Let Fear Become Trust
The humanistic view of life leads to fear and a lack of faith in God, but taking God's Word seriously gives us a sense of faith in a real heavenly realm and the sovereignty of God.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the need to transform fear into trust in God, addressing the plight of individuals who rely solely on their humanistic beliefs while rejecting Christ's sovereignty. He highlights the pervasive fears in a competitive and selfish society, particularly concerning existential threats like nuclear destruction. Tozer calls for prayer for those who are troubled and points out that true faith lies in recognizing God's omnipotence and faithfulness. He reassures believers that the Scriptures provide a solid foundation for faith in a heavenly realm that is as real as our physical world.
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What can we do but pray for the throngs of defiant men and women who believe that their humanistic view of life is all-sufficient? They believe that they are responsible "captains" of their own souls. The sad fact is that even while they are joining in the age-old rejection of Jesus Christ-"We will not have this Man to rule over us"-they still are beset with fears within. The present competitive world and its selfish society have brought many new fears to the human race. I can sympathize with those troubled beings who lie awake at night worrying about the possible destruction of the race through some evil, misguided use of the world's store of nuclear weapons.
The tragedy is that they have lost all sense of the sovereignty and omnipotence and faithfulness of the living God.
Although the material world has never understood it, our faith is well-placed in the Scriptures! Those who take God's Word seriously are convinced of an actual heavenly realm as real as this world we inhabit!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Humanistic View of Life
- A. Belief in human responsibility
- B. Rejection of Jesus Christ
- II. The Fears of a Fallen World
- A. Competitive world and selfish society
- B. Fear of destruction through nuclear weapons
- III. The Loss of Faith in God
- A. Lack of understanding of God's sovereignty
- B. Neglect of God's Word
Key Quotes
“They believe that they are responsible 'captains' of their own souls.” — A.W. Tozer
“The sad fact is that even while they are joining in the age-old rejection of Jesus Christ-'We will not have this Man to rule over us'-they still are beset with fears within.” — A.W. Tozer
“Our faith is well-placed in the Scriptures!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must take God's Word seriously and trust in His sovereignty and faithfulness.
- We should not let the fears of the world dictate our lives, but instead, we should place our faith in God.
- Our faith is well-placed in the Scriptures, and we should trust in their authority and guidance.