God's Spirit or Worldly Fear?

INTRO: This world is angry. It is confused. It is afraid of itself and what it can imagine may happen. WE can be pulled into this false set of the world’s priorities too.

BENEFIT STATEMENT: Are you ever actually or angry at the potential of loss of something? What could you lose that would be more important than God, His Way, His Design for you, His Truth and His LIFE which is given freely so you may become like HIM? What could be more important …to be afraid of?

SPS: We are given what only a precious few have been given throughout the ages. Many great men have desired to look into HOW to understand what God is doing. God’s Spirit or Worldly Fear?

BODY:

1. God’s Children are not led in fear. If we are suspicious, accusative, judgmental, angry, depressed, confused …we are afraid of something. That is not of God.

NKJ 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

To have understanding about practical matters and thus be able to act sensibly - 'to have sound judgment, to be sensible, to use good sense, sound judgment…. It is also possible to understand swfronismo,j in 2 Tm 1.7 as moderation and sensible behavior.

  NRS Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"

The common denominator of both of these passages is “a spirit of fear.”

Romans 8:14 implies that we once lived in fear and promises us through His Holy Spirit an intimate relationship with God our Father.

1. God expects our worship and respect of HIS  Perfect Life-Giving Righteousness. When we neglect this great Gift of Life and Truth, we are sinning against the Great God and therefore rightfully should be wary of death. BUT that is not the state we are given within God’s Family.

NET 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love.

NLT 1 John 4:18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

1. There IS reason to have fear …in the world, and of the world. But we are NOT of the world any longer and therefore not under the condemnation of being in rejection of God’s Superiority.

NLT Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

CONCLUSION:

• God’s Children are not led in fear.
• God expects our worship and respect of HIS  Perfect Life-Giving Righteousness
• There IS reason to have fear …in the world, and of the world. We are Not of the world

CLOSE: Since we NOW Live by God’s Spirit, we are no longer to be OF worldly fear!

• God’s Spirit offers life and peace not fear.
• The spirit of the world leads to death and fear (opposite of peace).

Romans 8:12-19 (NKJV) 12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17  and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

God puts the CHOICE before us. Choose HIM and His Leadership and Superior WAY , or choose fear …and ultimate total separation from HIM and HIS Way …death. Choose Life