Nothing to Fear - Unsettling Times | Unshakable Faith

So let's talk about fear. Jesus turned and saw her. He said to the man, take heart, son, your sins are forgiven. The stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. For where two or three gather my name, there am I with them. He came toward Jesus, but when he saw the wind, now here we go. The last one I thought, apparently it's rare, but it should be one maybe we all consider. Jesus said to the centurion who had a very ill servant, go, let it be done just as you believed it would, and just as you believed it would, and his servant was healed at that moment. but I don't want to mess you up. So it's Jesus model for prayer. This has uh got a light end up, believe it or not, a pattern for powerful praying. Right away, you've lifted yourself out of the situation you're in, and you have entered the throne room of the God of heaven. You want me to take your books for you? the diseases. So he lifted the backpack, no big deal for him, and uh and uh and he said, how's that honey bear? got something else planned for tonight. Some men brought to a paralyzed man lying on the mat. It is a sin to a child of God. Twelve spies come back. Oh Yeah. No more phobia. He said, courage is not the absence of fear. It is not the absence of fear. You are now, you have a perspective that is from eternity just by saying our Father in heaven. From the church. On a regular basis. Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. These disciples have just seen a leper healed. And immediately fear leads to sinking. And we know immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, but here we go. When they climbed into the boat and the wind died down, then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God. You may not think worry is that big a deal spiritually. Classic example. And it's done. The Dow Jones will not decide what happens. Here's a troubling little incident we'll wrap up with. Yeah, then death, then public speaking. There's, oh my goodness, a rockabutyurephobia. I very seldom, I don't know if ever, made a good decision out of fear. God's telling you to do something. and plowed into those beaches, snipers on the cliffs above, landmines all across the beach I like this. So we go to the book of Matthew, where it's there a lot. of a kingdom life. And the woman was healed. Let it be done to you. And you ask us what our trust is in, we would have said, well, what do you think? Is it just a little, dear God, thank you for this day, thank you for your many blessings. That had better be where your prayer starts. Doug and Anna were still on the reservation and she's going through the living room. Very intellectual four-year-old. until she left it with him and let him carry it. Persisting in prayer is part of its power. Well, since he's a father, all I can do is compare it to my father experience. And all three come and say, Daddy, please, we all want to go to McDonald's. Brad, why don't you go to ask dad? So there's this Midwestern town that somehow has maintained staying dry from alcohol. At least 11 times in the book of Matthew, it says, do not be afraid, do not be afraid, do not be afraid. But Jesus was sleeping. He replied, you have little faith. They have seen demons cast out, literally running at the command of Jesus. I tell the big storm, I tell the storm how big my God is. How big your God is. You know what causes, I believe, little faith? Whew. Focus on your storm and you're going to be underwater. So why don't you do this? So do not worry. It means going to pieces. But Jesus says about Martha, who by the way, is busy serving Jesus and missing Jesus while she's serving him. When Jesus says this, here's his diagnosis. Fear focuses on the size of your problem. You've got to answer all my fears. We are faced with choices for which we don't have the answers. You should be having that conversation with that person. Is the monster you fear is going to be a bigger monster? This is one of my favorite stories in Matthew and all the Gospels. Oh you of what? Just as you believed it would. Why don't you put in there even the fruit obeys him? Oh, yeah, you want to meet his brothers? He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine Feel little uh butterflies? I'll tell you an interesting statement I read. And you know where faith plants its feet? And however the circumstances seem to be going, whatever the odds appear to be, whatever the doctor says, whatever the Dow Jones says, whatever my my kids are doing right now, I plant my feet on promises. And um literally the night before the bar was supposed to open, it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. After freaking out. What would one of them be? Phobophobia is the fear of fear. No, no, Jesus has the authority. And that battle is all the way through, the book of Matthew. Going in for the rescue. Now, how do you exercise faith? You go to heaven and talk to God and how fervent your prayers are. It's your prayer. