Is fear bad? It depends. Some fears are good for us. In fact, if you never feel fear, that is actually an indication that something is wrong with you. I say that so that we can get comfortable with the fact that being afraid is normal and it doesn’t indicate a lack of faith. It means we are human.

There are a lot of different types of fears too. I am really afraid of snakes. I don’t like them in any way, shape, or form. We can have fears, that for the most part, don’t affect our daily lives. Then we can have fears that have a greater impact that need resolution. It was just a few years ago that I went to the doctor and she was concerned that she couldn’t get my cholesterol levels to go down. So, she sent me to get an echocardiogram, basically an ultrasound of my heart.

When I went to the appointment for that, the tech took my blood pressure as part of the normal routine and it was through the roof. I saw it and was shocked, and a little worried. She then asked me if I was nervous for the test and absolutely, I was. I was concerned that there was something wrong with my heart. That’s when she told me that high blood pressure was a normal response to anxiety or fear.

It turns out my heart was completely clear and I was fine, but there was a physical reaction to the fear I was feeling. My body was literally behaving differently because I was afraid.

Then, there are some more deep seeded fears. These are the ones that hang with us like a cloud. It isn’t about a snake, or a health scare, it’s more holistic. It goes to the core of who we are. Sometimes we don’t even know how to name it or even explain it. I will take a chance and be a little vulnerable to help someone get what I am talking about.

There is a fear I have that drives my personality. It is part of the make-up of who I am, and when I let it overwhelm me, I do things and react to things in unhealthy ways. That fear for me is the fear that I am not loved for who I am, only what I am able to accomplish. Or put another way, the only way that I feel like I have any worth is by being good at something.

This is the type of fear that God wants to stomp out of our life. This is the type of fear that is unhealthy and unhelpful to us. Today we are going to talk about God being here in our fear and ministering to the need we have. As we start, I want to encourage you, that God wants to deal with your fear. He wants to heal the broken, deep seeded fear that haunts you.

Joseph had a real fear. One that wasn’t helpful and wasn’t based in truth, much like our fears. It weighed heavily on him and God needed to address it so that His plan and Joseph’s purpose could be fulfilled. We see Matthew writing about it in very short form to tell the beginning of Jesus’ story.

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS

I don’t know how long it took for Mary to start showing that she was pregnant and I don’t know if she tried to tell Joseph ahead of time what happened with her and the angel, but what I do know is that eventually it was evident she was pregnant and Joseph believed he was betrayed.

He was afraid the woman he was set to marry had cheated on him. We know that is the case for two reasons. First, it said while he thought on these things and angel appeared to him in a dream. I believe this was a process. It wasn’t like Joseph found out, was thinking about it that day, and while thinking about it fell asleep and the angel came to him in a dream. No, this was a day’s long, if not weeks long process.

Secondly, how did the angel address Joseph? The angel said “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife”. The angel wasn’t guessing. Joseph was wrestling. He was afraid to go through with the marriage. He was hurt, but he was also a good man so he didn’t want Mary hurt.

Imagine the fear Mary must have had. She could have been stoned to death had Joseph wanted to make an example of her. She must have wondered what would come of all this even though the angel appeared to her. She willingly submitted to the will of God, but it would be natural to wonder how it would all work out.

There is a lot of fear not only with them, but with the nation. There is a reason why a group called the zealots were formed. The feared they were losing their nation, their identity. What we find though, is Jesus was there in the midst of it.

I know we are afraid right now. Some are afraid of what’s going on with the virus. Others are afraid of government overreach and us losing our freedoms. Maybe you are afraid in your relationships. Maybe there is a more deep seeded fear that has controlled your life in some way.

Jesus is here in the midst of it. The life inside Mary was too precious, God was not going to allow circumstances to harm what was to come. The spiritual life that he has brought in us, the work He because in us is too precious. He won’t let the things of this life damage it. We simply must trust in His plan.

2 Timothy 2:7-9

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Paul writing to Timothy said that God has not given us the spirit of fear. It doesn’t mean that the fear isn’t there, just that those deep seed, soul stealing fears aren’t God’s will for our life. He has given us a spirit of power in Him. He has given us a spirit of love and this love is brave. It was willing to endure the pain. A love that loves the unlovable.

He has given in us a power to do what we didn’t think was possible, but listen it doesn’t mean the fear immediately fades. Some of us think that we aren’t ready to do something because we still feel the pull of our fear. Someone here is thinking that if I’m still feeling fear, then it must mean I lack faith.

I am here to tell you today that isn’t true. Faith is not the absence of fear, it is the willingness to go forward despite our fear. If we didn’t have fears, we wouldn’t need to have faith. Why do I need faith to act on something that I am already sure is going to happen? I need faith precisely because I don’t know, but I am trusting in something greater than myself.

I see the picture of what could be. I look toward the possibility of something and then act in faith to receive it. How does the bible describe faith? Let’s look.

Hebrews 11:1-6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

How do we have evidence of something that is unseen. Imagine a technician going to a crime scene to collect evidence for something that can’t be seen by any measurement. Joseph had a dream and believed. A dream. I have had some weird dreams before. It took faith to believe that was from God and not indigestion.

What is the point? Jesus is here right now in the middle of your fear and you don’t have to wait to do what He has planned for you. You don’t have to cure your fear. You don’t have to get over yourself, you just have to believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Take a step and then another. Peel away the layers of fear one step at a time and then watch as they shrink in light of your faith. (Demonstration here with a paper towel roll).

The first few layers, you can’t tell a difference, but if we are diligent, if we keep seeking. If we keep serving. If we keep taking another step, pretty soon that fear that was so large, has shrunk. Don’t wait for the fear to pass. Step out in faith with your fear. As you do, God will minister to your fear. He will be faithful to bring to pass the work He has if we will just take steps day by day.

He has given you the power and faith to fix your relationship. He has given you the faith to move past the unmovable. Maybe you are afraid of what you will miss out on if you do what the right thing instead of what you want. Have faith that God is bigger. Believe that He is a rewarder of those that are faithful to Him.

It just takes one small step forward. Then take another. There is an old saying that says “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Don’t try to achieve the goal in one step. Be faithful to take steps and before you know it, God will have brought you further that you could imagine. The wound you think is too big, has found healing. The relationship you didn’t want any part of God has restored.

Let faith overwhelm your fears instead of you fears overwhelming your faith. Picture the day you overcome. See it in your mind, bring it to God in prayer and then do one thing to start on the path and let God worry about the rest.