1 00:00:02,502 --> 00:00:03,470 as we've done 2 00:00:03,470 --> 00:00:06,873 the past couple of weeks, I want to continue to introduce you 3 00:00:07,207 --> 00:00:10,710 to some of our church planters and our pastors, 4 00:00:11,578 --> 00:00:13,546 not just around the world, but locally as well. 5 00:00:13,546 --> 00:00:17,550 Two weeks ago, I introduced you to, O'Neill 6 00:00:17,550 --> 00:00:20,754 and Heidi, who was leading our church planting work in Cuba. 7 00:00:21,521 --> 00:00:25,658 They've in the past decade or so, I've started about 120 churches there. 8 00:00:26,559 --> 00:00:29,596 Last week was, Matilda 9 00:00:29,596 --> 00:00:33,333 and, Elsa in, in Guatemala. 10 00:00:33,633 --> 00:00:37,170 In the past year, they've started about 11 there. 11 00:00:37,170 --> 00:00:41,574 And I'm headed back in February to lead another discovery center 12 00:00:41,875 --> 00:00:44,878 for 11 couples or 12 couples or so. 13 00:00:45,812 --> 00:00:47,414 And so God's doing some incredible things. 14 00:00:47,414 --> 00:00:50,650 So we get to be a part of and support all of these church planters and mission 15 00:00:50,650 --> 00:00:53,219 work around the world. A lot of our giving. 16 00:00:53,219 --> 00:00:56,823 One don't know what is now, at one point, it was 40% of every dollar went, 17 00:00:57,490 --> 00:01:00,493 outside ourselves to church plants and mission work. 18 00:01:00,627 --> 00:01:02,829 So when I say you give to you, you don't give to us. 19 00:01:02,829 --> 00:01:03,530 You give through us. 20 00:01:03,530 --> 00:01:05,098 I truly, I truly mean that. 21 00:01:05,098 --> 00:01:07,600 I mean, we we we pass it on. 22 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,770 But not just around the world, but locally as well. 23 00:01:11,071 --> 00:01:14,641 And I want to introduce you, to the Gephardt, 24 00:01:15,575 --> 00:01:18,211 Nick and Natasha and their family. 25 00:01:18,211 --> 00:01:18,912 They get parts of. 26 00:01:18,912 --> 00:01:21,915 They, our pastor in the church right over at, 27 00:01:21,948 --> 00:01:24,851 Stone Creek Elementary a few years ago. 28 00:01:24,851 --> 00:01:28,121 We started the church there, and I got to know Nick and Natasha, 29 00:01:28,588 --> 00:01:33,960 and they moved from, kind of northern ish California down to start a church. 30 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:36,763 And I was I got to know them and their family 31 00:01:36,763 --> 00:01:39,632 and seeing God's call on their life, we took them through the Discovery Center 32 00:01:39,632 --> 00:01:43,169 that we run, and and, and discerned 33 00:01:43,169 --> 00:01:46,172 that, that we wanted to work with them and through them for that church. 34 00:01:46,172 --> 00:01:48,341 And so we got it going. 35 00:01:48,341 --> 00:01:49,542 We hand it off to them. 36 00:01:49,542 --> 00:01:54,747 They've been leading it for a few years, doing a great job there at Stone Creek. 37 00:01:54,914 --> 00:01:57,383 It's called the Church at Riverstone. 38 00:01:57,383 --> 00:02:00,220 And, and they're one of the ones that we support. 39 00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:01,654 They're one of the ones that I coach. 40 00:02:02,755 --> 00:02:04,290 And I want to introduce them to you. 41 00:02:04,290 --> 00:02:07,727 What we're talking about from now until Christmas 42 00:02:07,727 --> 00:02:11,598 Eve, this offering over and above your regular tithes and offering 43 00:02:11,998 --> 00:02:15,301 this special offering that we will give to our church planters. 44 00:02:16,002 --> 00:02:19,606 And and this is, this is one of the families that that money is going to. 45 00:02:19,806 --> 00:02:22,642 So when I say over to above your regular tithes and offerings, 46 00:02:22,642 --> 00:02:27,413 I want to generate in our church $20,000 to split between these people. 47 00:02:27,447 --> 00:02:29,749 Nick and Natasha are some of them. 48 00:02:29,749 --> 00:02:31,751 You understand that they're doing a great job. 49 00:02:31,751 --> 00:02:34,387 They're incredibly committed, incredibly faithful. 50 00:02:34,387 --> 00:02:35,989 Their children are walking with the Lord. 51 00:02:35,989 --> 00:02:37,924 They're lights on that campus. 52 00:02:37,924 --> 00:02:40,627 They're leaders in that community. 53 00:02:40,627 --> 00:02:43,396 But I want you to be praying for Nick 54 00:02:43,396 --> 00:02:48,334 because he's got some internal thing going on without giving you too much detail, 55 00:02:48,635 --> 00:02:52,805 but he is in excruciating pain, has been for about a year and a half. 56 00:02:55,175 --> 00:02:57,277 It can't digest food. 57 00:02:57,277 --> 00:03:00,880 He's lost probably 6,070 pounds in the past year and a half. 58 00:03:01,447 --> 00:03:03,383 They cannot figure out medically. 59 00:03:03,383 --> 00:03:06,085 They cannot figure out what's going on with him. 60 00:03:06,085 --> 00:03:09,088 And it is absolutely debilitating. 61 00:03:09,322 --> 00:03:11,291 He's headed this week, I think, tomorrow down 62 00:03:11,291 --> 00:03:14,561 to San Diego for another specialist to see if they can figure some stuff out. 63 00:03:14,761 --> 00:03:17,730 So I want you to keep them in your prayers. 64 00:03:18,131 --> 00:03:21,501 In the midst of all that, they are tireless and fearless 65 00:03:21,501 --> 00:03:24,504 and just keep grinding, and I'm so proud of them. 66 00:03:24,704 --> 00:03:26,506 But I'm asking you to pray. 67 00:03:26,506 --> 00:03:29,876 Here's one thing that's interesting about churches and pastors, 68 00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:35,114 because some pastors are some of the most insecure people on the planet. 69 00:03:35,882 --> 00:03:38,918 They will support church plants and mission work 70 00:03:39,152 --> 00:03:41,421 in other countries, but not down the road. 71 00:03:42,722 --> 00:03:45,458 They are so insecure and territorial. 72 00:03:45,458 --> 00:03:48,461 That's not who we are, is not who I am. 73 00:03:48,761 --> 00:03:52,332 So we'll do church planting in Cuba and Guatemala and in Riverstone. 74 00:03:52,465 --> 00:03:55,501 You understand it's just about the kingdom for us. 75 00:03:56,102 --> 00:03:58,171 And so we champion Nick and Natasha. 76 00:03:58,171 --> 00:04:00,340 We champion the work that God is doing through their lives. 77 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:01,574 We send people over there. 78 00:04:01,574 --> 00:04:03,843 If any of you want to go check out what they're doing, 79 00:04:03,843 --> 00:04:05,845 please go check the support them. 80 00:04:05,845 --> 00:04:06,879 Be a part of their work. 81 00:04:06,879 --> 00:04:09,882 I would love I would love to be able to feed them as well. 82 00:04:10,617 --> 00:04:13,152 But be praying for them. You got it. 83 00:04:13,152 --> 00:04:18,191 Hey, I wasn't planning on sharing this today, but, I just got a message 84 00:04:18,491 --> 00:04:21,628 from some of the people that I was working with in Ukraine. 85 00:04:24,697 --> 00:04:27,734 The church where I preached the day before I left. 86 00:04:27,734 --> 00:04:30,737 And in Kherson, right on the front lines, 87 00:04:31,070 --> 00:04:33,873 and then in Dnipro, 88 00:04:33,873 --> 00:04:35,908 on the border, 89 00:04:35,908 --> 00:04:38,745 has been under massive 90 00:04:38,745 --> 00:04:41,748 Russian attack by drones and artillery. 91 00:04:42,415 --> 00:04:46,819 So much so, the four of the churches there, 92 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:51,257 this is what it's like to go to church in Ukraine in the in the war zones. 93 00:04:52,158 --> 00:04:55,395 Every church has a basement that they use as a bunker. 94 00:04:56,729 --> 00:04:59,732 And the people come to church knowing 95 00:05:00,099 --> 00:05:03,569 that there's probably going to be shelling for drones and missiles. 96 00:05:03,970 --> 00:05:08,141 And when the alarms go off, everybody in the church goes down to the basement, 97 00:05:08,141 --> 00:05:11,144 and they just keep worshiping and doing church. 98 00:05:12,312 --> 00:05:15,682 And that's what's been going on for the past 24, 48 hours 99 00:05:16,382 --> 00:05:20,353 in this little community where I was and the churches where I preached. 100 00:05:22,355 --> 00:05:26,125 Two nights last night, two nights ago, two nights ago. 101 00:05:26,125 --> 00:05:28,995 400 drones and artillery shells. 102 00:05:28,995 --> 00:05:31,531 Last night, 200 103 00:05:31,531 --> 00:05:34,801 on all civilian targets and on the churches. 104 00:05:36,135 --> 00:05:39,138 And they just keep worshiping. 105 00:05:39,138 --> 00:05:42,909 And they're amazing because they don't use being shelled 106 00:05:42,909 --> 00:05:46,346 by artillery and drones as an excuse not to leave home and go to church. 