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day your daily bread and forgive us our debts and we'll get to that in a minute, but leave your needs in his hands. Knock and the door will be open to you. So expect the supernatural and ask yourself, am I just praying for something man-sized or am I praying for something God-sized? The word afraid is used 18 times. The opposite of faith is fear. Almost a denial of what they've seen in the power of Jesus. I say faith is like a fitted sheet. And they start to say, you know, I know why he's talking like this. Come, he said. Has been your fear. The pagans do that. If they do not labor or spin, if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow, and it's thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you? You don't have to, it's in the ear, you don't have to we won't be tested on this material. Is when Martha, remember? There's no way we can we don't we cannot do that promised land is not a very good promise we can't do it Joshua and Caleb go wait a minute we serve the living God What's the difference? Story. The great missionary pioneer, Hudson Taylor, said there are three stages in a miracle Because fear today, in light of chapter 1, volume 2, fear had its way in volume 1 too many times. That maybe that isn't where here's how you find out where your trust is. So I try to write down what does this teach us? Well powerful praying starts out with, number one, the person you're praying to, our Father in heaven. Secondly, it leaves your needs completely in his hands. You walk into the throne room of God and you're all stooped over, carrying the burden of your health, your family, your marriage, your business. Because you didn't just, God doesn't need to be informed. So that so you you you leave your needs with him, then you persist. Lord, would you please seek? We got the first step here. I've had many fear flops in my life. Who does that? They have seen that centurion servant dying of a fever, healed from a distance. That's for fear, sabotage is faith. Do you not understand? In what? But I just want to say this. Add a single hour to your life? And it certainly distracts you from Jesus. Satan literally uses worry to steal away the word that God just sowed. We have so many questions we can't answer about the leadership center. Now if I tell one go, he goes. Which one do you want to be? Or you want to you want to amaze Jesus with your faith? He says, you know, we wonder sometimes why God didn't answer our prayer. He would have because of their lack of faith. What else? Zirko and then number 10, fear of getting old. That is the fear of long words. Deadly diseases. Or maybe more personal. Fear not is the most common command in the Bible. Jesus is king. They know many, it is a fact. You look at the book of Acts and look at what Peter and John are told to shut up and not talk about Jesus anymore by the Sanhedrin who just crucified Jesus. That would scare you. Have been making decisions out of fear. Let's take a look at some examples. Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light My words will never pass away. And your servant loves them. And the collapse of so much financially, major institutions. And then we found out where our trust really was. No? And how fervent is your praying? Now the Lord taught us powerful prayer. For a while she was carrying what she didn't need to carry. And uh so mom says it's a casserole. So part of the powerful praying, remember that is how you exercise faith is to bring others into that prayer effort with you. With instructions. And finally the judge announced his ruling, but he preceded it by saying this. For apparently, we have an atheist who believes in the power of prayer and a bunch of church folks who don't. Sometimes I don't either, but this time I do. That fourth corner is a bear, man. And they let so afraid, quote, in Jesus' words, become little faith, haven't we all? You don't know anybody who's ever walked on water. is to go past the fear that's kept you from telling some people you know about Jesus. Now by the way, in the book of Matthew, Jesus addresses fierce powerful ally. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you'll be devoted to the one and despise the other. You are so busy doing stuff for Jesus, you lose touch with him. Well why not worry? The ten guys win. Prayer is ultimately much more about who you are talking to than what you are asking for. Prayer is much more about who you are talking to than what you're asking for. It may even change what you're asking for if you think of the Lord to whom all authority belongs in heaven and earth. Faith says we're going ahead because we know who does. But you put it off because of fear. And my servant will be healed. With such great faith. It acts on the basis that no matter the size of the need or the challenge, Jesus will have the final word. My bank balance will not decide what happens. With confidence that my king will prevail, for he has exusia. greater than any power that exists in the thing I fear. But we can trust him for an outcome. Do you believe that I am able to do this? Stage one is impossibility. I taught our grandkids there are three ways to get pretty power up for your mouth. Has failed. medical whatever and you walk in all like this if you walk out like that you told God about it just like Noelle said yeah daddy this is heavy well I didn't help her I don't fear it. Hippopodo Mono Tro's equipped a dali opophobia. You miss opportunities because you're afraid and you don't you you just stop and you freeze. I love Joshua 23, 14. Psalm 119 says, all your promises have been thoroughly tested over and over and over again. How do you know if you really trust in the Lord? You want to know, you know, trust in the Lord with all your heart. And then prayer expects the supernatural. Their faith couldn't cover the whole deal. Lord, if it's you, Peter replied, with his usual impulsiveness, tell me to come to you on the