of a father driving along a little Volkswagen with his wife two kids in the backseat and Abby comes in the back window and the kids try Mother's be here and dad reaches back and grabs the B and in his hand and the Stinger goes into his hand and then he releases the B dad the B's loose kids look at my hand Christian Jesus is saying look at my hand look at my side look at my feet I took the sting folks he died on the cross for that and you got some kind of visitation in your room at night don't you want to know that you have the authority to deal with that this is not some obscure doctrine it's all ephesians 1 and 2 it's all the value being seated with Christ in the heavenlies we're in a spiritual battle if you can't see it I don't know what is I could show you how about the first page of your paper next Sunday and the church folks limps along is though we have no authority to deal with these kind of an issues I've been asked by groups of pastors in Southern California I'm gonna speak to next week I said I shouldn't let me talk about they said evil really in our culture I mean it's interesting because there's all kinds of evil things going on but I said there is no evil with our personhood evil didn't cause that evil as a result how many times you said the Lord's Prayer and said deliver us from evil you know what every foreign translation says delivers from the evil one there's a definite article before the word evil and all your early church writers if you look at evening weather their commentaries all said that and somehow was taken that out of our vocabulary I don't understand that folks but here's the evil one and we're in that battle and fear is going to be part of that battle whether you like it or not and our our goal is to help people truly repent submit to God and resist the devil walk off and that's our goal and you can do that folks without ever losing control ever losing control you can just deal with the person it's a repentance process 2nd Timothy 2:24 and we'll do the best we can to help you if we can fear of God is the interesting one why do we fear God it's uh we point out an interesting thing about freeing God scuse me of just for a second in Isaiah chapter 8 it says thus the Lord spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the ways of this people saying you are not to fear what they fear or to be in dread of it it is the Lord of Hosts whom you should regard as holy he shall be your fear he shall be your dread then he becomes a sanctuary Isaiah 8 why what two attributes does God have he's omnipotent and he's omnipresent that's what makes him the ultimate fear object he's the ultimate throne of the authority of the universe I Psalm 34 says the soft the Lord in the answer me delivered me from all of my fears those who look to him a radiant and their faces shall never be ashamed this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles the angel of the lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them o taste and see that the Lord is good one of the questions that comes up and it's a legitimate question by the way of can you worship God and fear him at the same time well perfect loved is cast off fear because fear involves punishment and that punishment that we deserved has already fallen on Christ I remember years ago as a kid on the farm and and went to country school for six years and went into towns who caught the bus we had a program called religious day instruction every Tuesday afternoon the classes were shortened you could go to the Church of your choice and you didn't have to go to study hall so it wasn't for us but I went to the Church of my mother's choice and and one nice fall day I thought I want to skip it so I skipped it and I thought I got away with it I caught the bus about went home and next day the principal called me in and he read me up left him down right I mean this guy looked like Hitler even I mean it's really a tough guy and and he said I've arranged for you to be off Thursday and Friday are you kidding me expelled from school for two days for skipping religious day instruction I was not looking forward to going home I was concocting little plans pretend like you're sick for two days didn't think I could get away with it my sister would rat on me so pretend I went to school and hide the woods now I can do that so I knew I had to face my medicine and I knew who to go to that would be my mother because there would be some mercy there and so a mom I said I got kicked out of school for two days for skipping religious day instruction well and a smile came in her face O'Neal I forgot to tell you I called the school the other day nasan because he could be off Thursday Friday to help us pick corn now if you've done something wrong you don't want to face the authority figure right that's how most Christians are they walk around on grass glass waiting for the you know the hammer to fall upon us you know and I said Christians the hammer fell it fell on Christ you're not a sinner in the hands of an angry god you're a saint in the hands of loving God who called you to come before his presence with confidence both boldness with your house wrinkle clean if I knew about that what I'd read it going home are you kidding me out and ran up that Lane my mama down how you doing but I didn't know that and so I was afraid to face them but I'll tell you what when you see God you're gonna look in the face of pure love folks pure love pure righteousness pure light I'm looking forward to it I'll be honest with you in my age you got to ask something to look forward to and I listen to this just for a second perfect love this fast cast off fear because fear involves punishment that punishment is already falling on Christ and yet the fear of the Lord is is the beginning of wisdom and and there is a Bema seat judgment I'm gonna have to stand before God someday given account for every deed done in the flesh whether good or bad and and that's not for for punishment going to hell that's essentially it's for rewards as I understand it I said but that accountability really does that you know have an effect on me because fear is a powerful motivation and there's nothing bigger in my life to motivate me more than I want to stand before God someday and