107 00:05:49,382 --> 00:05:50,750 They're saying is 108 00:05:50,750 --> 00:05:53,753 will worship God today because tomorrow we die. 109 00:05:55,688 --> 00:05:56,489 And last night 110 00:05:56,489 --> 00:06:00,093 they had last count that they told me 70 people, except Jesus. 111 00:06:01,494 --> 00:06:04,297 Because when tomorrow you die, 112 00:06:04,297 --> 00:06:07,300 you get right with God. 113 00:06:07,467 --> 00:06:10,470 They understand. 114 00:06:10,636 --> 00:06:11,838 So I don't know, 115 00:06:11,838 --> 00:06:14,474 what is to become of that church? 116 00:06:14,474 --> 00:06:17,477 Hopefully I'll get some word by their from their pastor, 117 00:06:18,044 --> 00:06:21,047 but right now it's going down. 118 00:06:21,848 --> 00:06:24,851 And so. 119 00:06:25,051 --> 00:06:28,020 So we pray. 120 00:06:28,020 --> 00:06:28,921 Father. Thank you 121 00:06:30,123 --> 00:06:32,725 for the men and women, the families that you have called, set apart 122 00:06:32,725 --> 00:06:35,728 and ordained to do your work 123 00:06:35,762 --> 00:06:38,531 of planting and leading churches. 124 00:06:38,531 --> 00:06:40,199 It's not easy. 125 00:06:40,199 --> 00:06:42,402 It's not glamorous. 126 00:06:42,402 --> 00:06:45,405 It's hard and it's a joy. 127 00:06:46,773 --> 00:06:49,308 And I thank you that you've given us the opportunity 128 00:06:49,308 --> 00:06:52,311 to suffer for your kingdom sake 129 00:06:53,012 --> 00:06:54,414 and God. 130 00:06:54,414 --> 00:06:57,417 Their story is not our story. 131 00:06:58,151 --> 00:07:01,154 That you've been so good to us 132 00:07:01,254 --> 00:07:04,023 in ways we don't deserve. 133 00:07:04,023 --> 00:07:06,092 And I thank you that their story is not our story. 134 00:07:06,092 --> 00:07:09,061 Because I don't think we could stand up under it. 135 00:07:09,362 --> 00:07:11,431 But I thank you for the men and women that you've called us, 136 00:07:11,431 --> 00:07:14,700 both in Ukraine and in Riverstone, who continue to serve, 137 00:07:15,468 --> 00:07:18,471 who continue to sacrifice, who continue to lead 138 00:07:18,971 --> 00:07:21,274 with incredible difficulty and and incredible pain. 139 00:07:22,575 --> 00:07:25,511 And so, father, we speak over them. 140 00:07:25,511 --> 00:07:29,115 Do everything in them that your grace is capable of doing. 141 00:07:31,350 --> 00:07:34,320 Give them every measure of grace. 142 00:07:35,121 --> 00:07:37,123 Pray healing in nick. 143 00:07:37,123 --> 00:07:40,092 I pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors. 144 00:07:40,092 --> 00:07:43,095 I pray expediency of care. 145 00:07:43,262 --> 00:07:46,799 We pray protection in the people in Ukraine. 146 00:07:48,367 --> 00:07:50,703 And revival. 147 00:07:50,703 --> 00:07:52,171 Thank you. 148 00:07:52,171 --> 00:07:55,341 And I pray that this church supports 149 00:07:55,775 --> 00:07:58,778 exorbitantly and extraordinarily 150 00:07:59,679 --> 00:08:02,682 these others that you've given us 151 00:08:03,316 --> 00:08:06,185 the opportunity to be in their lives. 152 00:08:06,185 --> 00:08:08,588 I pray that we be a very generous church, 153 00:08:08,588 --> 00:08:11,591 a very sacrificial church, for the sake of your kingdom. 154 00:08:11,591 --> 00:08:13,926 In your name I pray. Amen. 155 00:08:13,926 --> 00:08:16,329 So please believe me, friends, when I say you don't give to us, you 156 00:08:16,329 --> 00:08:18,464 give through us because we pass it on and that's what we want to do. 157 00:08:18,464 --> 00:08:19,031 You understand that? 158 00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:21,601 All right. 159 00:08:21,601 --> 00:08:24,971 Luke, chapter two, we're going through 160 00:08:25,238 --> 00:08:29,008 this series of different characteristics of the Christmas story. 161 00:08:29,809 --> 00:08:35,381 And, and, I want to talk about this passage. 162 00:08:37,183 --> 00:08:38,084 From Luke chapter two. 163 00:08:38,084 --> 00:08:40,953 It's a very familiar passage. Most of you have heard it. 164 00:08:40,953 --> 00:08:42,755 I think all of you have heard it's the it's 165 00:08:42,755 --> 00:08:45,758 we typically talk about it as the story of the shepherds. 166 00:08:47,026 --> 00:08:49,262 When the angels announced to the shepherds 167 00:08:49,262 --> 00:08:51,364 that this little baby Jesus was being born. 168 00:08:51,364 --> 00:08:54,367 Let me be real clear upfront 169 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,570 that Luke chapter two is the account 170 00:08:58,170 --> 00:09:02,575 of God's proclamation of the birth of Jesus. 171 00:09:02,575 --> 00:09:05,211 The Christ, the Messiah. The long way to. 172 00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:07,813 And that's what Luke chapter two is about. 173 00:09:07,813 --> 00:09:10,383 It's in the context of shepherds. 174 00:09:10,383 --> 00:09:11,751 The announcement is in the context 175 00:09:11,751 --> 00:09:14,787 of shepherds out in their field, guarding their flocks at night. 176 00:09:15,521 --> 00:09:18,824 It's in the context of the shepherds starting very fearful, 177 00:09:19,892 --> 00:09:20,192 and of 178 00:09:20,192 --> 00:09:23,195 the angels response to the shepherds fear 179 00:09:23,429 --> 00:09:26,432 and speaking courage into them. 180 00:09:26,732 --> 00:09:29,602 That propels the shepherds to go find baby Jesus. 181 00:09:29,602 --> 00:09:30,870 That's the context. 182 00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:36,442 But the purpose of it is the proclamation of God about the birth of his son. 183 00:09:36,475 --> 00:09:38,578 That's the that that's what it's all about. 184 00:09:38,578 --> 00:09:41,380 Because this whole thing is not about us 185 00:09:41,380 --> 00:09:44,450 in our fear and our our coping mechanisms. 186 00:09:44,550 --> 00:09:46,218 This whole thing is about Jesus. 187 00:09:46,218 --> 00:09:50,656 Do you understand that now, in the context of the story of Christ, we can learn 188 00:09:50,656 --> 00:09:53,659 truths and and and and things 189 00:09:53,659 --> 00:09:56,829 that help us in our walk and in our world. 190 00:09:57,330 --> 00:10:00,132 One of the things I see in Luke chapter two 191 00:10:00,132 --> 00:10:02,969 is that the story starts with fear, 192 00:10:02,969 --> 00:10:05,471 and it ends with peace. 193 00:10:05,471 --> 00:10:09,041 And so in that context of the announcement of the King, 194 00:10:09,775 --> 00:10:14,814 we can learn how we handle fear. 195 00:10:16,949 --> 00:10:19,952 The fact that the King has come 196 00:10:20,252 --> 00:10:23,222 speaks to our fear. 197 00:10:24,090 --> 00:10:25,391 Please understand this. 198 00:10:25,391 --> 00:10:27,860 Fear is the enemy of your peace. 199 00:10:27,860 --> 00:10:33,432 This morning is for you who deal with fear, 200 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:37,770 who live in fear, who live with fear. 201 00:10:38,771 --> 00:10:42,174 Who fear fearful and anxious and full of anxiety. 202 00:10:42,742 --> 00:10:46,412 It's for you who will not admit that you're fearful. 203 00:10:46,412 --> 00:10:46,979 But you'll. 204 00:10:46,979 --> 00:10:49,982 You'll use terms as concerned. 205 00:10:52,385 --> 00:10:53,552 I want us to understand 206 00:10:53,552 --> 00:10:56,522 that fear is the enemy of peace. 207 00:10:56,689 --> 00:10:59,692 Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. 208 00:10:59,925 --> 00:11:04,463 But those who live with fear and in fear will never know 209 00:11:04,630 --> 00:11:08,000 the peace of God that passes understanding 210 00:11:08,167 --> 00:11:11,470 and never experience the Prince of Peace. Why? 211 00:11:11,604 --> 00:11:14,607 Because fear is the enemy of peace. 212 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,477 Our peace does not start with a feeling. 213 00:11:18,844 --> 00:11:21,981 Our peace begins with a baby in a manger. 214 00:11:22,381 --> 00:11:25,518 Who is Christ, the Lord, the Savior. 215 00:11:27,086 --> 00:11:29,755 Fear is not neutral. 216 00:11:29,755 --> 00:11:31,557 I want you to understand. 217 00:11:31,557 --> 00:11:33,759 Fear is a spirit. 218 00:11:33,759 --> 00:11:36,996 The Bible says God has not given us the spirit of fear 219 00:11:36,996 --> 00:11:39,999 or timidity, but of power and of love and a sound mind. 220 00:11:40,599 --> 00:11:45,671 And so fear is not in just an emotion, and fear is not neutral. 221 00:11:46,539 --> 00:11:48,240 The truth about fear is this. 222 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,043 That fear ruins peace, and only 223 00:11:51,043 --> 00:11:54,046 Christ can restore it. 224 00:11:54,413 --> 00:11:57,416 Fear and peace cannot coexist. 