LearnHub

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swilling thereof.   (Psalm 46:1-3)

 

This is our confidence we have in God.  He is our refuge, our shelter, and our place of hope. When trouble comes He is present to help us in our time of need.  We serve a God who has willed His supreme power to help and strengthen us as we walk and live here on earth.  When trouble comes to the front door, God doesn't go out the back door.   However, we too often lock the trouble in and lock God out.  All too often we ask Him for help and then don't let the Holy Spirit help and aid us in our time of need.

 

When we read the Psalms we must quit looking at them as though they're just pretty songs.  They have not been written from the mind of a man, for the pleasures of men.  These words were written by men but inspired by God.  Many were written during times when the difficulties of life had pressed in upon them. 

 

The fear of mountains or cities suddenly crumbling into the sea as the result of a nuclear blast haunts many people today. But the psalmist says that even if the world ends, we need not fear. In the face of utter destruction, the writer expressed a quiet confidence in God's ability to save him. It seems impossible to consider the end of the world without becoming consumed by fear, but the Bible is clear--God is our refuge even in the face of total destruction. He is not merely a temporary retreat; he is our eternal refuge and can provide strength in any circumstance.

 

When fear attacks your thoughts, emotions, and attitudes - attempting to frustrate and discourage you, you must do as the Psalmist -- focus and fix your eyes on the Most High. If those who lived in the Old Testament could do it without the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them, how much more can those with the Holy Spirit living inside of them focus on their Creator.

 

God has chosen to be your total source of supply through Jesus, the Christ.  There is an anointing that comes when you trust in the Lord with your whole heart.  This anointing breaks the yoke of fear and gives you the peace that passes all understanding. 

 

You may ask, "How do I get this anointing in my life?"  I'm so glad you asked!  First, you have to yield your entire life to Jesus Christ and then you must change your thinking about faith from a passive faith to a faith that is active and violent. 

 

Paul wrote to Timothy saying; Fight the good fight of faith..."  Take special note that he said this is a good fight (I Timothy 6:12).  Most people take up the bad fight so they can express their anger toward one another.  They will use all of their abilities, their strengths, and their resources to defeat and hurt people.  But when it comes to attacking the fears, frustrations, and insecurities in their own life they take on a passive attitude.  They'll sit back and say, "I am waiting on the Lord to take this away from me," or "Please pray for me to have the patience I need until God changes me."  This type of an attitude will keep you bound up with fear, failure, and disappointment. 

 

My friend, learn this very important fact GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN YOU THE VICTORY! Now it is up to you to complete it in your life.  Jesus has defeated all your frustrations, fears, failures, and disappointments.  He has defeated everything that will come into your life that keeps you in bondage.  Quit being so passive in your faith and get active and aggressive because it’s up to you to promote Satan's defeat in your life. 

 

There is no temptation that can come to you that is unusual to man.  All the trials that occur in your life are common to men (I Corinthians 10:13).  They are not surprising to God, He is faithful not to let you suffer above what you are able to handle. 

 

Active faith will always go after the promises of God and attack the problem. while passive faith sits around waiting to accept whatever comes your way and then call it God's will.

 

Living a victorious life is not an experience but instead a lifestyle. 

 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12).

 

GOD IS YOUR HELP

 

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God;: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness  (Isaiah 41:10).

 

The very first statement that God makes here is, "Fear thou not."  It is the heart of God that His people live free from the fears of the world. Living a life free from fear will never occur until you settle in your heart and mind that God is with you no matter how difficult the situation may be.  He will never leave you nor forsake you, deserting you to stand alone. It takes faith to understand that God is always there.  Faith will move you from the fear of defeat to the place of victory. Fear will keep you from acting on God's Word while faith always motivates you to involve God in all your concerns.

 

God's presence is always with you.  There is nothing you can do to keep Him from being there. When you think He is not around, He's right there.  Many will say that God is not in the presence of those that are disobedient to Him.  This is not true.  He is in their presence (Proverbs 15:3), but not active in their concerns.  God will not be active in your life until He is invited to be involved.

 

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.   (Proverbs 15:3)

 

O Lord, thou has searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art aquainted with all my ways.   (Psalm 139:1-3)

 

Sometimes we don't let people get to know us completely because we are afraid they will discover something about us that they won't like. But God already knows everything about us, even to the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and still he accepts and loves us. God is with us through every situation and every trial.

