Fear is the Faith Killer

Opening questions

• Can you relate to the frustration of trusting God the least when you need him the most?
• How is this currently happening in your life?

Keep your confidence

So do not ·lose [throw away] ·the courage you had in the past [or your confident trust in God; or your boldness], which has a great reward. 36 You must ·hold on [persevere; endure], so you can do ·what God wants [the will of God] and receive what he has promised. 37 For in a very short time, “The One who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 ·Those who are right with me [L My righteous one] will live by faith. But if they ·turn back with fear [shrink back], I [L My soul] will not be pleased with them.”39 But we are not those who ·turn back [shrink back] and are ·lost[destroyed]. We are people who have faith ·and are saved.

Hebrews 10:35-39 (EXB)

The Scriptures implore us not to throw away our courage in difficult times. This verse reminds us of the truth that living courageously is a choice. It has been quoted:

Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.

Unknown

• It takes a conscious decision to keep our courage in times of trial.
• When we stop living by courageous faith in God, we will become controlled by fear.
• What challenges are you currently facing? What fears are you currently facing?
• Are you choosing to exercise courage and faith or have you given into fear?

What fears steal our faith?

Fear of people

if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart [34] because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside—

Job 31:33-34 (NIV)

• Fear makes us focus on people over God
• What sin and guilt do you get afraid to share?
• How will you exercise faith by revealing and dealing with your guilt with God and friends?

Fear of responsibility

So I was afraid. I went and hid your money in the ground. Here is the one bag of money you gave me.’

Matthew 25:25 (ERV)

• The man in this verse was given the responsibility to take care of his master’s money. He responded by giving in to his fear of failure instead of living by faith.
• Similarly, when God gives us responsibility we can respond with faith or live in fear of failure.
• What new responsibilities has God given you?
• How are you working to get the faith you need to confidently handle these new responsibilities?

Anxious fear

Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart.

Proverbs 12:25 (TPT)

To be anxious is to experience worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Anxious fear is the type of fear that affects your mood. The Bible says it can actually make you feel depressed.

• What are your anxious fears?
• Are you persistently taking them to God? Psalm 34:4 MSG says prayer frees us from our anxious fears.
• Are you letting go of them and trusting God to take care of them? 1 Peter 5:7 commands us to cast our anxieties on God.

Destructive substitutes for courage

Wine gives false courage; hard liquor leads to brawls; what fools men are to let it master them, making them reel drunkenly down the street!

Proverbs 20:1 (TLB)

We can replace God-confidence and courage with weak substitutes. This will stunt our ability to exercise true courage which comes from confidence in God.

• Have you gone in search of a destructive substitute for courage?
• What is it and who will you open up with for help getting your God-courage back?

God revives our courage

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)

This scripture teaches that our courage can be revived with repentance. Humble people are honest about their needs. Repentance means turning to God to meet your needs instead of sin.

• Where do you need God’s help being honest about your spiritual needs (sin, fear, sadness, anxiety, etc)?
• What Bible study can you do this week that addresses the needs you are facing?
• Who can you pray with and include in your life for encouragement?