225 00:11:58,184 --> 00:12:01,187 Fear is like a microscope 226 00:12:01,587 --> 00:12:03,823 that enlarges your threat 227 00:12:03,823 --> 00:12:06,826 and shrinks your view of God. 228 00:12:07,993 --> 00:12:10,863 Fear paints a picture of your future 229 00:12:10,863 --> 00:12:13,833 in more vivid colors than God ever intended. 230 00:12:13,833 --> 00:12:16,068 Your future to be painted. 231 00:12:16,068 --> 00:12:19,071 Some of you understand that. 232 00:12:21,073 --> 00:12:23,876 Fear is natural, 233 00:12:23,876 --> 00:12:26,879 but it was never intended to be your lifestyle. 234 00:12:28,214 --> 00:12:30,316 And when fear becomes your lifestyle, 235 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:34,286 you will never walk in the peace of God. 236 00:12:37,656 --> 00:12:40,493 And so we have to deal with fear. 237 00:12:40,493 --> 00:12:42,094 And into this 238 00:12:42,094 --> 00:12:46,665 we step with the shepherd's on and that and that Christmas night 239 00:12:47,133 --> 00:12:50,136 in their field, in their moment. 240 00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:53,272 And I want to read for you 241 00:12:53,539 --> 00:12:56,609 Luke two verses one through 20. 242 00:12:57,409 --> 00:13:00,112 I'm sorry. Not. No. Eight through 20. 243 00:13:00,112 --> 00:13:02,815 Luke two, verses eight through 20. 244 00:13:02,815 --> 00:13:04,083 It's a longer passage. 245 00:13:04,083 --> 00:13:06,018 It'll be familiar. 246 00:13:06,018 --> 00:13:06,552 This is what to me. 247 00:13:06,552 --> 00:13:09,288 If you have a Bible. Open it. 248 00:13:09,288 --> 00:13:11,690 Luke chapter two, verses eight through 20. 249 00:13:11,690 --> 00:13:13,292 Here's what it says. 250 00:13:13,292 --> 00:13:15,261 And in the same region, there were shepherds 251 00:13:15,261 --> 00:13:18,397 out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. 252 00:13:18,898 --> 00:13:20,566 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them. 253 00:13:20,566 --> 00:13:22,768 And the glory of the Lord shone around them. 254 00:13:22,768 --> 00:13:24,503 And they were filled with what 255 00:13:25,571 --> 00:13:28,007 great fear! 256 00:13:28,007 --> 00:13:30,676 And the angel said to them, what 257 00:13:30,676 --> 00:13:31,544 fear not! 258 00:13:31,544 --> 00:13:35,581 For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 259 00:13:35,581 --> 00:13:37,249 For unto you 260 00:13:37,249 --> 00:13:41,353 is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 261 00:13:41,453 --> 00:13:42,922 And this will be a sign for you. 262 00:13:42,922 --> 00:13:46,192 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. 263 00:13:47,426 --> 00:13:50,863 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host, praising God 264 00:13:50,863 --> 00:13:54,767 and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace 265 00:13:55,100 --> 00:13:57,036 among those with whom he is. 266 00:13:57,036 --> 00:13:59,071 He is pleased. 267 00:13:59,071 --> 00:14:01,473 When the angels went away from them 268 00:14:01,473 --> 00:14:04,910 into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let us go over to Bethlehem 269 00:14:04,910 --> 00:14:08,247 to see this thing that has happened, where the Lord has made known to us. 270 00:14:08,848 --> 00:14:11,250 And they went with haste, and found Mary 271 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:14,253 and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 272 00:14:14,253 --> 00:14:17,857 And when they saw, they made known the saying that had been told to them 273 00:14:17,857 --> 00:14:19,491 concerning this child. 274 00:14:19,491 --> 00:14:22,928 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 275 00:14:23,462 --> 00:14:27,299 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 276 00:14:28,467 --> 00:14:30,836 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God 277 00:14:30,836 --> 00:14:34,173 for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 278 00:14:35,007 --> 00:14:37,176 That First Christmas night 279 00:14:37,176 --> 00:14:40,179 was not a hallmark movie. 280 00:14:40,713 --> 00:14:43,682 It began in fear. 281 00:14:44,083 --> 00:14:47,086 In the middle of the night, shift. 282 00:14:47,419 --> 00:14:49,755 I want you to notice something 283 00:14:49,755 --> 00:14:53,926 that if any of us want peace, we must first deal with fear. 284 00:14:56,161 --> 00:14:59,164 The message of that Christmas evening 285 00:14:59,565 --> 00:15:02,568 was peace among people. 286 00:15:02,701 --> 00:15:05,671 But it started with fear not. 287 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:09,541 See what we have to understand 288 00:15:09,541 --> 00:15:12,544 in verse nine. 289 00:15:12,544 --> 00:15:14,513 The angel of the Lord appeared to them, 290 00:15:14,513 --> 00:15:17,516 and the guerrillas shone around them, and they were what? 291 00:15:18,751 --> 00:15:21,720 They were filled with great fear. 292 00:15:23,689 --> 00:15:27,226 When the Bible uses the word great fear, there 293 00:15:27,493 --> 00:15:30,496 it means literally mega fear 294 00:15:30,496 --> 00:15:33,332 or fear on top of fear. 295 00:15:33,332 --> 00:15:34,934 It's it's that fear. 296 00:15:34,934 --> 00:15:37,336 And some of you know exactly what this like that. 297 00:15:37,336 --> 00:15:40,673 When it hits for a moment, it's overwhelming. 298 00:15:42,942 --> 00:15:45,945 For a moment, it's paralyzing. 299 00:15:47,479 --> 00:15:50,482 Initially, when it hits. 300 00:15:51,317 --> 00:15:54,320 You're shaken in here. 301 00:15:54,887 --> 00:15:57,723 Do you see what I'm talking about? 302 00:15:57,723 --> 00:16:00,526 That's mega fear. 303 00:16:00,526 --> 00:16:03,095 It's fear stacked on top of fear. 304 00:16:03,095 --> 00:16:04,496 Stacked on top of fear. 305 00:16:04,496 --> 00:16:06,932 Stacked on top of fear. 306 00:16:06,932 --> 00:16:09,001 It's fear that it looks like this. 307 00:16:09,001 --> 00:16:11,103 Well, if that happen, then this. 308 00:16:11,103 --> 00:16:14,406 And if that, then this and if that, then this and of that. 309 00:16:14,406 --> 00:16:15,240 Then this. 310 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,544 Fear stacked on fear stacked on fear stacked on fear. 311 00:16:18,577 --> 00:16:21,580 Yeah. 312 00:16:26,151 --> 00:16:28,921 Yeah. 313 00:16:28,921 --> 00:16:30,556 One of the most common ways we experience 314 00:16:30,556 --> 00:16:33,559 this is if you're a parent 315 00:16:33,592 --> 00:16:35,761 and you have those moments with your children. 316 00:16:35,761 --> 00:16:39,198 Well, if that happened, then all of a sudden this and this and this 317 00:16:39,198 --> 00:16:43,202 and this and all of a sudden you have lived their lives and they're 12. 318 00:16:45,637 --> 00:16:48,807 And the life that you've painted for them is nothing but fear. 319 00:16:48,807 --> 00:16:51,176 And worst case scenario, 320 00:16:51,176 --> 00:16:53,178 right? 321 00:16:53,178 --> 00:16:55,514 Fear stacked on fear stacked on fear 322 00:16:55,514 --> 00:16:58,517 stacked on fear. 323 00:16:58,584 --> 00:17:00,719 And when that hits, 324 00:17:00,719 --> 00:17:03,722 there's no peace. 325 00:17:06,959 --> 00:17:07,726 Let me tell you where. 326 00:17:07,726 --> 00:17:08,894 Fear this. 327 00:17:08,894 --> 00:17:11,663 This is the entry way to fear. 328 00:17:11,663 --> 00:17:14,666 Fear rushes in when we're unprepared, 329 00:17:15,701 --> 00:17:17,636 when we're unsure 330 00:17:17,636 --> 00:17:20,639 and when we feel unprotected. 331 00:17:24,076 --> 00:17:25,711 You know what those like are just unprepared. 332 00:17:25,711 --> 00:17:27,179 I didn't see it coming. 333 00:17:27,179 --> 00:17:29,915 It came out of nowhere. 334 00:17:29,915 --> 00:17:31,050 Out of the blue. 335 00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:32,651 Like no. 336 00:17:32,651 --> 00:17:35,154 If I would have known, I could have gotten right here. 337 00:17:35,154 --> 00:17:38,157 Been there. 338 00:17:39,091 --> 00:17:40,492 It comes when you're just unsure. 339 00:17:40,492 --> 00:17:42,428 I'm just. Don't you? I don't know. 340 00:17:42,428 --> 00:17:43,562 I don't have an answer. 341 00:17:43,562 --> 00:17:46,398 I don't know what the future is. 342 00:17:46,398 --> 00:17:48,133 I just this uncertainty. 343 00:17:48,133 --> 00:17:51,236 It just it's it's it's so overwhelming. 344 00:17:51,270 --> 00:17:51,570 Yeah. 345 00:17:53,672 --> 00:17:54,540 It hits in those 346 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:57,843 places when you feel completely unprotected. 347 00:17:57,943 --> 00:18:00,279 I got no covering. 348 00:18:00,279 --> 00:18:02,714 I am completely I feel completely unsafe 349 00:18:02,714 --> 00:18:06,051 right now in this environment, in this scenario with these people. 