water. But you may be Jesus may be asking you right now to take a bold new step that is your equivalent of walking where there's no visible means of support Worry. Worry, what you read in the Bible this morning that meant so much to you can literally be negated and neutralized by worrying an hour later. suffering terribly. I say to my servant, do this. And their little faith. Matthew 8. Jesus asks you that question. Another gospel tells us that when he came to town, the people said, oh, we know Jesus. And you can dare to go to him for an outcome that is unthinkable, unimaginable, and seemingly impossible. According to the power that works in us. Because you're afraid of what will happen if you stop doing it. Yes, I'm afraid, but it won't decide what I do. Or our faith will overwhelm our fears. But is it overwhelming your faith? With someone who has control over all the outcomes as your savior, it is actually the most reasonable response to something we're afraid of. You don't plant your feet in your circumstances. Well, a enterprising guy who happened to be an atheist decided that he would build um there wasn't laws actually, so he was legally able to build a bar, a tavern across the street. Well, believe it or not, the owner sued the church for causing the burning down of his business. How about that fourth corner? Made you less capable of handling the situation. It distresses. And she's miserable. Now, authority is the fuel of faith. It's faith in a person. Fourth is spiders, rats, snakes, and roaches. That empowered the early Christians to be world changers. By the frequency and the fervency of your praying. And uh Noelle, it's just she loves it when I mentioned her. And so they want to go to McDonald's. That touches the father's heart. You forget the divine amazings that you have already seen. He can't handle their storm, of course. You have little faith. Let me make a comment out of the original Greek. But he's asking to step out where there is no security. Will be given to you. What this word says is it's loaded in the Greek. That's one of the problems with worry. And isn't it interesting it comes right after that no man can serve two masters thing? Now the thing you're worried about is really mastering you. He knows what you need. That's why when you focus on the size of your problem, that's why you probably start your prayer with praise so you remember who you're talking to. He is an officer in the oppressing army. You've been around Jesus a long time. Stage three, it's done. with the faith that he deserves, the faith he has earned by his faithfulness. of some unimaginable breakthroughs. Excuse me, that was fairly wimpy. Because your authority has fueled our faith. In fact, in some surveys, it's number one, ahead of death, people would rather die than speak in public. I'm one. Matthew, Jesus is talking to some of those blind men, and he asks them this question. And you act as if those promises are your engine for your decisions. I have been. Forty years no promised land, and 40 years of wilderness, and for most of them never the promised land. So um what do we got? decides the outcome for a child of God. We have a love that's in trouble. I just came across this last week. Fear is a reaction. The dear God prayers. Prevent it. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. God, if we knew what God knows, we would answer our prayer the same way. Paralyzes hell and changes earth. If volume two is going to be bolder, more significant, make a greater difference, touch more lives, we cannot let fear be the deciding factor. And that is a conscious, deliberate, intentional choice to say, what does God promise about this? You know the security of your boat. What's your big what's the big what's the big hairy intimidating thing right now All these years with me? Sometimes I'll just turn to somebody in the family and go 320. We have been spending our days here in the presence and the and the majesty and the rule of King Jesus Or is it, oh Lord? So the Lord's prayer, disciples' prayer, uh is in uh Matthew chapter 6. But there is a never-ending battle in the life of everybody here. Well the words faith and believe, mostly faith, in the book of Matthew are used 23 times. You know what's going on here? But just say the word. Because the fear has been bigger than you to us. And as the representatives, the the the picture windows of his kingdom here to which you will respond with an outcome that for all our experience and all our smarts and all of our trying and our nagging and our worrying we have not been able to do. Take heart, daughter, he said, your faith, this is the woman with the issue of blood, your faith has healed you. That's okay. So, um, not a true story as far as I know. Well you know why faith is like a fitted sheet? For I'm a man under authority. Our daring act of faith away from our miracle But it will be based on the fact that your Lord has all authority in heaven and earth and he decides your outcome. He will decide the outcome. Did you know there's an awful cost sometimes to a failure of faith? Lord, we got mounds that need moving. We need a son or daughter to come home to you. We need a child who's making bad decisions and has a hard heart. Say the word, Lord, and change the hearts. Any other guesses? I've had it happen to me. I can do it. The Jews are Cadisparnia about ready to go into the Promised Land. The church was very unhappy. Don't you remember the loaves for the 5,000 and how many basketfuls you gathered? Oh yeah, fear. 16 says, he drove out the spirits with a word. That was faith bigger than the fear, though there was a whole lot to fear Here's the second one. Let's go to Matthew 8. We all we all kind of bust Peter because he's like, ah yeah, but he sank. