Focus: You Will Survive Your Fears!

Text: 1Sam.27:1

"And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul."

I stand in the place of my calling and anointing, and with the audacity of the Spirit and the authority of God's word I make bold to declare to you that your fear will not end your life, because the hand of God is upon you. You are a destined person. Through you God will reveal His glory and use you to make history. You will not die until you have fulfilled your place in history.

David feared he would not be able to survive Saul's onslaught. Saul was chasing him everywhere, determined to have him killed. David was constantly on the run, trying to escape assassination masterminded by Saul. He has gotten tired of running; nowhere seemed safe for him anymore, and he was gripped with fear of losing his life abruptly.

Fear is the common disease of all men.

The first man that ever lived, Adam, feared. Adam said, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was AFRAID, because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Gen.3:10). Abraham feared. Sarah feared. We read, "For she was AFRAID…" (Gen.18:15). Isaac feared, "for he FEARED to say, She is my wife" (Gen.26:7). It is said of Abimelech's men, "And the men were sore afraid" (Gen.20:8). Lot feared, "for he FEARED to dwell in Zoar" (Gen.19:30). Jacob feared. We read, "Because I was AFRAID: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me" (Gen.31:31). Again, we read, "Then Jacob was greatly AFRAID and distressed…" (Gen.32:7). We read of Jacob's children, "My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were AFRAID, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?" (Gen.42:28). Job feared. Moses feared. We read, "And Moses FEARED, and said, Surely this thing is known" (Ex.2:14). Israel feared. The Scripture tells us that Israel "FEARED other gods," and that was their sin against God (2Kgs.17:7). Samuel feared. We read, "And Samuel FEARED to shew Eli the vision" (1Sam.3:15). Saul feared. The Scripture says, "And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I FEARED the people, and obeyed their voice" (1Sam.15:24). David feared. The Scripture says, "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me AFRAID" (Ps.18:4). Jehoshaphat feared. Peter feared. We read, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was AFRAID" (Mt.14:30).

Bad news strikes fear into man's heart. The Lord Jesus Christ says, "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Lk.21:26). Fear is every man's malady.

Man suffers from all kinds of fear. Fear of losing. Fear of being found out. Fear of judgement. Fear of the unknown. Fear of trouble. Fear of foes. Fear of failure. Fear of evil. Fear of death. Fear of calamity. Fear of the future. Fear of accident. Fear of being alone. Fear of abandonment. Fear of fear itself.

The list goes on, but David declares, "I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from ALL MY FEARS" (Ps.34:4). The Lord delivers His people from their fears. David's fear of losing his life by Saul's hands didn't come to pass. Instead, Saul went to war, and he didn't make it alive. He died in battle, and David took over the throne of Israel. He survived Saul's hatred and assassination plots and succeeded him on the throne.

Don't let your fear ruin your life! Fear is evil. Job said, "For the thing which I greatly FEARED is come upon me, and that which I was AFRAID of is come unto me" (Jb.3:25). Jeremiah says, "Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye FEARED, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were AFRAID, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die" (Jer.42:16). In Ezekiel we read, "Ye have FEARED the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD" (Ezk.11:8). Sometimes, fear comes to pass when we do nothing about it. 

We read of Jehoshaphat, "And Jehoshaphat FEARED, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah" (2Chron.20:3). He surrendered his fears to God. He prayed, fasted and took action, and at last he triumphed over his enemies. The psalmist says, "What time I am AFRAID, I will trust in thee" (Ps.56:3). 

Fear and faith are opposites. Fear is darkness and faith is light. The light of faith banishes the fear of darkness.

The psalmist says, "And he led them on safely, so that they FEARED not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies" (Ps.78:53).

David's fear did not come to pass. Job's fear came to pass, but God turned his sad story around and restored him and his fortunes. His faith prevailed at last and produced a new song for him. You will survive your fears in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter