OVERCOMING FEAR IN FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION!

By Dr. John Musser – Missions Strategist

HOW FEAR CAN HOLD YOU BACK FROM GOD’S WILL AND FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY IN MISSIONS!

If you are any kind of student of the Bible you will quickly learn that God does NOT want His people to fear the power of evil. In fact, a prominent scholar wrote that there are 365 “fear nots” in the word of God, one for each day of the year!

Some things are brought out repetitiously in the word. God calls and commands us to face evil eye to eye. People do not like to hear this but scripture from Genesis to Revelation bears this out. If you will ever be used of God and stay in His service, you will have to learn who you are in and through Christ and face your greatest fears.

Take a short journey and reflect upon those who faced their greatest fears: Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and Joshua; then Daniel in Babylon (the seat of evil at the time), and Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem during times of trouble. Consider the disciples who Jesus called “lambs among wolves”; and Paul who was delivered “from the lion’s mouth”. Church history down through the ages, even to the very days we live in bears this out: God does not use fearful people in significant ways. Faith is the daring of the soul!

“If the enemy can get you to fear him he will in time control you.” Please let this sink into your minds and hearts.

Elisabeth Elliot said:

“Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us.”

One man said that 90% of our fears are in our imaginations and are NOT real. If allowed, these thoughts can bring emotional pain and anguish leading to physical weariness and even sickness.

Our Father judges His people when they fall into fear. It’s one thing to have a moment or short season of fear, but when it becomes a lifestyle and it is affecting you one way or another, know this: God will work on you to get you to release your fears.

Fear is an affront to God! He is the master of the universe and owner of Earth, the One who reigns supreme, the One who sits upon the circle of the earth, the One who holds all things together by the word of His power (Col. 1:17).

WARS ARE WON BY FEAR TACTICS

Wars are won by fear tactics alone. As an old roaring lion, the enemy will attempt to get you to back off from God’s will one way or another. Fear is his best shot. The closest audible voice I ever heard was when I was going on the most dangerous mission trip of my life at that time. I was on my way to the great mission field of northern Nigeria into the devil’s stronghold of Islam. Two thousand Christians had just been martyred. God called me to go and minister to hundreds of leaders. The devil said to me, “I will kill you if you go to Kano.”  My secretary had a spirit of fear and told me not to go. I got my insurance policy up to date and went. God opened the windows of heaven! Great revival broke out resulting in thousands coming to Christ for the next ten years in Kano and surrounding countries. A mission base was formed that led to the finding of the last of the Stone Age People of Kano and the winning of a fierce cannibal tribe in the Mubi Hills to Christ. Even kings were deeply touched along with entire tribes.

When the spies in Moses time came back with fear, God released his judgment swiftly, especially after they had just witnessed the miracles of Egypt. God had a plan for His people but they gave into fear. Only two men did not give into fear, Caleb and Joshua. God uses the fearless! The fearless fear God, not the enemy.

JOSHUA’S SPIRITUAL SECRET OF SUCCESS OVER FEAR IS OURS TODAY!

In Joshua chapter 1, God spoke to Joshua and repeatedly told him to be strong and of good courage, to not be afraid. Here we have the Lord’s remedy to handling fear:

He told Joshua to be courageous, walk into the roar, so to speak, with His word flowing from the heart. “But this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but therein you shall meditate day and night.” Joshua 1:8.

God said to the military commander, saturate your mind and heart with My Word to the point of overflow. Don’t talk doubt, don’t talk defeat, don’t talk fear, just speak My Word!

Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Are you in faith or fear? You can’t be in both. Faith cannot dwell in the same heart with fear, one will have to go. One will in time overcome the other.

In the last couple years, I have witnessed a spirit of fear coming upon God’s people like never before. It’s affecting their service for Christ, their giving to great commission projects, and their daily lives, not realizing they are in a dangerous trap set by the enemy who will not stop.

I’m very concerned for them. This is why we are preparing a series of messages that will help you to use the very same remedy God gave to Joshua when he confronted demon-infested lands full of giants, fallen angels, and demigods.

PRE-SIGN UP FOR RENEWING OF THE MIND ONLINE TEACHING SERIES.

Make sure you keep in touch with us and sign up for our “Renewing of the Mind” series that will be released soon.  I started a lecture in 1985 and we are now breaking it down in bit-sized readings.

Dr. John H. Musser

Missions Strategist