hey him say a limp Enya jerk I want him to say well done good and faithful servant don't you I want to have a legacy behind me I want to be able to say thank you for being faithful all these years to the truth and the trusted that I gave to you but listen to me loving God and fearing God are not mutually exclusive do you lost someone who's always truthful you love that person do you love someone who is big enough to protect you from your enemies do you love someone who has the means and desire to supply all your needs do you love someone who forgives you when you sin accept you for who you are those you want conditionally do you love someone who can ensure that justice is done in the end do you love someone who volunteers to serve your sentence when you're found guilty do you love someone who cares enough to discipline you so that you don't miss out on your rewards do you love someone who sets you free and enables you to become all that you were created to be suppose that someone is so holy majestic that the befall in this presence would require a resurrected body and all those who are privileged to see him can't stop singing his praises for as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is the loving kindness towards those who fear him just as your father asked compassion on his children though the lord has compassion on those who fear Him do you love God with all my heart because I love truth I love justice I love gentleness I love meekness I love it everything about him he's my father he's my god he took my place afraid of him no but I'm highly motivated to want to please him Paul says making sure ambition to live your life to please God don't play for the grandstand play for the coach folks change your life I come across something some time ago that kind of surprised me I mean how many people struggle with a fear of failure that I had to dig into that one and a little bit because I have to confess it hasn't really been a major struggle for me in my life but I remember doing a doctor ministry class that at Denver seminary and have everybody fill out a little form beforehand I'm taking this class because and one of the sentence completions was the thing I fear the most is 17 out of 17 they said in different ways but 17 out of 17 of a pastor's essentially said fear of failure and I looked at that and I said how come nobody said fear of God and the motorboat came on but but but but but but but but but I said well now think about that for a moment folks because if you're motivated not to fail that's not the same motivation to succeed that's like stick in your car and reverse is slamming on the brake you're not going to get very far that way everybody lumps likes the security of the trunk but truth of the matter is all the fruit is out on the edge of the limb somewhere along the line faith is a risk it's the risk that we all take it's a risk we should be willing to take to be a faithful person in the steward of God I've read a couple autobiographies I did years ago about Teddy Roosevelt what an interesting character that guy was I mean he was kind of a pot-bellied guy had poor eyesight but he just did some of the most incredible daring stuff he left this little legacy it's not the critic who counts nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of Deeds could have done better the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood who strives valiantly who airs and comes short again and again who knows the great enthusiasms the great devotions and spends himself and he worthy cause Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that he place shall never be with those who are cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat one guy Rose said to laugh is to risk appearing a fool to weep is to risk appearance sentimental to reach out for another is to risk involvement to expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self to place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss to love is to risk not being loved in return to live is to risk dying to hope is to risk despair to trys to risk failure but risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk Fein the person who risked nothing does nothing has nothing is nothing he may avoid suffering and sorrow but he cannot learn feel changed grow or live chained by a certitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom only a person who risks is free how do you define failure the stumble and fall is not failure the stumble and fall again is not failure failure comes when you say we are pushed that failed to give up again to make a mistake is not failure unless you fail to learn from it my life verses in proverbs 24:16 the righteous fall seven times but they get up again the difference between the winner of the losers the winner got up one more time than the loser did and this famous executive was retiring and you had quite a legacy left behind him and this young executive is going to take his place and says sir how do you account for your great success he said no mistakes whoa how do you get to the point where you make no mistakes a lot of experience what kind of experience a lot of mistakes true isn't it it's true it's true we're a success you know when Johnson was going to the promised land he said if you only keep the word of my mouth and keeping meadow Hindi not you will have success wherever you go and then you will prosper I said how would I understand success because you can be a complete failure and in the eyes of the world and complete success in the eyes of God the world could look at Jesus and call him a failure if they didn't understand what he did you know well nice job but you died on the cross but I finished the work he called me to do and but you can be a complete success in this world a complete failure is nice of God I think it's descending order in this way I think success really begins if you really want to be successful in God's eyes I said then know God in His ways I count everything but rubbish the part they're balancing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord if you know God in His ways that's the only thing you can boast in Jeremiah and 1st Corinthians 1 said let him bow boast boast of this Li the understanding knows me the second is