350 00:18:06,051 --> 00:18:09,054 I just it just I. 351 00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:15,527 Have you ever been full of fear? Yes. 352 00:18:18,464 --> 00:18:21,467 And it hits when you go to the doctor for a regular checkup. 353 00:18:21,467 --> 00:18:24,470 And you didn't see it coming. 354 00:18:25,170 --> 00:18:25,938 You get the word. 355 00:18:25,938 --> 00:18:28,941 The diagnosis. 356 00:18:29,908 --> 00:18:30,476 And it hits 357 00:18:30,476 --> 00:18:33,479 when the loss comes out of left field. 358 00:18:33,779 --> 00:18:36,715 We just weren't ready. 359 00:18:36,715 --> 00:18:39,718 I don't know what I'm gonna do. 360 00:18:41,620 --> 00:18:44,857 And for parents, it hits when you have a future for your kids planned, 361 00:18:44,857 --> 00:18:47,860 and you just don't see how that reality is ever going to happen. 362 00:18:57,302 --> 00:18:59,972 Do you know what this is like? 363 00:18:59,972 --> 00:19:03,575 And if you have known fear, you know that there's no peace. 364 00:19:06,545 --> 00:19:07,412 And though Christ 365 00:19:07,412 --> 00:19:10,549 came for peace, one of his titles is the Prince of Peace. 366 00:19:10,549 --> 00:19:13,018 For goodness sake. 367 00:19:13,018 --> 00:19:16,021 We first have to deal with fear. 368 00:19:17,823 --> 00:19:19,291 I want you to sound what fear is. 369 00:19:19,291 --> 00:19:20,692 Fear is actually faith. 370 00:19:20,692 --> 00:19:21,660 It's just faith. 371 00:19:21,660 --> 00:19:24,663 In the worst case scenario. 372 00:19:24,663 --> 00:19:26,865 That's what fear is. 373 00:19:26,865 --> 00:19:27,833 Oh, I have faith. 374 00:19:27,833 --> 00:19:30,836 I just have faith in the worst case scenario. 375 00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:34,706 That's fear. 376 00:19:34,706 --> 00:19:36,141 Now, let me acknowledge, because I don't want 377 00:19:36,141 --> 00:19:39,144 to paint all fears, that because some fear is protective fear. 378 00:19:39,344 --> 00:19:41,013 Some fear is good. 379 00:19:41,013 --> 00:19:44,349 Did you know that humans are only born with two innate fears? 380 00:19:44,349 --> 00:19:45,017 Natural fears? 381 00:19:45,017 --> 00:19:49,855 Only to every other fear that humans have our learned fears. 382 00:19:50,856 --> 00:19:52,891 But some of those learned fears are actually good fears. 383 00:19:52,891 --> 00:19:54,693 But the two that we're born with. 384 00:19:54,693 --> 00:19:56,061 Do you know what they are? 385 00:19:56,061 --> 00:19:56,662 I'll tell you. 386 00:19:56,662 --> 00:19:58,830 The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. 387 00:19:59,865 --> 00:20:00,832 Those are in a 388 00:20:00,832 --> 00:20:04,736 in a normal, like growth pattern. 389 00:20:05,537 --> 00:20:06,939 Mentally, emotionally, physically. 390 00:20:06,939 --> 00:20:08,307 Like, those are the only two fears 391 00:20:08,307 --> 00:20:11,310 people are born with the fear of falling in the fear of loud noises. 392 00:20:11,343 --> 00:20:14,346 Now, there are other fears that we learn that actually protective fears. 393 00:20:15,047 --> 00:20:19,351 If you've ever burned yourself and you gained a healthy fear of fire, 394 00:20:19,351 --> 00:20:22,321 that's a healthy, protective fear, right? 395 00:20:23,155 --> 00:20:26,225 The fear of heights can be a protective fear. 396 00:20:27,693 --> 00:20:28,694 It can be. 397 00:20:28,694 --> 00:20:30,495 So there are some fears that are protective. 398 00:20:30,495 --> 00:20:33,465 There are some things that are normal and that's fine. 399 00:20:33,465 --> 00:20:36,468 There are some fears that are completely 400 00:20:36,602 --> 00:20:38,570 illogical 401 00:20:38,570 --> 00:20:39,838 and they're learned. 402 00:20:39,838 --> 00:20:42,841 Did you know the number one fear among people is do you know what it is? 403 00:20:44,543 --> 00:20:46,945 It's acrophobia. 404 00:20:46,945 --> 00:20:48,847 The fear of acrobats. No, just the. 405 00:20:48,847 --> 00:20:51,183 The fear of heights. It's fear. Heights. 406 00:20:52,651 --> 00:20:53,852 They're the second most common. 407 00:20:53,852 --> 00:20:55,954 Fear is. 408 00:20:55,954 --> 00:20:57,189 Nope. Glossop phobia. 409 00:20:57,189 --> 00:20:59,057 The fear of public speaking. 410 00:20:59,057 --> 00:20:59,324 Yeah. 411 00:20:59,324 --> 00:21:01,293 So, Joe, thank you for doing that this morning. 412 00:21:01,293 --> 00:21:04,263 Because all of these people are terrified to do that. 413 00:21:05,130 --> 00:21:07,032 And then, of course, Billy, you said it. 414 00:21:07,032 --> 00:21:08,967 The other common fear is spiders. 415 00:21:08,967 --> 00:21:10,902 Arachnophobia. Yeah. 416 00:21:10,902 --> 00:21:13,805 And in some of that we understand 417 00:21:13,805 --> 00:21:16,408 there's some really weird fears 418 00:21:16,408 --> 00:21:17,643 on Fall of Phobia. 419 00:21:17,643 --> 00:21:19,411 You know what that is? 420 00:21:19,411 --> 00:21:22,414 It's a fear of belly buttons. 421 00:21:23,448 --> 00:21:25,550 I don't know what's behind that. 422 00:21:25,550 --> 00:21:27,185 I don't know how that develops. 423 00:21:27,185 --> 00:21:29,054 I don't want to know. 424 00:21:29,054 --> 00:21:32,057 But it's a thing. 425 00:21:32,724 --> 00:21:35,661 How about normal phobia? 426 00:21:35,661 --> 00:21:36,662 Anybody? 427 00:21:36,662 --> 00:21:38,497 Fear of no phones? 428 00:21:38,497 --> 00:21:40,699 No, but fear of no phone. 429 00:21:40,699 --> 00:21:41,566 Anybody? 430 00:21:41,566 --> 00:21:44,569 I some of you admit it. 431 00:21:47,039 --> 00:21:49,341 There's one called xenophobia. 432 00:21:49,341 --> 00:21:51,777 What? That is the fear of knees. 433 00:21:55,213 --> 00:21:56,581 And so some of these fears go like. 434 00:21:56,581 --> 00:21:58,383 This is ridiculous for us. 435 00:21:58,383 --> 00:22:01,219 On the outside of these, they seem silly. 436 00:22:01,219 --> 00:22:04,222 But for those who are fearful 437 00:22:04,222 --> 00:22:07,225 when you're fearful, it's legit. 438 00:22:07,693 --> 00:22:09,528 You feel it. 439 00:22:09,528 --> 00:22:13,165 And when that fear strikes, there is no peace whatsoever. 440 00:22:13,298 --> 00:22:16,134 And so the Christmas story starts with fear. 441 00:22:16,134 --> 00:22:19,404 And fear has to be dealt with before they ever get to peace. 442 00:22:20,672 --> 00:22:21,707 Same thing in your life. 443 00:22:21,707 --> 00:22:24,710 Anything in my life. 444 00:22:25,777 --> 00:22:29,448 What we're talking about this morning is fear 445 00:22:29,448 --> 00:22:33,485 that rules your heart and rules your imaginations. 446 00:22:40,192 --> 00:22:42,527 I'm going to share with you a couple things. 447 00:22:42,527 --> 00:22:45,530 Solutions. 448 00:22:45,731 --> 00:22:47,933 The first is I want to share with you. 449 00:22:47,933 --> 00:22:50,936 The fear is to replace fear with the truth of Scripture. 450 00:22:53,071 --> 00:22:54,740 The devil is a father of lies. 451 00:22:57,476 --> 00:22:59,845 He's the great deceiver. 452 00:22:59,845 --> 00:23:03,281 And if he, you and I are going to be experienced the peace of God, 453 00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:07,052 the first thing we have to do is replace your fear 454 00:23:07,219 --> 00:23:10,222 with the truth of Scripture. 455 00:23:11,990 --> 00:23:14,993 Pick one fear in your life. 456 00:23:16,495 --> 00:23:17,729 And get one scripture 457 00:23:17,729 --> 00:23:20,732 that tells you the truth over that fear. 458 00:23:21,666 --> 00:23:24,636 And speak that out loud over your life 459 00:23:24,636 --> 00:23:27,639 and over your fear. 460 00:23:30,475 --> 00:23:31,710 I know the plans 461 00:23:31,710 --> 00:23:34,713 God has for me, declares the Lord, 462 00:23:35,147 --> 00:23:37,983 and I know that he will work all things together 463 00:23:37,983 --> 00:23:41,820 for the good of my kids who love him. 464 00:23:45,023 --> 00:23:47,592 I know my fear is lonely. 465 00:23:47,592 --> 00:23:50,295 I know I will never be alone. 466 00:23:50,295 --> 00:23:53,231 Your hand is with me. Your right hand will guide me if I go. 467 00:23:53,231 --> 00:23:54,866 If I raise on the wings of the morning. 468 00:23:54,866 --> 00:23:57,869 Go the other he even there you are with me. 469 00:23:58,170 --> 00:24:00,806 I can go down to hell now. Psalm 139. 470 00:24:02,641 --> 00:24:05,010 Whatever that fear is, get one scripture 471 00:24:05,010 --> 00:24:08,113 and speak out loud the truth of Scripture 472 00:24:08,113 --> 00:24:11,116 over your life and over that fear, 473 00:24:11,783 --> 00:24:14,820 because one Scripture believed 474 00:24:14,820 --> 00:24:17,823 is stronger than ten fears imagined. 