Study Notes

FOUNDATION STATEMENT:  If we can find out how fear operates then we can stop its operation in our lives.  If we know what makes fear work, then we can engage the things necessary to keep fear from working in our lives.

 

I.      How then does fear get into the life of a believer and operate?

A.    You don’t have the spirit of fear (Galatians 3:13, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15)

1.      What causes fear to go into operation?

B.     When Adam was created he wasn’t created with fear in him (Genesis 1:28, 1 Jn 4:18)

1.      Adam was created in God’s image; there’s no fear in God so there’s no fear in him

2.      When Adam disobeyed, fear was the cause of his disobedience

a.      Love obeys God and fear disobeys God (1 John 5:3)

3.      Fear was able to get into Adam’s spirit and go into operation in this perfect place called the Garden of Eden

C.    When you got born again, you weren’t created with fear in you, the same as Adam

1.      Fear has to be fed into your spirit for it to get in you & go into operation in your life

2.      Fear didn’t just show up one day and all of sudden it’s operating in your life

a.      Fear is fed into your spirit and working in your life because you got involved in the principles that put fear into operation

3.      We are redeemed from fear and God has not given us the spirit of fear, however, there are certain things that we must do to walk that out in our lives (Phil 2:12)

a.      There are certain principles, that if you get involved in, you’ll feed the very fear that you’re delivered from back into your spirit and the operation of fear will go to work in your life

D.    Two main principles that feed and develop fear in your life are:

1.      Attending the Words of the enemy---This feeds fear

2.      Living in violation of the commandment of love---This is practicing fear

3.      People who practice these principles will live with highly developed fear that is at the ready; which means you’re quick to act in fear and don’t have to think to do it

II.     There first thing you have to understand about the operation of fear is that fear is a choice

A.    Fear is faith, belief & confidence in Satan to bring misfortune in your life

1.      Faith/belief doesn’t just come on you, it’s a choice you make; you chose to believe something (John 20:25)

2.      Fear is not an emotion or a thought; frightened emotions or fearful thoughts might come, but just because they come doesn’t mean you’re in fear

3.      Evidence that you’re in fear is revealed in what you believe and what you believe is revealed in how you act; when you chose to think, talk, and act in your belief in what Satan is saying then you’re in fear

B.     Fear is a choice you make to believe what the enemy is saying

1.      Because fear is a belief it is therefore a choice

a.      Fear doesn’t just come on you; If you don’t chose to operate in fear, you won’t

2.      U can believe whatever u chose to believe; Nobody can make u believe something

a.      In the worst situation you can chose to believe God and nobody can stop you

b.      You never have to be afraid

C.    You can chose fear or you can refuse fear

1.      Mark 4:35-40

a.      The circumstances spoke to them and they chose to believe what they said

1)      They chose to believe that storm was going to kill them and ruin them

b.      Jesus spoke to them as well, but they chose to not believe what he said

1)      They could have just as easily chose to believe the Words that Jesus spoke, but they chose to put their confidence in that storm

2.      Matthew 14:30

a.      The wind/circumstances spoke and Peter chose to believe what the wind said

1)      Fear didn’t just come on him, he chose it

b.      Jesus spoke too; He said come

1)      Peter could have just as easily chose to believe the words of Jesus, but he chose to put his confidence in that’s wind

3.      Refuse to chose fear

a.      Psalm 23:1-With every opportunity to fear, David makes a decision to not fear

b.      Psalm 3:6-While he was surrounded by ten thousands of people he makes a decision to refuse to fear

c.      Psalm 118:6-He made a decision to not fear

D.    Whether or not you walk in fear is up to you (John 14:1)

1.      Let not-The authority to permit or give permission is in your hands

a.      You can give your heart a permit to be troubled

b.      You can say no heart you’re not allowed to be troubled

1)      You’re mind might want to be troubled, but don’t allow it

c.      You are the one who determines whether or not you walk in fear

2.      Your heart can’t be troubled and believing God at the same time

a.      If your heart is troubled then your belief/faith is not in me it’s somewhere else

b.      He’s revealing to u that u have to make a choice of what ur going to believe

E.     To stop it’s operation refuse to chose it

1.      Refuse to believe in and put your confidence in Satan

a.      I chose to have no faith or confidence in Satan to bring misfortune in my life

2.      You can’t refuse fear, but then get involved in the principles that make it work  

a.      You refuse to chose fear by choosing to refuse to give your mind/attention to Satan’s words (1 Samuel 17:11)

1)      You can’t refuse fear, but chose to spend time with Words that produce it

2)      You’re feeding the thing that you say you don’t want

b.      You refuse to chose fear, by choosing to refuse violating the commandment of love and practicing fear (1 John 4:18)

1)      You can’t chose to violate the love command and try to refuse fear; when chose to violate the command of love you chose fear

2)      You’re practicing the thing that you say you don’t want