Too Busy Being Afraid
The greatest enemy to the life you want (supernatural) may be the life that you’re living (natural).
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
—John 10:10
Satan does not have to get us to sin to drift from our resolve to live in the presence of God. He just has to get us to be too busy.
A life lived too busy is a life lived in fear…
Now, the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
—Genesis 3:1-6
The Fear of Missing Out. FOMO
The Fear of our Past.
We get so busy running from something OR we get too busy running to something.
It’s amazing how busy we are being afraid.
Examples: Security systems, investments, relationships to avoid loneliness, eating disorders, paranoia…
Too busy to take a moment and read the moment.
Too busy to make decisions from a place of peace.
When we are too busy…
…we think things that are not true.
…we believe in things that are only right at the moment.
…we rush to find quick fixes and not the proper solution.
…we lose appreciation and gratitude because we are too quickly on to the next thing.
…we don’t believe we have ever achieved our best.
…we lose confidence, focus, and direction.
…we lose who we are and to whom we belong.
…we stop praying, we stop believing, we stop growing.
Fear motivates a busy life, and a busy life produces fear…
JESUS NEVER SPENT A MOMENT IN FEAR
He came from somewhere (Identity), yet He didn’t run from his past.
The needs of others gave him a divine purpose.
Removing any obstacles so that we could have a future gave him hope.
Jesus was busy—Never rushed.
Fear did not motivate him.
Jesus has not come to bring us a life of fear. He has come to give us an abundant life.
As he [Jesus] walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
—Mark 2:14
• If Levi followed an unrushed Jesus, then Levi should’ve been living an unrushed life.
• If we follow an unrushed Jesus, we should be living an unrushed life.
An unrushed life is motivated by peace and not fear.
LOVE OVERCOMES FEAR
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
—1 John 4:18
He gives us life by overcoming the obstacles between us and God.
And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
—John 17:3
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
—1 Corinthians 13:7
We don’t miss out on anything when we are in the presence of God.
FEAR ROBS US OF LIFE
We have got too busy being afraid…
THE THIEF…
…STEALS GOD’S WORD FROM YOU.
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.
—Matthew 13:19
… SETS TRAPS TO ENSNARE YOU.
…and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
—2 Timothy 2:26
…FIGHTS TO STOP YOU.
For we wanted to come to you certainly I, Paul, did, again and again Satan stopped us.
—1 Thessalonians 2:18
…HE PLANS TO DESTROY YOU.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
—1 Peter 5:8
Satan understands a few things about us…
• You can’t be happy when you are not.
• You can’t serve Jesus when you are not!
• You can’t love people when you are not!
THE BETTER WAY
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
—John 14:1-6
- Surrender
- Follow
- Learn
- Apply
- Align
- Repeat
WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT ALL THERE IS
YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR BATTLES.
WE DO NOT FIGHT FOR VICTORY. WE FIGHT FROM VICTORY.
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord , please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
—2 Kings 6:15-17
FEAR IS REMOVED WHEN WE HAVE THE FAITH TO SEE THE SUPERNATURAL WAY.
GOD IS PRESENT!
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
—1 John 4:4
THE PRAYER OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE GIVER…
Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it’s time. Display the bright splendor of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor. You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to all in his care. And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth By completing down to the last detail What you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world. I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said. They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you, For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I’m not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them. For I’m no longer going to be visible in the world; They’ll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind As we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them In the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a lookout. And not one of them got away, Except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture). Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn’t join the world’s ways, Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I’m consecrating myself for their sakes So they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission. I’m praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they’ll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, And give the godless world evidence That you’ve sent me and loved them In the same way you’ve loved me. Father, I want those you gave me To be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, Having loved me Long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, But I have known you, and these disciples know That you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them— Who you are and what you do— And continue to make it known, So that your love for me Might be in them Exactly as I am in them.
—John 17
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