475 00:24:18,857 --> 00:24:21,593 And most of us are so tuned and, 476 00:24:21,593 --> 00:24:26,498 and and developed the habit in our lives to listen to fear more than to speak. 477 00:24:26,498 --> 00:24:28,200 The truth of Scripture over us. 478 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:32,437 It's no wonder that people who have the Prince of Peace residing within them 479 00:24:32,537 --> 00:24:35,540 are people who do not live as people of peace. 480 00:24:39,144 --> 00:24:42,514 The other solution is to flat out 481 00:24:42,781 --> 00:24:46,451 refuse to agree with fears, lies. 482 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,455 If you have the truth of Scripture, 483 00:24:50,455 --> 00:24:54,326 refuse to believe the lies that fear speaks. 484 00:24:56,461 --> 00:24:59,030 Fear because it is not just an emotion, 485 00:24:59,030 --> 00:25:02,434 it is also spirit demands agreement. 486 00:25:03,602 --> 00:25:04,202 Fear. 487 00:25:04,202 --> 00:25:07,172 If fear demands that you agree with it, 488 00:25:07,172 --> 00:25:10,141 that's why you're fearful. 489 00:25:10,308 --> 00:25:11,610 Do you understand? 490 00:25:11,610 --> 00:25:13,512 The only reason we're fearful? 491 00:25:13,512 --> 00:25:17,182 Like this type of of of that overwhelms us 492 00:25:17,249 --> 00:25:20,252 is because we've agreed with fear. 493 00:25:21,486 --> 00:25:23,688 And so one of the most profound steps 494 00:25:23,688 --> 00:25:28,159 of spiritual warfare that the Christ follower can do is to pray. 495 00:25:28,193 --> 00:25:32,030 Father, I refuse to partner with fear, 496 00:25:32,063 --> 00:25:36,401 and I choose your peace and your truth over that fear. 497 00:25:37,068 --> 00:25:40,071 That's spiritual warfare. 498 00:25:42,173 --> 00:25:45,176 And I just wonder why so many Christ followers 499 00:25:45,744 --> 00:25:50,415 listen to fear more than repeat scripture 500 00:25:50,415 --> 00:25:53,418 over their life. 501 00:25:59,324 --> 00:26:00,559 If you're going to experience 502 00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:04,763 the peace of God, you must first deal with your fear to understand you. 503 00:26:04,763 --> 00:26:05,997 Got it? 504 00:26:05,997 --> 00:26:09,000 I've given you two solutions to do that. 505 00:26:12,771 --> 00:26:14,506 Because fear blocks peace. 506 00:26:14,506 --> 00:26:16,942 God always starts with don't be afraid. 507 00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:20,178 Verse ten 508 00:26:20,178 --> 00:26:22,981 to the angel said to him, what do you say? 509 00:26:22,981 --> 00:26:27,052 Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy. 510 00:26:27,052 --> 00:26:28,453 That would be for all the people. 511 00:26:28,453 --> 00:26:31,256 Don't be afraid. Why not? 512 00:26:31,256 --> 00:26:34,259 Because I'm bringing you good news. 513 00:26:35,493 --> 00:26:36,695 Don't be afraid. 514 00:26:36,695 --> 00:26:39,631 Why not? 515 00:26:39,631 --> 00:26:42,634 I see in my mind worst case scenario. 516 00:26:42,667 --> 00:26:43,368 And the angel? 517 00:26:43,368 --> 00:26:47,305 Well, don't, because I have good news. 518 00:26:47,339 --> 00:26:50,141 That is great. Joy. 519 00:26:50,141 --> 00:26:52,978 You don't have to give yourself to worst case scenario. 520 00:26:52,978 --> 00:26:55,981 Because I have good news. 521 00:26:56,281 --> 00:26:59,284 Great joy. 522 00:26:59,451 --> 00:27:03,555 There are 103 specific times in the Bible 523 00:27:03,755 --> 00:27:06,758 when the Bible says literally, fear not. 524 00:27:06,758 --> 00:27:08,093 Be not afraid. 525 00:27:08,093 --> 00:27:10,695 Now if you add, don't be terrified. Don't be dismayed. 526 00:27:10,695 --> 00:27:11,429 Don't be anxious. 527 00:27:11,429 --> 00:27:16,668 There's a whole bunch more but 103 very specific word for word. 528 00:27:16,701 --> 00:27:19,104 Fear not. Be not afraid. 529 00:27:19,104 --> 00:27:24,342 If you look just at the Hebrew Old Testament 51 times, do not fear. 530 00:27:25,443 --> 00:27:28,613 Why? Because 531 00:27:29,614 --> 00:27:32,417 the gospel is good news. 532 00:27:32,417 --> 00:27:36,154 Because this is good news of great joy. 533 00:27:36,321 --> 00:27:39,758 And when I believe this and put it here and believe this 534 00:27:39,758 --> 00:27:42,761 and put it here and believe it, 535 00:27:43,228 --> 00:27:46,164 I override fear. 536 00:27:46,164 --> 00:27:48,366 You understand with the truth 537 00:27:48,366 --> 00:27:51,369 of the good news of great joy. 538 00:27:57,742 --> 00:28:00,712 The point is this. 539 00:28:00,712 --> 00:28:03,181 If you don't first silence your fear. 540 00:28:03,181 --> 00:28:06,751 You will never hear God speak peace over your life. 541 00:28:10,188 --> 00:28:11,289 So what the angel had to deal with. 542 00:28:11,289 --> 00:28:13,091 First, let's deal with your fear. 543 00:28:13,091 --> 00:28:15,694 And then you can hear me speak. Peace. 544 00:28:15,694 --> 00:28:18,396 If you don't, first deal with your fear 545 00:28:18,396 --> 00:28:23,068 and and and destroy that through Scripture, 546 00:28:23,334 --> 00:28:27,505 you will never hear God speak peace over that 547 00:28:27,505 --> 00:28:30,508 which you are fearful of. 548 00:28:32,377 --> 00:28:34,312 To understand. 549 00:28:34,312 --> 00:28:37,315 It's very important. 550 00:28:40,118 --> 00:28:40,618 The reason 551 00:28:40,618 --> 00:28:44,089 why God says fear not is because he brings good news. 552 00:28:45,957 --> 00:28:46,591 There's good 553 00:28:46,591 --> 00:28:49,561 news about that thing you're fearful about. 554 00:28:50,462 --> 00:28:53,031 You've not been able to hear it 555 00:28:53,031 --> 00:28:56,034 because all of you you've listened to is fear. 556 00:28:58,536 --> 00:29:01,272 This is gospel logic. 557 00:29:01,272 --> 00:29:04,275 Good news defeats bad fear. 558 00:29:05,443 --> 00:29:07,645 That's just how it works. 559 00:29:07,645 --> 00:29:10,081 The good news of the gospel defeats bad fear. 560 00:29:10,081 --> 00:29:13,051 Why is it that so many Christians 561 00:29:13,752 --> 00:29:16,321 have chosen the characteristic that is opposite 562 00:29:16,321 --> 00:29:19,290 of God and His word? 563 00:29:19,557 --> 00:29:22,560 Why do we choose fear? 564 00:29:24,629 --> 00:29:27,632 See, Jesus makes peace personal. 565 00:29:27,899 --> 00:29:29,534 He says in John 14. 566 00:29:29,534 --> 00:29:31,402 Peace I leave you with. 567 00:29:31,402 --> 00:29:34,606 I leave with you. My peace I give you. 568 00:29:35,073 --> 00:29:37,909 Not as the world gives do I give to you. 569 00:29:37,909 --> 00:29:40,345 Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 570 00:29:40,345 --> 00:29:42,580 Here's what Jesus saying. 571 00:29:42,580 --> 00:29:44,883 I'm going to give you the peace I have. 572 00:29:46,217 --> 00:29:48,887 What was Jesus ever fearful of? 573 00:29:48,887 --> 00:29:51,890 Nothing. 574 00:29:52,457 --> 00:29:55,727 He says that that I do. 575 00:29:55,727 --> 00:29:56,861 You know who I am? 576 00:29:56,861 --> 00:29:59,764 Jesus says. 577 00:29:59,764 --> 00:30:01,132 I have this. 578 00:30:01,132 --> 00:30:02,867 The peace. Peace isn't something that. 579 00:30:02,867 --> 00:30:06,638 Peace is who I am and the peace that I am. 580 00:30:06,638 --> 00:30:08,606 I want to give to you, not as the world gives. 581 00:30:08,606 --> 00:30:10,742 Here's here's what I know from that passage. 582 00:30:10,742 --> 00:30:13,111 The world will offer us peace. 583 00:30:13,111 --> 00:30:15,079 It does. 584 00:30:15,079 --> 00:30:17,182 Jesus doesn't say there's no peace in the world. 585 00:30:17,182 --> 00:30:19,317 He says, I'm going to give you peace. 586 00:30:19,317 --> 00:30:20,585 And the world's going to give you peace. 587 00:30:20,585 --> 00:30:23,054 But the peace I give you is a like the world has. The world offers peace. 588 00:30:23,054 --> 00:30:24,322 Well, let me do. 589 00:30:24,322 --> 00:30:27,058 The world offers us peace and things like this. 590 00:30:27,058 --> 00:30:29,194 Money. 591 00:30:29,194 --> 00:30:31,396 If you've ever been fearful about your future. 592 00:30:32,564 --> 00:30:34,966 How how are you going to make ends meet? 593 00:30:34,966 --> 00:30:35,433 Where do you go? 594 00:30:35,433 --> 00:30:37,101 You know, retirement stuff the world. 595 00:30:37,101 --> 00:30:39,571 So just get more money. 596 00:30:39,571 --> 00:30:42,307 The answer in your piece is in finances. 597 00:30:42,307 --> 00:30:45,143 Tells us that all the time. 598 00:30:45,143 --> 00:30:48,079 Tells us, or our peace about our future is in a good retirement. 599 00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:50,281 Good for A1K 600 00:30:50,281 --> 00:30:52,317 peace about our futures in good health insurance. 601 00:30:52,317 --> 00:30:54,052 At least I know, I know I got coverage. 