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Your biggest fear will obey him. Lord, I pray you'd release a lot a new kind of faith in us. How often do you literally, God is your first response, you intentionally throw yourself on him and say, you got this God, I don't. I can I and and she's like, no, that first firstborn. Seems like that sometimes. May we have daring faith and fear we do not let win We pray in the name that moves heaven. I'm there. It's faith that outweighs the fear and is decisive instead of the fear being decisive. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water. Ten of them go, hey we can't do this. It's superior being without your mobile phone. trusted him the least. So he goes back, reports back, they uh Lisa and Doug have a conference and now Lisa the oldest dispatches the two brothers Instead of seeking what your worry is having you trying to do, seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all the things you're worrying about because you seek first the kingdom He says go, you say no, because you're afraid. And they were healed. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done. His cousins are right over here. Notice? You have little faith. Say, what shall we eat? Ten guys are comparing the size of them to the size of the giants. Jesus said to him, well, do you want me to come and heal him? You bet they were afraid. Number one, faith is the trigger of the supernatural. You see, faith triggers the supernatural. No, I can I can do I can do it, Daddy. And she's carrying all these books and she's like all stooped over. Martha is busy serving and she's like, Mary is a lazy bomb. And his servant was healed at that moment. Yeah, let's talk about fear. Enter his courts with praise and thanksgiving, remember? Okay. Worry is like fear's great ally. Have you ever seen worry change the situation? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. And that the miracle will be based on one thing. That's how to measure where your trust is. Matthew 16. Therefore, do not worry. Um you may have a struggling child, I know some do. They know now. Remember the disciples said teach us to pray? Now, I don't want to humanize God on this thing. Don't you think so? I don't know what you're saying. Plant your feet on the promises. They don't know to trust me. And he said to those following him, I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel. I'll tell you what, this is faith that proceeds boldly Next variant. Fear should have no authority over us. And the book of Matthew has got plenty of them, but it happens over and over again in Matthew's gospel. Those instructions don't help. Here we go. You know a lot about him. They run back to the Christian community. What's the reason not to worry? And do you know where that lack of faith lands them? Every promise has been fulfilled. You are worried, Meramnao, about many things. That's your security. For I myself, this is so key guys, this has been life-changing for me, this particular. Now that might be a good one. Fear is the saboteur of faith. Um let's um how about we put some hair on it? Here we go with that kingdom, that connection of heaven and earth, living in the kingdom of earth, but living out the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus immediately said to them, take courage. The election will not decide what happens. What the doctor told you or what you're afraid of every year. And let me tell you, it's an antidote to fear. Or you wake up early. No joy. I say the word. Snakes. He said, fear is a reaction. Faith is a trigger of the supernatural. In fact, you know what Jesus said in one of his parables in Matthew? They don't know which ones. One of Karen's favorite verses, maybe yours, trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean out on your understanding, Proverbs 3. Notice the word says they were overwhelmed. Faith is like a fitted sheet. And Jesus says, you need to sit down and do the more important thing and sit at my feet and listen, like Mary is. A lot of these people are doing it. We trust in God. You know that. It happened on D-Day. She had a father who had carried for her. Look at Matthew 18, verses 19 and 20. Do I hear amen? Something that was together is now apart. You should have that confrontation, even though it's scary. I get authority. Fear of germs. It's almost a tie. We learn a lot from these examples. It couldn't cover that. They're in their own category. I thought, what's the deal here? And so Brad comes in and uh he knocks on the door and says, Daddy, we want to go no honey, I know. That might be a bold step. Faith proceeds, not having the answers, but knowing he does. He is Lord of the outcomes. Faith is a decision. Write this in your notes. And we know that day he exactly, ultimately was healed. This is more and more persistent prayer They were expecting the supernatural. The disciples went and woke him saying, Lord, save us. And why do you worry about clothes? He does it. What? It paralyzes you emotionally, certainly clouds your judgment It's a testimony of many who was here. You see, um, you know where that word shows up It splits you into pieces, it divides your focus It's a fearsome time