 

God's presence will always be with you and furthermore His presence has already been where you are going.  God has already dealt with the circumstances, problems, tragedies, and fears that will attempt to destroy your faith in Him.  He dealt with them at the cross through Jesus, our Savior.

 

Our Heavenly Father is present to direct us through the storms of life that will come in our future.  As His children we can be prepared to meet all that comes without fear and anxiety.  He has not left us comfortless.

 

If all Christians have the Holy Spirit living on the inside, how can they be conquered?  What can be successful against them?  What can overtake them?  Everything, when you live in fear.  You must learn not to respond to the problems and circumstances that arise in life with fear. This will only promote a life full of doubt and unbelief. This in turn will keep God from being your helper and rewarder. It must always be remembered that God responds to faith not doubt.     

 

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. (Hebrews 11:6)

 

There are some that teach that when trouble comes it is God tempting you. This teaching only glorifies the devil and his temptation.  God doesn't tempt us with evil (James 1:13).  God is not in the business of giving you fear, but instead power, love, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7).

 

When trouble comes don't look around in terror, for our God is with you.  He will strengthen you to endure the difficulties that come. Yes, He will help you, hold you up, and retain you with His victorious right hand of righteousness.  Jesus is the right hand of God's righteousness. Your life is upheld by the LORD HIMSELF MIGHTY AND STRONG.

 

Before you can live free from fear you must be confident that God is always with you.  When the Lord says that He will help and strengthen you do you think He is telling a lie? If He said He would, HE WILL!  God is not like a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). 

 

His strength is mightier than a hurricane and more powerful than a nuclear bomb. His strength is within your reach to help you overcome whatever it is that has come against you.  It takes faith to make it active in your life.  When faith is exercised God's power begins to flow. So, don't be afraid to proclaim your faith in Him. Have say-it faith operating in your life. This is simply proclaiming what you are and have in the light of His Word.  Some will argue that this is name-it and claim-it theology. Whether you realize it or not there is no such thing as name-it and claim-it theology.

 

You've been speaking things that have been coming to pass into your life all your life.  Some are naming and claiming sickness, others are naming and claiming poverty, while some dare to name and claim Hell as their eternal home.  If you would really take the time to think about what I am saying and listen to what people are saying around you, you will agree with me on this matter.

 

You see, when you begin to name and claim God's Word as your way of life it is strange talk to the ears of the unregenerate and carnal man.  It is foolishness to him (I Corinthians 2:14).  God's Word coming out of your mouth proclaiming His promises causes faith to come to your heart.  This makes the devil very mad because God will respond and reward because of your faith. You don't have to apologize for standing for God's righteousness.  It's time for us to quit being intimidated by the threats of the world and the screams of carnal Christians concerning our stance for Christ. 

 

We are living in the greatest hour of the church. We must take heed to the call of God and rise up in the power of the Holy Ghost.  As we lock into the presence of God by faith, the Word will confound our enemies and they will be ineffective against us. God is waiting on each of us to look fear eye-ball to eye-ball. In the face of conflict we must stand up in faith against all the wiles of the enemy. 

 

When you get full of faith, fear can't get in. You must make a conscious effort to get in a position to hear the Word of God in order to be full of faith (Romans 10:17).  Faith to overcome fear will never come through the gates of your emotions nor by a good feeling.  Faith is the assurance, the confirmation, and the proof of your victory.  Faith is invisible, but the reality of your faith is visible.  When you are living by faith those around you will not be able to recognize it unless they are living that way.  When you believe, He is present to help. HE WILL NEVER DISAPPOINT YOU. 

 

There are many people today who are overcome by fear.  They are hurting deep within crying for someone to help them ease the pain of being overtaken by the adversities of life.  When fear attacks it attacks your thinking process and the pressures of life will be magnified far beyond their reality.  You see, when fear gets a hold of your mind it will force you into mental slavery and hold you captive. 

 

Mental slavery is when your thinking, decisions, actions, and motives are rooted in the "I can't" attitude instead of the "I will."  People with this defeated attitude need someone that can deliver them out of their mental prison.  That someone is Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  Not only is He able to deliver you from sin, sickness, and disease, He is willing and able to deliver you from the fears that are holding you in your mental prison.

 

He that has his mind stayed on Him shall have perfect piece

Please rate this lesson. Your comments are welcomed and appreciated..