602 00:30:54,052 --> 00:30:56,487 I'll be all right. 603 00:30:56,487 --> 00:31:00,124 And those are all elements of the world's peace, and the rule offers them all. 604 00:31:00,225 --> 00:31:03,862 But the problem with that is they're all fleeting and tenuous at best. 605 00:31:04,662 --> 00:31:07,165 It doesn't last. 606 00:31:07,165 --> 00:31:10,802 And so Jesus says, while the world's going to offer you peace, don't fall for it. 607 00:31:11,202 --> 00:31:13,705 You need the peace that I am, the peace that I give. 608 00:31:15,173 --> 00:31:17,942 See, peace doesn't come from a change of situation. 609 00:31:17,942 --> 00:31:19,844 Peace doesn't come from answers. 610 00:31:19,844 --> 00:31:21,512 Peace doesn't come from knowledge. 611 00:31:21,512 --> 00:31:24,482 Peace comes in a person. 612 00:31:25,483 --> 00:31:27,085 And friends, please understand 613 00:31:27,085 --> 00:31:30,622 God does not want to calm your fear. 614 00:31:31,789 --> 00:31:34,792 He wants to replace it with himself. 615 00:31:38,363 --> 00:31:41,366 Most of us want God to give us peace. 616 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,068 God says, I don't want to give you peace. 617 00:31:44,068 --> 00:31:47,071 I want to give you me. 618 00:31:48,139 --> 00:31:51,142 And so. 619 00:31:51,309 --> 00:31:54,512 Because peace is not the absence of conflict. 620 00:31:54,512 --> 00:31:55,914 See, that's where we go wrong. 621 00:31:55,914 --> 00:31:57,849 We think if there's no conflict, there's peace. 622 00:31:57,849 --> 00:31:59,550 That's not the truth. 623 00:31:59,550 --> 00:32:02,387 When there's no conflict, it means there's no conflict. 624 00:32:02,387 --> 00:32:04,522 It doesn't mean there's peace. 625 00:32:04,522 --> 00:32:07,258 Because peace is not the absence of conflict. 626 00:32:07,258 --> 00:32:10,261 Peace is the presence of Christ. 627 00:32:12,096 --> 00:32:13,131 And because God doesn't 628 00:32:13,131 --> 00:32:16,134 want to just replace your fear, he wants to give you himself. 629 00:32:16,534 --> 00:32:18,069 What I know is this 630 00:32:19,337 --> 00:32:22,340 when the angels went away from them into heaven, 631 00:32:22,340 --> 00:32:26,077 the shepherds said to one another, let's go over to Bethlehem and see this thing 632 00:32:26,077 --> 00:32:29,080 that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 633 00:32:30,148 --> 00:32:31,582 And they went with haste, and found. 634 00:32:31,582 --> 00:32:34,652 They found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 635 00:32:34,652 --> 00:32:36,454 Here's what I know. 636 00:32:36,454 --> 00:32:39,991 Peace grows as we move toward Jesus. 637 00:32:40,959 --> 00:32:44,162 So if we're going to experience the peace of God, 638 00:32:45,263 --> 00:32:48,266 we have to first deal with fear. 639 00:32:48,399 --> 00:32:51,402 Speak the truth of Scripture over that. 640 00:32:52,270 --> 00:32:55,273 And because peace is found in the person of Jesus, 641 00:32:55,473 --> 00:32:59,744 and God doesn't want to replace fear, he wants to give us Christ. 642 00:32:59,944 --> 00:33:03,514 Then I know that peace grows as I move toward Jesus. 643 00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:06,184 Does that make sense? It's just what the shepherds did. 644 00:33:07,585 --> 00:33:09,721 I want to give you two steps 645 00:33:09,721 --> 00:33:12,724 in you moving toward Jesus. 646 00:33:13,491 --> 00:33:14,392 Two solutions. 647 00:33:14,392 --> 00:33:15,994 Two steps. You ready? 648 00:33:15,994 --> 00:33:18,930 One is inward. Inward. 649 00:33:18,930 --> 00:33:21,432 And one is outward. Every say outward. 650 00:33:21,432 --> 00:33:24,202 The inward step of you and I moving towards 651 00:33:24,202 --> 00:33:28,473 Jesus is through this thing that's called spiritual disciplines. 652 00:33:29,707 --> 00:33:33,878 Spiritual disciplines are those habits we develop in ourselves 653 00:33:34,645 --> 00:33:37,281 that move us toward Jesus. 654 00:33:37,281 --> 00:33:39,150 There are things like fasting. 655 00:33:39,150 --> 00:33:42,220 There are things like silence, solitude, 656 00:33:42,453 --> 00:33:45,490 Bible memorization, biblical meditation. 657 00:33:45,723 --> 00:33:47,225 They're found in Scripture. 658 00:33:47,225 --> 00:33:48,593 Jesus practiced them. 659 00:33:48,593 --> 00:33:51,596 The first church practiced them. 660 00:33:51,696 --> 00:33:53,197 The move is toward Jesus. 661 00:33:53,197 --> 00:33:56,501 They're not avenues to get something from God. 662 00:33:56,534 --> 00:34:00,204 Fasting is not an avenue to get an answer, to get a revelation for God. 663 00:34:00,204 --> 00:34:00,872 Answer prayer. 664 00:34:00,872 --> 00:34:01,773 It's none of it. 665 00:34:01,773 --> 00:34:04,509 It's simply an avenue to move you toward Jesus. 666 00:34:04,509 --> 00:34:06,010 And here's what I know. 667 00:34:06,010 --> 00:34:08,946 Most Christians live their entire earthly lives 668 00:34:08,946 --> 00:34:12,183 without the knowledge nor the practice of spiritual disciplines. 669 00:34:12,650 --> 00:34:15,286 They were known and practiced in the First church. 670 00:34:15,286 --> 00:34:17,989 They're not known or practiced in the modern church. 671 00:34:19,557 --> 00:34:22,827 We think we grow closer to Jesus simply by coming to church, 672 00:34:22,827 --> 00:34:25,830 and that is part of the process for sure. 673 00:34:27,298 --> 00:34:31,469 But unless we as Christ followers take the time, 674 00:34:31,702 --> 00:34:35,573 develop the discipline to practice these spiritual disciplines. 675 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,110 We will only move so far and no further toward Christ, 676 00:34:39,110 --> 00:34:42,113 and we will always live in fear. 677 00:34:43,081 --> 00:34:46,050 To understand. 678 00:34:47,618 --> 00:34:51,222 So what I've done for you as I've written another little book 679 00:34:51,789 --> 00:34:54,792 called Foundations of Spiritual Disciplines. 680 00:34:55,126 --> 00:34:58,129 It's in the Welcome Center, free for anybody here today. 681 00:34:58,830 --> 00:35:00,798 There's multiple stacks in the Welcome Center. 682 00:35:00,798 --> 00:35:04,435 Walk through there after service, pick up the book and start reading it 683 00:35:04,435 --> 00:35:07,705 and practicing at least one spiritual discipline. 684 00:35:08,372 --> 00:35:10,975 Work your way through it slowly 685 00:35:10,975 --> 00:35:13,978 and find yourself moving closer to Jesus. 686 00:35:14,645 --> 00:35:18,649 And as you do move closer to him, you move further away from fear. 687 00:35:19,984 --> 00:35:22,153 You understand it's not going to happen by accident. 688 00:35:22,153 --> 00:35:25,556 Nobody stumbles their way or accidents their way in the spiritual disciplines 689 00:35:25,556 --> 00:35:27,425 and spiritual growth. 690 00:35:27,425 --> 00:35:28,926 You got it. 691 00:35:28,926 --> 00:35:33,264 So that's the one one of the solutions to move toward Jesus inwardly. 692 00:35:33,598 --> 00:35:36,567 The other one is outwardly, 693 00:35:36,567 --> 00:35:39,570 and it is through steps of obedience. 694 00:35:39,871 --> 00:35:44,375 These are these outward steps of obedience where you move against fear 695 00:35:44,375 --> 00:35:47,612 and you move against conformity, and you move against comfort, 696 00:35:48,179 --> 00:35:51,182 and you take steps of obedience. 697 00:35:52,083 --> 00:35:53,851 It could be in anything in your life. 698 00:35:53,851 --> 00:35:55,586 It could be in finances. 699 00:35:55,586 --> 00:35:57,788 It could be in generosity. It could be in purity. 700 00:35:57,788 --> 00:35:58,723 It could be in holiness. 701 00:35:58,723 --> 00:36:02,693 It could be in your calling, where you know that there's 702 00:36:02,693 --> 00:36:06,864 this one thing in your life that you are not fully obedient in. 703 00:36:07,431 --> 00:36:08,733 Let me tell you this. 704 00:36:08,733 --> 00:36:12,236 Some of the most scary steps you will take in this life 705 00:36:12,336 --> 00:36:17,909 is to take your first steps of obedience, to become obedient to that what you know. 706 00:36:17,909 --> 00:36:19,277 You're not obedient. 707 00:36:21,345 --> 00:36:24,515 The seedbed of disobedience is fear. 708 00:36:25,650 --> 00:36:27,118 Please understand this. 709 00:36:27,118 --> 00:36:29,887 The seedbed of disobedience is fear. It's. 710 00:36:29,887 --> 00:36:33,824 I don't know if I can trust you, God, at what you said. 711 00:36:34,659 --> 00:36:38,462 And because I'm fearful about trusting you wholly in what you said. 712 00:36:38,629 --> 00:36:41,632 I'm fearful about being fully obedient. 713 00:36:43,401 --> 00:36:46,404 Let me prove it to you. 714 00:36:47,838 --> 00:36:49,607 Yes. Okay. 715 00:36:49,607 --> 00:36:51,509 You asked. 