Are You Overwhelmed by Fear?
To overcome fear, remind yourself of God's greatness and recall His deliverances in the past.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that when fear overwhelms us, we must focus on the greatness of God and recall His past deliverances. He illustrates this through Nehemiah, who encouraged the people of Jerusalem to remember God's might amidst their fears, and Moses, who reminded the Israelites of God's faithfulness against powerful enemies. By keeping a vision of God's majesty, believers can resist the grip of fear and find strength in His promises. The sermon calls for a remembrance of God's past actions to bolster faith in present trials.
Text
When our fear becomes overwhelming, we must remind ourselves of how great our God is. We need to recall all his great deliverances for those who have trusted in him, and claim the same majestic power for our present trial. Fear cannot get a stranglehold on any servant who has a vision of God's greatness and majesty.
Nehemiah understood this well. He paced back and forth as Jerusalem was surrounded by a fierce coalition of nations ready to attack. A weary remnant was working around the clock to restore Jerusalem's walls against these adversaries. They had to toil with a hammer in one hand and a sword in the other. As the hours ticked away, fear began to set in.
How were they able to resist succumbing to fear? Nehemiah reminded them of how great and mighty their God is: "I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight" (Nehemiah 4:14).
That is exactly how Moses dealt with fear in Israel. He instructed the people, "If you should say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?' -- you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt ... You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you" (Deuteronomy 7:17-18, 21).
Moses was saying, "You are going to face many great enemies who are more powerful than you. You will wonder how you can ever gain victory against such odds but you must remember the awesome might of your God. Remind yourselves how faithful he was to deliver you in the past."
"He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things" (Deuteronomy 10:21). If your faith is shaken, remind yourself of how mighty your God is. Recount his many deliverances in your life and you will find any grip of fear being broken by a vision of his majesty.
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Fear
- The Solution to Fear
- Examples of Overcoming Fear
- Nehemiah's example in Nehemiah 4:14
- Moses' example in Deuteronomy 7:17-18, 21
- Claim His power for your present trial
Key Quotes
“Fear cannot get a stranglehold on any servant who has a vision of God's greatness and majesty.” — David Wilkerson
“If your faith is shaken, remind yourself of how mighty your God is.” — David Wilkerson
“He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Remind yourself of God's greatness and power when facing a difficult situation.
- Recall His deliverances in the past to build your faith and trust in Him.
- Focus on God's majesty and faithfulness to break the grip of fear in your life.