to be a parent. If your trust is in God, you know how you're going to express it? Okay, now I'm pursuing this. I don't know why that's not a favorite answer to a lot of kids, especially boys. Now he didn't say no faith, I'm glad, because they at least did turn to him You maybe not get to sleep because you're overwhelmed by it. You mean you want the sheet to be tight, but this is crazy. Spiritual amnesia. Well we got that faith is the trigger of the supernatural, fear is the saboteur of faith. Whatever you fear, put it in there. We'll see some examples tonight. You don't plant your feet in your feelings. And forgive us our debts, as we've also forgiven our debtors. Why are you so afraid? Literally, that dread disease disappeared from a man's body. You want to be the disciple with little faith where fear wins? Can't have a miracle if it's not impossible. That's kind of on here. This isn't going to sync with the Almighty Savior on here. Why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Three times. Worry divides, it distracts. Yes, that's they say, well, that's really not a promise. How do you activate faith? And uh so um they prayed, they got a big prayer meeting going together They have seen the feeding of the 5,000. Peter is taking on a challenge. They run after all those things. Matthew 13. Some of the things we trust in were shaken this past couple years. He said, you chose fear over faith Duh. Well, hang on. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Fear hesitates to obey. We need hearts. May it be done now. No, courage is not the absence of fear. You see it all through the book of Acts. Oh Lord, yeah, that's a desperate dependent heart. Um no, not at all. We didn't bring any bread. Say the word. And while you ask for an outcome, which will be answered by uh Tim Keller says this, and I think it's so brilliant. There are many hundreds of times, Old Testament and New. I don't think there's any middle ground. Because they will not tell you, they don't control the outcome. Oh Lord. He knows. What shall we drink? Here's another example. Tagos, they said, cried out in fear. You know where this is? We go. This is amazing faith. Oh, you have little faith, my own disciples. I'll show it to you if you'd like some time. Now, with that in mind, and a quote from Winston Churchill, I know if I want to be smart, I quote people like Winston Churchill. Because your faith reached can reach over three corners, but it couldn't reach over that storm, could it? Now I'm planting my feet in my senses. You should see the giants. Um would you be interested in knowing what the top ten fears are that human beings have? So here's how faith becomes the epicenter Yumba Hooya This disease will not decide what happens. Do you believe that I can do this? Our fears are different. Many will never make it across there. I think of people running into the World Trade Center, a burning building She takes a couple more steps. Anyway, but um Because it's controlling your decisions, your emotions, your reactions Well, I know how authority works. What more do you need to see? To me, that's a practical way to find it out. If you walk in all bent over, you better walk out walking straight and tall. You're like, I have no idea what you're talking about. You cannot serve both God and money. Maybe this is a phobophobic night for us. Here's some of the characteristics of powerful prayer according to this prayer. They were amazed, what kind of man is this? Do not worry. There's a big prayer meeting. You've seen so many amazings. You know why? Your Heavenly Father knows He's got this Faith does it now before it gets harder. We have hearts that need changing. A grandson or granddaughter, niece or nephew. Oh pishosh. He said, until the things we really trusted in, we're gone. You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt? She's got her red uh wiggles. Okay. Critical of her sister Faith focuses on the size of your God The centurion did. Either our fears will overwhelm our faith. Antidote to fear. Hey! It's still not persuasive. And he said, I'm not quoting it exactly, but he said Anything in there that you are afraid of? It leaves your needs completely in his hands. Is it God pay more attention if I pray with somebody else than if I pray alone? I flopped because I acted out of fear. You know if you stay in the boat, you're good. Maramnao means worry. Jesus in a Capernaum, a centurion. So I'm going to say a verse and ask you to repeat it phrase by phrase after me I'll tell you what they are. That's a big one. Untouchable. I'm sure this is really oversimplified, but I get the idea that there is power in going to him together, and he says, come to me together, and it's going to get done. Came to him asking for help. I've got authority. What? But public speaking's worse than snakes Really? You don't have to even come. He does what I say. It's called FOMO Phobia. But fear isn't king God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. But faith wins. Here we go again. And beginning to sink, cried out, Lord save me. Well one thing is I remember I was I was told by some guys on Wall Street after 2008 And she's going through the living room. Jesus got in the boat, the disciples followed him. That's where we started the first night. Made some bad ones. And as those GIs got off those landing craft. Because the king I serve is the Lord of my outcomes. Oh my goodness. So um the question is what's for dinner tonight? So faith triggers the