is to become the person God created you to be that is God's will for your life there is nobody on this planet there is nothing thing nothing that can keep you from being the person God created you to be but yourself deeply believe that this is God's will for your life your sanctification it's being before doing maturity before ministry character before career focused on becoming the person God has created you to be and then things start to open up and thirdly be a good steward of the time telling the treasures that God has trusted to you I heard that last end of Pompeo speech this morning and that was alluding to the talents that his God has given to us and just take what God has given to it and big good steward of that take what time God has given you what Treasury's given to you use it to the glory of God you do that folks you'll be successful and there's nobody out there you can keep that from happening but ourselves and I'm my time doing here terrible anyway let's let's take a look at this thing because phobias are irrational I mean the word is given to us right there it's an irrational fear if that's the case then somewhere along the line I'm believing a lie are you with me that's really true see the problem it is is how do we get at that you will not solve the phobia essentially if you don't deal with a lot you can't deal with the effect it's the cause behind it there's something I'm believing that's not true that's why as truth assess is free I remember us up in another country I'll just say this God want to identify the person but I started at a conference and this really attractive 40 year old lady comes up turned out she had five businesses she said can I have a some personal time with you the Spirit of God said not alone and so pastor was there and I said he got some time Monday morning he said I do I said would you meet with me and so the three of us met and here's a gal who grew up in a very very prominent Christian home actually very conservative she's got five businesses she's asked to speak in number time she's a pillar of the community actually but she has to sit in the back row of the church because she's agoraphobic they asked her to come places she can't fly she sits in the back row in case she has a panic attack so she would leave and oh oh my folks how do I know the basis for that where did that start from but I can promise you something folks in everything there's always a cause and an effect always the problem is the cause may not be external the cause may start with a lie that you are believing right here and that's why it's very difficult for the secular world they ever uncover those kinds of things because they're not even asking about it and but as a man thinketh in his heart so is he and so all I got to do to trip up your life is just get you to believe a few lies and if you believe a pack of lies you're on the wrong path somewhere can't help but do it there isn't anything that you don't do without first thinking it so here's the control center and so I didn't know what it was basically she's left us to the impression that she's a virgin and I'm just hearing your story I don't judge people so I said would you like to resolve this I always ask that by the way nobody is ever to this day said no I said with your permission I'd like to lead you through these steps to freedom okay I need one cooperation from you if you ask something in your mind right now that's supposed into what we're saying that we're talking about just share with me all I gotta do is get it off the light just expose it to the light and it'll just stop and uh and you'll never lose control with that person if they're willing to do that and so we went through it I mean she's lived a very responsible life she's she's a neat lady and we're going through real good there's a place in there where they pray and ask the Lord to reveal to the mind every sexual use of their body as an instrument of unrighteousness Romans chapter 6 says if you do that you're gonna allow sin to reign in your mortal body so she got to that point she prayed the prayer and she said well it's not like 200 or something I said well honey we're here to help you we're not here to condemn you I'll came 6 Affairs now Frank I would be willing to bet you my next year salary cuz I don't have one that she came to that session I'll share anything with these two men but I won't share that I would bet you that's how she came now that didn't come from me and she wasn't sharing that just to share it she was sharing it to resolve it and all came six Affairs I renounced having sex with so-and-so I asked God to break that bond because if you join yourself to harlot you become one flesh and then she gave her body to God as a living sacrifice why are we urged by God to do that for that reason you do that first Romans 12:2 then you can do the next verse be transformed by the renewing of your mind but if you're trying to wheat when this sexual struggle that you're in without breaking the bondage first trying to renew your mind is almost impossible if not impossible well folks you made it through guess what happened to grow a phobia I didn't know that God knew it I don't have a clue surprise me I'm always surprised to be honest with you and so what we do and it's in our steps it's an appendix kind of a thing but I said because frankly going through our sense of freedom seems to resolve almost all of them if there's always that learned aspect of it and so we asked them to pray and the prayers in your worksheet there and ask God to give that guidance open her eyes what is it that I'm believing what's the lie that I'm kind of believing then take a moment to just analyze your own personal life fear is a powerful motivator it's either preventing you from doing what is right or responsible or compelled you to do something that is wrong or irresponsible or prevented you to compromise your witness I mean look at the fear of witnessing today why is that always come up I mean I supposed to share the gospel and be a good witness and here I freeze up in fear if you don't help people get on the fear nobody's going to do it I found that out years ago that's why I'm job training so effective but but anyway take a good look at it do you want to keep