(Rom 10:17 KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
This morning we continue our series entitled, “Re-Energizing Your Prayer Life,” by continuing with our teaching on “The Fear Factor.” Yesterday we laid the foundation for understanding faith. My point was that if you can understand faith, you will be able to understand fear. I have used this same logic when teaching on “The Blessing.” For example, an easy way to get people to understand “The Blessing” is to help them understand a curse. Let’s say you had a cousin named Jimmy. Jimmy was alone at home in his house when all of a sudden a tree came crashing through the roof. There was no storm, no wind, and no clear reason why this happened. The house was damaged to the point where Jimmy had to move out. He moved in with his mother, your aunt Rose. That night a tree came crashing down on Rose’s house, once again, without explanation. So Jimmy and Rose moved in with Rose’s sister (also your aunt) Mona. That night a tree came crashing down on Mona’s house. Do you get the picture? So Jimmy calls you and asks if he and your aunts can move in with you until their houses are fixed. What would you say? Probably No! At least not for Jimmy. Why? Because there is obviously something on Jimmy that is following him everywhere he goes. That is a picture of the opposite of what happens to us when we live “The Blessing” of God.
Let’s use that same logic with faith and fear. We said yesterday that faith is a practical expression of confidence in God and His Word. In other words, faith is an action that is performed because of the confidence one has in God and His Word. I explained that if there is no Word from God to stand on, then we could not really act in faith. However, once we have a Word to hold on to and to set our faith (with corresponding action) in, then we have crossed over from hope to actual Bible faith. We now better understand what Paul said in our focus text when he declared that faith comes by hearing, or receiving, the Word of God. The more you hear the Word of God the more you can build up your faith. Well, fear works the same way. If you repeatedly hear negative words (words not from God), you are going to build up your fear, not your faith. This is why it is critically important that you protect your ear gates.
Let’s say you start reading the Word of God and you see that God wants you to live a long and prosperous life. What will happen? Well, your faith for living long and strong will build. But what if you start reading negative statistics about persons of your race and gender? What if you read that a high percentage of people your age, sex, and ethnic background die at the age of 60? What will do you with that information? What if you then find out that one of your uncles (or aunts) died at 60? Never mind that the cause of death had nothing to do with the previous materials you read. The enemy will use that against you. Why? Because just like faith moves God, fear moves satan. Satan will use anything and everything he can to get you to fear. Once you are afraid you will not—you cannot—come to God in faith, because you have lost your confidence. There is no way to be IN FAITH and IN FEAR at the same time. Fear cancels out your faith, but the good news is that faith cancels out your fear.
So what does this mean to you today? It means the battle is in your mind. If the enemy can get you to be afraid—with a constant barrage of negative information—he can cripple your relationship with God and just about destroy your prayer life. That’s why the Bible tells us 365 times (in some form), not to fear. Once you get over into fear you have stopped trusting God, you have lost your confidence, and you are in no position to pray. So it comes down to this: listen to the right things and you will build up your faith, listen to the wrong things and you will build up your fear. The choice is yours!
Closing Confession: Father, I protect my ear gate and I am careful not to blindly receive negative information that will lead me to fear. I do not meditate on negative things. I am firmly focused on You, Your Word, and Your desire for my life. I do not fear, because I know that You are on me, in me, with me, and for me. You are bigger than anything that could come up against me. You are the strength of my life. Whom shall I fear? I declare that fear has no power over me. NO FEAR HERE! I am rooted in Your love and my confidence is intact. This way I am in a position to pray every second of every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