supernatural, but fear sabotages faith. I love the words of this song, which I'd now like to sing for you. Do not worry. Many days, again and again, I won't say every day, but many days. Now with our life in the hands of King Jesus, faith is not an irrational choice. That is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. A lot of financial uncertainty Do you have a physical? He says, honey, do you want me to take that? They expected that man would be carried in and would walk out. So I did a little chart here to contrast how fear works and how faith works. Fear postpones doing the right thing. His hometown. And let's let's just evaluate it real quick. Uh but um when Noelle was about three or four years old Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, be done for them by the Father in heaven. We're going to find out that the opposite of faith is not unbelief. Which is literally I just want to make a quick comment here. Matthew 6. No disease, no disaster, no boss This is it. We're done with that. He says yes, you say no. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you. See how the flowers of the field grow? What shall we wear? Each day has enough trouble of its own. And he did not do many miracles there. Public speaking. So how do you come into praying? Focus on the Savior, walk on water. Then he touched their eyes and said, according to your faith. Not one has failed. I can do it. I mean that's the nature of faith, isn't it? Instead of looking at the size of the storm, I look at the size of my You tell the storm This is the good part. Look what the centurion says, Lord, I don't even deserve to have you come under my roof. He said, you know what, if you asked any of us Christians on the street So why don't it's not the Lord's prayer. Spiritual amnesia. Here is what amazing faith is. Youth ministry. I think it's possible to have, at least most of the time, a fearless faith Courage is a decision. So how do they go about that? There's, I don't know what it is, but there's something about all the kids together. The only thing keeping you from giving them heaven potentially Fear would stop us at that point until we had them. Go, let it be done Okay, you ready? Okay. Unchangeable. That's how they pray in the Old Testament. You need to leave it with him, not just talk talk to him about it Excuse me, there's 11 guys who never got out of the boat. Get her up here, Jesus. Yeah. Here we go. Because you look at fear in the face and say, all authority in heaven and earth belongs to my Jesus. It's a fearsome time to be a grandparent. Well, it's exercised through prayer. What are you doing carrying your needs? Now we got some powerful examples of where faith and fear are fighting it out, just like they do in our hearts. I'm hurting my old shoulder here. This is where fear often wins. No one can serve two masters Do not worry. That is the right to decide, the ability to accomplish, and the power to prevail. Matthew 8. This is scary, church folks. Familiarity does not necessarily mean faith. I'm going after it more. We didn't bring any bread. In um Not what you figure out can be done. You're overwhelmed. How do you feel about when before you go in there? You replay all this stuff. That's what happened with the disciples. And their fears will go with that, of where their choices will lead them. They've seen a lot more people healed, it says. You ever had to put on a fitted sheet alone? But your Heavenly Father knows that you need them You should see the walls. And we can't fix it. There are a number of lists, so they vary. Matthew 7, 7. Then uh there are some really weird fears. It says the whole place was shaken by the Holy Spirit. So you begin with praising your big, big God Okay She's got Jesus in her house The one in charge gives an order Stage two, it's difficult. We pray in Jesus' name. You know how that is? He said, this is the strangest case I've ever tried. Even the wind and waves obey him. Matthew 14. He said, the enemy comes and chokes the word with worry. And a correspondent wrote these words. And Doug says, honey, do you want me to take your um And now they're out in the boat again. It's I don't be afraid. Change you? The the Roman officer, not his own disciples. But you, if Jesus came to you, he'd say, where is your faith? We have fears about our future. Public speaking. Please help me with my many sins and bless the missionaries, whoever they are. By the way, can any of you, by worrying. This is a command of your Savior. And that's where we're planting our feet. And then fear of being a coward. Well, it is not a happy one. We're going to drown. That really thwarts our spiritual progress. And faith does it immediately. But what he really trusted was the authority of Jesus. Oh yeah. Okay. Yeah, and then um uh I don't even know what that one is. And that is faith that is bigger than our fear. When he saw their faith, look at chapter 9 again. That was a TV show then. And she said, oh, she said, I feel so much better. You know how to do that. That's in the Greek You know the story. 