716 00:36:51,509 --> 00:36:54,512 Let's just talk about this issue of tithing. 717 00:36:54,779 --> 00:36:56,881 I'm not talking about giving. 718 00:36:56,881 --> 00:36:58,849 I'm talking about tithing. 719 00:36:58,849 --> 00:37:01,219 10% right off the top. 720 00:37:01,219 --> 00:37:04,222 Old Testament and New Testament. 721 00:37:05,890 --> 00:37:07,658 It is so scary. 722 00:37:07,658 --> 00:37:10,361 If you don't tithe 723 00:37:10,361 --> 00:37:14,732 too at the beginning of the paycheck, 10%. 724 00:37:17,034 --> 00:37:18,603 It's so scary. 725 00:37:18,603 --> 00:37:22,440 Have you ever noticed how big a $20 bill looks in church, 726 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:25,443 and how small it looks at the grocery store? 727 00:37:26,544 --> 00:37:27,278 Do you ever notice that? 728 00:37:29,013 --> 00:37:32,850 And the moment a person says 10% here, 729 00:37:34,352 --> 00:37:36,120 how in the world are we going 730 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,123 to pull this off? 731 00:37:39,123 --> 00:37:39,957 I'm struggling 732 00:37:39,957 --> 00:37:42,960 right now and right off the top. 733 00:37:43,227 --> 00:37:46,230 At the heart of that is fear. 734 00:37:46,330 --> 00:37:49,333 God, if I'm honest, 735 00:37:50,167 --> 00:37:52,036 I'm afraid of what 736 00:37:52,036 --> 00:37:55,039 this is going to do to me financially. 737 00:37:55,139 --> 00:37:58,142 And I'm afraid that you're not telling me the truth. 738 00:38:00,244 --> 00:38:03,247 To understand. 739 00:38:03,848 --> 00:38:04,415 And the. 740 00:38:04,415 --> 00:38:07,852 And so the scariest thing is that fear like, oh, 741 00:38:09,654 --> 00:38:14,058 and the moment you take steps of obedience, it becomes easier 742 00:38:14,058 --> 00:38:18,329 to be obedient, which produces this sense of peace and joy. 743 00:38:20,865 --> 00:38:22,066 So whatever 744 00:38:22,066 --> 00:38:25,102 that fear is that's keeping you from being obedient, 745 00:38:25,102 --> 00:38:28,105 start taking steps of obedience is that you're calling? 746 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:30,841 Has God called you to something? 747 00:38:30,841 --> 00:38:31,609 I don't know, man. 748 00:38:31,609 --> 00:38:34,645 I got my whole future planted to make all change right now 749 00:38:34,645 --> 00:38:37,848 with just disrupt everything and who knows how that'll plan out. 750 00:38:37,882 --> 00:38:40,184 Yeah, it's fear keeping you from being obedient. 751 00:38:53,798 --> 00:38:56,233 The easiest thing to do is to believe in God. 752 00:38:56,233 --> 00:38:59,236 The hardest thing to do is to believe God. 753 00:39:01,706 --> 00:39:03,908 Most, most people here will say, I believe in God. 754 00:39:03,908 --> 00:39:05,276 Sure, absolutely. 755 00:39:05,276 --> 00:39:07,211 I trust him for my salvation. Yeah. 756 00:39:07,211 --> 00:39:08,479 That's great. 757 00:39:08,479 --> 00:39:11,349 Many people do, but do you believe, see, believe. 758 00:39:11,349 --> 00:39:14,251 God is too much different than believe in God. 759 00:39:14,251 --> 00:39:17,254 I talked about this Wednesday night in my Bible study 760 00:39:17,288 --> 00:39:20,291 to believe God. 761 00:39:20,725 --> 00:39:22,393 Means I believe what he says, 762 00:39:22,393 --> 00:39:25,396 and I do what he says because I believe him completely. 763 00:39:26,964 --> 00:39:29,967 The question is, do you believe in God or do you believe God? 764 00:39:30,634 --> 00:39:33,170 There are different. 765 00:39:33,170 --> 00:39:34,505 If you believe God, you will move 766 00:39:34,505 --> 00:39:37,508 and do what he says. 767 00:39:42,847 --> 00:39:44,682 So you to believe God in such a way 768 00:39:44,682 --> 00:39:48,486 that you do what he says fully is where most of us get exposed. 769 00:39:51,922 --> 00:39:54,925 It's where most of us get exposed. 770 00:39:56,961 --> 00:39:59,964 And that's the only way to move into peace. 771 00:40:01,098 --> 00:40:04,101 So the solution here's a solution. 772 00:40:04,502 --> 00:40:06,670 Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area of your life. 773 00:40:06,670 --> 00:40:09,740 You're not fully obedient. Name it. 774 00:40:10,408 --> 00:40:13,644 Repent of it and take one concrete step of obedience. 775 00:40:13,644 --> 00:40:15,813 This week. 776 00:40:15,813 --> 00:40:17,815 I challenge you, Holy Spirit. 777 00:40:17,815 --> 00:40:19,950 What's one area of my life I'm not a fully obedient. 778 00:40:19,950 --> 00:40:22,653 Fully obedient. What is it? 779 00:40:22,653 --> 00:40:25,623 I think I know what it is, but please tell me anyway. 780 00:40:27,324 --> 00:40:29,193 And you're right. 781 00:40:29,193 --> 00:40:32,196 I am not fully obedient in that. 782 00:40:32,897 --> 00:40:35,900 And I don't have any peace about that 783 00:40:36,934 --> 00:40:39,136 because I'm not obedient 784 00:40:39,136 --> 00:40:41,138 and I repent. 785 00:40:41,138 --> 00:40:43,441 I'm going to do it different. 786 00:40:43,441 --> 00:40:45,843 And father, this is the one way I'm going to take a step, 787 00:40:45,843 --> 00:40:48,379 a concrete step of obedience. This week. 788 00:40:48,379 --> 00:40:49,914 Do you see that? 789 00:40:49,914 --> 00:40:52,082 You see that that moves 790 00:40:52,082 --> 00:40:55,953 you toward Christ, and you begin to experience the peace of God. 791 00:41:00,925 --> 00:41:03,160 This this graphic, 792 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:06,130 this graphic. 793 00:41:06,130 --> 00:41:07,932 This is a great roadmap to understand 794 00:41:07,932 --> 00:41:10,935 where we are in the spiritual journey. 795 00:41:12,136 --> 00:41:13,170 Belong. Become. 796 00:41:13,170 --> 00:41:16,173 Give and go when we belong. 797 00:41:16,674 --> 00:41:20,978 That's that inward step of believing in God. 798 00:41:21,846 --> 00:41:25,883 But the others becoming and giving and going. 799 00:41:26,417 --> 00:41:29,420 That's believe. God. 800 00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:34,024 I believe in God when I become a Christ follower, but I believe God 801 00:41:35,125 --> 00:41:38,262 when I become something different because of my obedience, 802 00:41:39,029 --> 00:41:42,032 when I actually give biblically and go. 803 00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:45,302 That's to believe God 804 00:41:45,302 --> 00:41:48,272 and the things that keep us from believing God 805 00:41:48,606 --> 00:41:51,609 in becoming, giving and going is fear. 806 00:41:52,877 --> 00:41:55,880 That I don't really trust His word. 807 00:41:57,147 --> 00:41:58,082 It's a great graphic 808 00:41:58,082 --> 00:42:01,085 to understand where you are, where I am, and this 809 00:42:01,552 --> 00:42:04,555 spiritual journey of discipleship, of followership. 810 00:42:04,922 --> 00:42:05,823 Let me wrap up with this. 811 00:42:07,224 --> 00:42:10,227 Verses 17 through 20. 812 00:42:11,128 --> 00:42:13,197 And when they saw it, they made known the saying 813 00:42:13,197 --> 00:42:15,432 that had been told them concerning this child and all 814 00:42:15,432 --> 00:42:17,835 who were to wondered at what the shepherds told them. 815 00:42:17,835 --> 00:42:20,504 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering the matter. 816 00:42:20,504 --> 00:42:23,507 Can you imagine what have been like for Mary? 817 00:42:24,942 --> 00:42:26,377 But the others? 818 00:42:26,377 --> 00:42:28,946 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all 819 00:42:28,946 --> 00:42:31,949 they had heard and seen had been told them. 820 00:42:31,982 --> 00:42:34,385 Here's what I know. 821 00:42:34,385 --> 00:42:36,420 When peace, 822 00:42:36,420 --> 00:42:39,490 the peace of God takes over your life, you overflow 823 00:42:39,490 --> 00:42:42,493 with testimony and praise. 824 00:42:43,627 --> 00:42:45,663 The shepherds started terrified. 825 00:42:45,663 --> 00:42:48,666 They ended in testing and in testimony. 826 00:42:50,267 --> 00:42:52,269 And once the shepherds saw Jesus, they immediately 827 00:42:52,269 --> 00:42:55,272 share Jesus. 828 00:42:56,140 --> 00:42:58,943 Peace is not privatized. 829 00:42:58,943 --> 00:43:01,946 Peace is missional. 830 00:43:02,313 --> 00:43:05,649 And when pre win, win, win, win, the peace of God takes over your life. 831 00:43:05,783 --> 00:43:10,888 It spills out in praise and testimony just leaks out of you. 832 00:43:11,455 --> 00:43:12,756 And this is how I know. 833 00:43:12,756 --> 00:43:16,794 And this is how you know when someone has dealt with fear 834 00:43:17,127 --> 00:43:20,130 has become obedient and they believe God 835 00:43:20,464 --> 00:43:23,133 and they have the peace of God in their life. 836 00:43:23,133 --> 00:43:26,270 When you are fearful and you interact with them, 837 00:43:26,270 --> 00:43:30,975 what spills out of them is praise, testimony, and faith. 