living that way I mean you're letting this person terrorize you what is that what power do they have over you what are you given to them and so analyze your your lifestyle what's going on in my life that's keeping me really from living a responsible life or compelling me to live an irresponsible life but I'm going to keep satisfying this boyfriend because he keeps beating me up if I don't keep doing what he wants me to do I mean that's a legitimate fear I understand that but let's start there you know so we can reach to a solution that gets rid of that fear in your life then prayerfully work out a plan of responsible behavior this may take some good counseling by a good friend a good disciple in your life to work out something that says what can I do now that I know is responsible and how can I do that and then determine in advance what your response was going to be depending up on it so don't walk into that blind now I'll give you an illustration in a second finally commit yourself to do it the qtn Akira's commitment I like the story of the Coast Guard where a storm raged up and they were called out to sea and rescue and this young seaman come up to the captain sir we can't go out we'll never come back captain said we must go out we don't have to come back and that became kind of a standard of the Coast Guard which is true this is our responsibility we're going out and so I remember this young girl came to me in the college group one time she said I was talking to my dad in two years I said you want to keep living like that she's afraid of him and we just haven't talked we're living the same house we haven't talked in two years I said you want to keep doing that no what can I do I said so we worked out a plan here's a plan dad comes home tonight I said just say hi dad that's all I asked her to do I'd rather the big assignment just say hi dad and then we worked out what could be response way he'd get mad he could say nothing he can respond to you I said what how would you respond to those three possibilities and then I asked for a commitment I said call me after you do it will you do it I'll do it seven o'clock that night phone rang answered he said hi I asked her to share that the next Sunday in the Sunday School class and another girl came forward her mom had gone through divorce and married a man who wasn't a Christian he moved into the home and she just resented him and hated him and they haven't spoken in two years that man wouldn't even let her eat dinner with him she had to eat dinner in a bedroom by herself and I said have you ever loved and respected that man while she hated him to be honest with you never accepted him you know and had this tension I said you're the Christian she's not he's not the Christian I said why don't you try something when he comes home tonight ask his permission to talk to you I think he could do that what would I say well let's think what you could say you can say I want to ask your forgiveness because I've never accepted you into her home and I haven't loved you so we talked about that a little bit and she was rather than at first but finally she made a commitment I said call me and I found out she actually did it he came home and he met her at the door he said may I please talk to you he's okay he said I want to ask your forgiveness because I've never loved you and never accepted you in their home he goes my god I've got a dollar that amazing how much said that stuff goes on just controlled by fear and suddenly you just kind of step out and work out a plan if you're afraid to find an elevator don't know the Empire State Building and push 99 or whatever I said it has to be somewhat reasonable go to a two-story building open the door walk in and walk out then let the door close and then take the next step but you'll never get over it and if you don't do it if you can't cross that bridge you'll never get over it and tell you across the bridge it won't happen my wife was afraid of flying and she took a fear of flying class and they asked the people there how many think by the fear and your anxiety is helping to keep the plane in the air that's rather irrational isn't it well unfortunately to pass the class he had to get in the plane and I'll be honest with you Denver's not the best place to do that right in the base of the Rocky Mountains it's a rough ride every time but she did it bless her heart she got over it she would say after with that the only time I'll fly is if you're in the plane because you're God's man the plane won't go down fear in it well that was irrational too but folks this is a mega problem it is people are paralyzed by fear all over the world and what I've discovered is is if you want an explanation the book will give it to you if you want transformation and we've included in the book go through the steps we needed an encounter with God that's the fear of God you need to kicked connect with him God hasn't given you a spirit of fear but a power love and a sound mind I don't have to let fear control my life fear will always be here but you go on in spite of it freedom is not the absence of fear freedom is overcoming the fear with trust the trust has to be in God can we do it people god bless you let me pray for you before you go father thank you for your love thank you for your kindness thank you for your presence for your goodness for your justice your mercy your grace everything we have everything why are we all owe to you father I just pray for these people their caregivers they care that's why they're here God give them wisdom let them be tools in your hand to sick cats is free and heal the wounds that the brokenhearted and I pray for them in Jesus name Amen [Applause] thank you for your prayerful support of freedom in Christ ministries all of our content is made possible by you your generous support and financial gifts make these videos in our ministry possible for more information on how to support our ministry please visit

Channel: Freedom In Christ

Views: 7,979

Rating: 4.8910508 out of 5

Keywords: Freedom In Christ, Neil Anderson, freedom, Bible, truth, life, identity, forgiveness, FICM, healing, hope, purpose

Id: W_DDcpnk9hk

Length: 59min 49sec (3589 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 28 2020