27 says, even the wind and the waves obey him. Let's dare to believe him. Jesus didn't even go there There is no visible safety. Focus on the Savior and you can walk on water. This is really good. We just don't know what he knows Can I suggest to you that probably several times a month Okay, John, you'd be interested. You may, even as a parent or a grandparent, or a husband or wife. Because your feelings will tend toward fear and retreat. This is, ultimately I will say though, it's not faith in an outcome. If the wind and the waves obey him and the demons obey him, I'm in my study? Pretty soon, finally, we bring out the heavy artillery, the firstborn. Were you there? We know you know what's going to happen. But there's a never-ending battle between fear and faith With that in mind, here's the fifth passion. The language of dependency, your declaration of dependence. Jesus says, aware of their discussion, Jesus asks, Here's what it means. This cancer will not decide what happens. I can't I don't know if I could do this one Faith is what triggers divine intervention It's like mystery something. Oh boy, Jesus makes this is this is pretty sobering I have soldiers under me. What does he say over and over again to his disciples about their faith? You should face that issue. The obstacles will not decide what happens. Because it's a pretty fearsome world. Look at Matthew 24, 29. You want to see how much you trust God? What do you start with? That is so easy to do in ministry. She says, yeah I don't think you're going to walk on water. Because you're afraid. You ever get that way? You're trying to solve it, fix it. When you worry, you're serving another master You speak it, it's done. You ready? Yeah, I know his mom. Will you act on that instead of your fear? And maybe it has exposed the fact. I know you're very familiar with this. You want to know if you really prayed or not? Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. Oh, but well we didn't bring any bread. We need money that isn't there. That is one of them. Some of you firstborns, you know how that This has got you totally distracted from me. Fear has certainly led to spiritual disobedience. You persist in prayer. But I haven't seen great faith like this anywhere else. It is the disregard of it. First, powerful prayer begins with praising your big, big God. You know how that happens? You know what it's called? The Lord's prayer really is in John 17. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. You want to have you read the chapters right before this storm? Let me tell you what the word, there's something to be learned from what the Greek word is for worry. Matthew 9, verse 2 And the church in that small town has been the ones that really kept it dry. How, I mean, you forget yesterday's miracle because of today's fear. The bold step might be simply Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed. Oh and that when I say come, he comes. Afraid of intimacy? No, you plant your feet on the unmoving rock of the promises of Almighty God. So you got your feet on something that ain't gonna move She has her red wiggles uh backpack on and it's full of books. Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them walking on the lake. And some of us here. You make impulsive mistakes, you panic, and you just do something, to do something. Centuries, millennia of believers in this God. Oh Lord. Did you see? Now this is an unlikely guy. No, I'm not going to. Two guys are comparing the size of the giants to the size of their God. He is able to do I understand that. 5. Shoulder surgery. Been waiting to get to this part. Okay, here we go Well, they send the sacrificial lamb, the baby, Brad He's in Nazareth . But um number one is actually on this list loneliness. Give us today our daily bread. That's thank you. Focus on your storm, underwater. It literally means divided into parts. Let's run through these real quick, guys. Where do your prayers start? Can we give Peter some props here, okay? He says no. How do you know if you're doing that? When he saw the wind, he was afraid. We need a heart changed, Lord. . He said, fear is not Casseroles are mysterious, we don't know what's in them By your storm? Worry is a sin Fear? We could be on the verge They hear Jesus talking about the leaven of the Pharisees, the yeast of the Pharisees. And it happened. Because that's all that's going to happen by you waiting But even if heaven and earth passes away. Ask and it will be given to you. I know mom's Not that you can even see a way it could happen. I bet you've never heard of some of these. Can I put in there, if I could correct Sir Winston. As we start the new volume. He's a Gentile. Knew his dad. That would be guys. This then is how you should pray You heard that? So three corners ain't bad. I am one. You came back with a basket of leftovers, hello? You have little faith? Turn on the evening news. And they came out of there and says they spoke the word of God boldly. It says basically What are we gonna do? This is the goodies. Not fair. That's all I gotta know Amen. You want to guess real quick? I need all the answers before I'll take a step. But By the way, write this down. Evaluate how frequently during the day. This is The people who knew Jesus best. We have failed to obey you. There is no visible support. That's the locus of our faith. You know I put a sentence in here, you might want to fill in. He's a Gentile occupier. Say the word. This is in Matthew 8. This COVID will not decide what happens. You say yes. When This went to court. Okay. Oh, but here's one Here we go again, you of little faith. That's kind of like Say the word. One of the best things I've read about prayer. Authority is the fuel of faith. What is this? It's not in your notes. Guess. I know what fear does to us. He's amazed at their fear. That'll get some fear going in you. Let's pray. Alrighty. Going crazy. So