838 00:43:31,742 --> 00:43:34,011 And you know what it's like to, 839 00:43:34,011 --> 00:43:37,748 when you're in fear to speak to someone about your fear. 840 00:43:37,948 --> 00:43:40,951 And the peace of God has not overrun their life. 841 00:43:41,318 --> 00:43:45,656 And what spills out of them is their own fear and the confirmation of yours. 842 00:43:46,056 --> 00:43:48,959 I've experienced this in my own life. 843 00:43:48,959 --> 00:43:52,696 We all have these moments that are difficult and trying and fearful. 844 00:43:52,997 --> 00:43:55,366 We all do. We got to deal with it. 845 00:43:55,366 --> 00:43:59,403 And there have been those people in my life that are Christian people, 846 00:43:59,837 --> 00:44:03,240 and when I share with them my fear, the only thing that leaked out of them 847 00:44:03,240 --> 00:44:05,142 was the confirmation of their own fears. 848 00:44:05,142 --> 00:44:05,676 And I'm thinking, 849 00:44:05,676 --> 00:44:10,314 I don't need you to spill your fear into my life right now, right? 850 00:44:12,383 --> 00:44:12,816 When they 851 00:44:12,816 --> 00:44:15,853 add to your fear, all of their fears, all of that happen to me. 852 00:44:15,853 --> 00:44:17,121 And this is how bad it went. 853 00:44:17,121 --> 00:44:18,722 I don't need to know that. 854 00:44:18,722 --> 00:44:21,725 Quit leaking your fear into my life. 855 00:44:22,226 --> 00:44:25,429 And I know that people have now experienced the peace of God. 856 00:44:25,529 --> 00:44:28,966 They have not dealt with fear when what leaks out of them is their own fears. 857 00:44:28,966 --> 00:44:30,901 On top of my fears. 858 00:44:30,901 --> 00:44:34,138 See my friends, when we deal with fear, when we believe the truth of Scripture, 859 00:44:34,138 --> 00:44:37,341 we believe God and the peace of God has overwhelmed us. 860 00:44:37,341 --> 00:44:41,011 What will leaks out of us then, is the peace of God, 861 00:44:41,111 --> 00:44:44,648 the praise of God, and the testimony of who God is. 862 00:44:45,115 --> 00:44:48,686 So when you speak fear into my life, what you get in return 863 00:44:48,819 --> 00:44:51,922 is faith and confidence and assurance and hope. 864 00:44:52,122 --> 00:44:54,358 You know what people like that are like, right? 865 00:44:56,827 --> 00:44:59,830 And you know, if you are one of those. 866 00:45:04,535 --> 00:45:05,569 So my question is just 867 00:45:05,569 --> 00:45:08,572 where is faith controlling you right now? 868 00:45:09,740 --> 00:45:12,643 What and where is fear controlling you right now? 869 00:45:12,643 --> 00:45:16,080 What's that fear that's grabbed on that 870 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:19,083 you're listening to? 871 00:45:20,617 --> 00:45:23,620 It's about your futures, about your failures, about rejection. 872 00:45:23,754 --> 00:45:25,522 It's about your kids. It's about finances. 873 00:45:25,522 --> 00:45:27,691 What is it? 874 00:45:27,691 --> 00:45:30,661 Those are all things you can't control. 875 00:45:31,061 --> 00:45:32,996 And you need to understand, my dear friends, 876 00:45:32,996 --> 00:45:34,431 that peace is not found in control. 877 00:45:34,431 --> 00:45:37,434 Peace is found in surrender. 878 00:45:38,602 --> 00:45:41,605 Corrie Ten boom said this. 879 00:45:41,638 --> 00:45:43,307 Never be afraid to trust an unknown 880 00:45:43,307 --> 00:45:46,310 future to a known god. 881 00:45:46,510 --> 00:45:48,946 There's no fear in that. 882 00:45:48,946 --> 00:45:51,949 For the Christian, there's one thing that we fear. 883 00:45:52,182 --> 00:45:54,585 Jesus said himself, do not fear those who can kill the body 884 00:45:54,585 --> 00:45:55,619 and cannot kill the soul. 885 00:45:55,619 --> 00:45:56,820 Rather, feel him. 886 00:45:56,820 --> 00:45:59,423 Fear him who can destroy both the soul and body in hell. 887 00:46:01,525 --> 00:46:03,994 Fear God 888 00:46:03,994 --> 00:46:05,929 and fear living in disobedience 889 00:46:05,929 --> 00:46:08,932 and rejection of him. 890 00:46:10,334 --> 00:46:12,603 Because at the end of the day, 891 00:46:12,603 --> 00:46:15,239 the remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, 892 00:46:15,239 --> 00:46:18,242 you fear nothing else. 893 00:46:18,408 --> 00:46:21,411 To understand, you'll have concerns. 894 00:46:21,612 --> 00:46:23,514 Fear will creep up. 895 00:46:23,514 --> 00:46:25,149 It's okay, 896 00:46:25,149 --> 00:46:28,118 but it won't live in your life 897 00:46:28,118 --> 00:46:31,121 and it won't dictate your responses. 898 00:46:31,421 --> 00:46:34,424 And it won't destroy your peace. 899 00:46:34,958 --> 00:46:37,394 You got it. 900 00:46:37,394 --> 00:46:37,795 Father. 901 00:46:37,795 --> 00:46:40,798 Thank you. 902 00:46:43,967 --> 00:46:44,401 Jesus. 903 00:46:44,401 --> 00:46:46,770 Thank you that you are the Prince of Peace. 904 00:46:46,770 --> 00:46:49,740 Father, I thank you that part of the fruit of your spirit is peace. 905 00:46:51,074 --> 00:46:54,077 Thinking that you offer us the peace that passes understanding. 906 00:46:54,845 --> 00:46:57,080 But some of us 907 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:00,083 have chosen unknowingly 908 00:47:00,284 --> 00:47:03,287 to sacrifice that peace in place of fear. 909 00:47:03,821 --> 00:47:05,122 We've given ourselves to fear. 910 00:47:05,122 --> 00:47:07,090 We've magnified fear and minimized you. 911 00:47:08,192 --> 00:47:08,892 We've had. 912 00:47:08,892 --> 00:47:10,828 We've had faith in the worst case scenario. 913 00:47:10,828 --> 00:47:15,699 Far too often we've not believed the truth of Scripture because of fear. 914 00:47:15,699 --> 00:47:18,702 We have not lived in obedience, 915 00:47:18,702 --> 00:47:21,004 and without even realizing, we have allowed fear 916 00:47:21,004 --> 00:47:23,340 to dictate our present and our future. 917 00:47:23,340 --> 00:47:24,608 Forgive us. 918 00:47:24,608 --> 00:47:27,611 You've not given us a spirit of fear, of timidity, but of power 919 00:47:27,945 --> 00:47:30,948 and of and love and a sound mind. 920 00:47:31,815 --> 00:47:34,618 God, would that be our experience? 921 00:47:34,618 --> 00:47:37,321 Father, in this moment 922 00:47:37,321 --> 00:47:39,423 I pray over our church. I pray over me. 923 00:47:39,423 --> 00:47:40,457 I pray over my family. 924 00:47:40,457 --> 00:47:42,526 I pray over my church family. 925 00:47:42,526 --> 00:47:45,529 I pray over these here who are listening. 926 00:47:46,430 --> 00:47:49,433 I speak your name over us. 927 00:47:49,733 --> 00:47:51,168 The name that is above every name. 928 00:47:51,168 --> 00:47:51,501 The name 929 00:47:51,501 --> 00:47:55,539 that even everything that's named by fear must bow before the name of Jesus. 930 00:47:57,841 --> 00:47:59,309 Over us I speak a spirit of 931 00:47:59,309 --> 00:48:02,312 power and of love and of sound mind. 932 00:48:03,580 --> 00:48:05,849 And in the name of Jesus, 933 00:48:05,849 --> 00:48:09,887 I tear down and destroy every work of the evil one that is set up 934 00:48:10,921 --> 00:48:14,057 bulwarks and fortresses of fear in these lives. 935 00:48:15,525 --> 00:48:16,860 He is a liar. 936 00:48:16,860 --> 00:48:19,863 He's a deceiver. He's defeated. 937 00:48:19,930 --> 00:48:24,034 His desire is to cause us to live in fear so we won't be obedient. 938 00:48:24,902 --> 00:48:26,970 So we'll sacrifice the peace that you've offered. 939 00:48:26,970 --> 00:48:29,973 And I speak against that in the name of Jesus. 940 00:48:30,040 --> 00:48:31,241 It has no authority. 941 00:48:31,241 --> 00:48:32,309 It has no power. 942 00:48:32,309 --> 00:48:35,312 It has no rule here anymore. 943 00:48:35,879 --> 00:48:38,682 God, would you allow your people 944 00:48:38,682 --> 00:48:42,486 to draw close to you in a way that believes you, 945 00:48:43,620 --> 00:48:47,491 that believes the truth of your word over the fear that's running their lives, 946 00:48:48,692 --> 00:48:50,894 that they would tear down and dismantle 947 00:48:50,894 --> 00:48:54,031 the work of the evil one to keep them living in fear. 948 00:48:55,732 --> 00:48:58,201 God, that we would live as people of peace 949 00:48:58,201 --> 00:49:01,171 because the Prince of Peace lives within 950 00:49:02,339 --> 00:49:06,243 God. Would you do in us this Christmas what you came to do the first Christmas? 951 00:49:06,576 --> 00:49:09,880 You bring us good news of great joy. 952 00:49:10,080 --> 00:49:13,083 What a blessing. 953 00:49:15,452 --> 00:49:18,355 Maybe we walk in it. 954 00:49:18,355 --> 00:49:19,389 In your name I pray, Amen.