Study Notes

FOUNDATION STATEMENT: The enemy tries to pump fear into believers through uncertainty; He’s used statements like “You just never know” & “Some things just happen” and what he’s saying is you can’t be certain.  Fear will take the opportunity to come in through uncertainty.

 

I.      Fear and uncertainty go together

A.    Deuteronomy 28:66-BBE-Your life will be hanging in doubt before you, & day and night will be dark with fears, and nothing in life will be certain: NIV-You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. NLT-Your life will constantly hang in the balance. You will live night and day in fear, unsure if you will survive. NCV-You will live with danger and be afraid night and day. You will not be sure that you will live. NIRV-Your lives will always be in danger. You will be filled with fear night and day. You will never be sure you are safe.

1.       “Hanging in doubt” paints the picture that is hanging by a thread and could fall at anytime and we’re uncertain about that thing

2.      Uncertainty about that hanging thing produces fear where it is concerned

a.      You’ll fear day and night b/c you’re uncertain if you’ll live or die  

B.     Fear comes in through uncertainty; If you are uncertain about what’s going to happen, fear will be the result

1.      If you’re certain you’re going to live, prosper, be in health, and come out victorious in every situation then there’s no reason to fear  

2.      If you’re uncertain that you’re going to live, going to prosper, going to have success and be victorious fear will be there through the uncertainty

C.    Faith and certainty go together – Fear and uncertainty go together

1.      Matthew 14:24-Peter was uncertain and that’s why he was afraid

a.      31-Jesus said why did you doubt (waver)?

2.      Mark 4:35-They were uncertain if they were going to live and they were afraid

3.      Job 3-Job was uncertain concerning his life and kids and that’s why he was afraid

4.      1 Samuel 17-David > certain > no fear; The men of Israel > uncertain > had fear

5.      Numbers 13-They were certain they could possess the land & they had no fear

D.    God answers fear with certainty

1.      Deuteronomy 31:1-You don’t have to be afraid b/c God won’t fail you

2.      Joshua 1:5, 3:10-Joshua is probably having to deal with feelings and thoughts of fear and God gives Him surety and he gets sure

3.      1 Chronicles 28:20- And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

4.       Judges 6:16-And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

5.      2 Samuel 9:7-And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

II.     Uncertainty is not the will of God

A.    People preach uncertainty like it’s scripture (EX: Well you just never know)

1.      Satan pushes uncertainty b/c u can’t trust God/Word that you’re uncertain about

a.      You show people a scripture & they respond w/ yeah but you just never know

2.      James 4:13

a.      13-They are deciding what they will do making their own plans

b.      14-You don’t know what tomorrow will bring so how can u make decisions it

c.      14-Likening life to a vapor to reveal the shortness of it not the uncertainty of it

d.      14-In the scope of eternity life is short; too short to do what u want

e.      15-Find out what God’s plan is and do His plan

B.     God wants you certain

1.      Hebrews 10:22-Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

a.      Full assurance-Most certain confidence, fully persuaded & convinced, assured

b.      Wavering-Moving, soft, not firm,

2.      James 1:8-6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 8-AMP-[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, doubting, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, and decides]

a.      Waver-Doubting, staggering, lack of faith

b.      When you are uncertain you cannot receive from God

3.      Eph 5:17-Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is

a.      God doesn’t what you uncertain about what his will is-AMP-firmly grasping it

4.      Romans 4:21-And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform

III.   Our certainty is a result of God backing His word with a blood covenant

A.    A covenant is like a contract in that binds a person to do what he said he would

1.      A person said with his mouth he would do it; a contract binds him to what he said

B.     Genesis 15-Through certainty from God Abraham came out of fear 

1.      1-Abraham must be battling fear in some way if God addressed him w/, “Fear not”

a.      2-He’s uncertain about “how” and “if” this is going to happen

2.      8-He’s battling fear because he’s uncertain

3.      9-12-God’s answer for his uncertainty was to cut a blood covenant

a.      In our day we use contracts in their day they used blood covenants; blood covenants are much stronger than contracts b/c the only way out is death

b.      God gave Abraham His Word, but now He’s going to back His Word with a blood sworn oath/contract so Abraham can be certain

4.      13-God told him to know certainly or of a surety

a.      Be certain you’ll have seed, they’ll be taken care of, & be certain about ur life

5.      Heb 6:13-God swore by himself-If He’s lying He’s dying; He can’t die, so he can’t lie

C.    Hebrews 6:17

1.      16-When men swear by the greater it’s certain, they do what they swore to

a.      There’s no contradiction; what that man says he’ll do won’t contradict what he actually does

b.      When man swears my the greater, that’s the end of the discussion

2.      17-God has an abundant desire to show us the unchangeableness of His Word so He guaranteed it with a blood covenant so that we could be certain and sure about what He promises and in turn be free from fear

3.      18-God’s word and His Covenant make it impossible for him to lie because it’s impossible for Him to die and He swore by Himself

4.      18-His word and His covenant give us strong encouragement to take hold up an white-hot expectation that His word is coming to pass

5.      19-That hope anchors my soul (where fear tries to work)

a.      I’m not fearful or worrisome about what God promised because I’m certain that it will come to pass just the way He said it and I’m certain because he secured it with a blood covenant

IV.   Our certainty comes from the Word of God and when fear is trying to attack we need to remember God’s Word and the certainty of it

A.    If I can find it in the book I can be certain about it and I have nothing to fear

1.      Can you be certain that God will never die? YES, YES, YES!

2.      Can you be that certain that: you won’t die before your time, you won’t live in lack your whole life, your kids won’t go to hell, you’ll live a long, strong, healed life?

B.     Daniel 3:16-19-Their not careful to answer Him b/c they’re certain God will deliver them