What Are You Afraid Of - Fear 1, episode 146

0:00 If you love a prodigal, you can discover help and hope for your wilderness journey right here at When You Love a Prodigal podcast, and also help and hope for your own like journey. Today I'm sharing the first of three posts leading up to the June 2nd Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. Our theme this year is Fear Not. These three podcasts are designed to prepare us as we engage in battle for the hearts and minds of loved ones who are prodigal in one of many possible ways. And if you have fears of any kind, you will discover encouragement and help here.

0:47 Our world is full of fear—wars, earthquakes, terrorists, volcanoes, racial strife, hurricanes, fires, mass murders, floods, bombs, tornadoes, disease—did I just raise your fear level? No wonder we live in fear, dreading the next act of terror, anxious for the coming natural disaster. We know it's coming sometime. Where, when, how? Will it affect me or mine? Are you living on edge? Apprehensive?

1:27 Suspicious? Or maybe our fears are more personal—financial failure, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce—the list goes on. And when you love a prodigal, fears multiply. Is he safe? Is he in jail? Did he overdose? Will she survive? Why is she rejecting me? Will I ever get to meet my grandchildren? Where have I gone wrong? Afraid, fearful, even terrified. Many of us live life afraid.

2:09 But God says otherwise, he says, fear not. There are many fear not or don't be afraid commands in God's word. We are admonished repeatedly not to be afraid. Jesus understood our tendency to be fearful, especially when circumstances are out of control or uncertain or just scary. There are nine assurances I'm going to share with all of us that were spoken by Jesus himself, almost always to his disciples, saying, don't be afraid.

2:49 When he was with his disciples and they were experiencing a terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was sleeping. They were terrified. So they woke him up. Master, don't you know we're going to drown? And he replied, you of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm. Another time, another storm at sea, the disciples were in the boat by themselves. And then they saw Jesus walking toward them on the stormy water, creating more fear in them than the wind had.

3:38 But Jesus climbed into the boat and immediately said to them, take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid. After a night of fishing, the apostle Peter, not an apostle yet, and other fishermen had caught nothing. Jesus directed them to go back out in the deep water and try again. They're like, but there were no fish. But they did what he said reluctantly. And the nets were so full that the boats, they had two boats, almost sank from all the fish that they caught.

4:20 And what was Peter's response? He was terrified. Who could do this? And Jesus said to him, don't be afraid. From now on, you're going to fish for people. When Jesus was speaking to crowds one time, Jairus, who was the synagogue leader, asked Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was dying. But then before Jesus could go, someone came and said, we're sorry, she's already died. And Jesus said to Jairus, don't be afraid. Don't believe she will be healed. And she was at exactly the time that Jesus said.

5:05 Jesus was telling his disciples another time not to fear those who would harm them. And he said, indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid. Then he added, don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. And not long after that, Jesus again assured them, do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. After Jesus' crucifixion and burial and the Sabbath day had passed, early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another Mary went to the tomb to finish the preparation of Jesus' body.

5:53 The stone was rolled away and an angel told them that Jesus had risen. And then Jesus appeared and said, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. And there I will meet them. In the book of Revelation, when the apostle John sees Jesus, he says, when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though I was dead. And then he placed his right hand on me and said, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. And then, as Jesus was with his disciples, knowing he would soon be leaving, he gave them a promise that is for us as well.

6:43 He said, peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. I will give you my peace. Yes, there are many legitimate things to fear, but Jesus is greater than all of them. He will not abandon us even when our worst fears seem to surround us to be happening to us. And what Jesus said in John 14, 27, our theme verse, sink in. He says, peace I leave with you.

7:26 My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. We can hold on to that verse. I found it's not only been helpful for me when things were happening with our prodigal, but in many other situations of my life when fear seems to come and grab hold of our hearts or minds. And Jesus says, don't be afraid. Rest in me. You will be at peace. And he's done it over and over. He's given me peace, and that's what he's offering each of us.

8:08 May the love of God and the peace from Jesus displace any fear that grips us. So whenever you find yourself fearing, you can remember that Jesus loves you, that God the Father loves you, that you have the spirit of God who lives in you. And whatever is happening, he's bigger, stronger, able to take care of it, even the decisions that your prodigal is making. So what about you? What are you afraid of? Which of these promises from Jesus, as he repeatedly said, do not be afraid, gives you comfort or hope or peace?

8:51 I will have this all in an article on my blog post. And so if you want to go back and read again and see the promises that Jesus made as he put the fear away, I'm here. I want to also invite you, if you have someone that you want prayed for, that we are having on June 2nd, the Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. We've been doing this for 20-something years. You can write to us at prayerforprodigals.com or you can go to the Prayer for Prodigals Facebook page and give us the first name of a prodigal that you would like to be prayed for and we'll do it.

9:37 And we'd also love if you would join with us. All you have to do is decide to pray or maybe gather some friends of yours and pray together on that day. And the information that I'll have in the show notes will tell you how to get access to the list so that you can pray beyond your own prodigals to other people around the world who are begging us to pray with them and for them. I will also list in the show notes some songs that I hope will help you face fear and enable you to walk through this fearful time with peace and courage.

10:24 God bless you.