July 18, 2021
Sunday Sermon
HOW CAN WE OVERCOME FEAR?
Psalm 27:1
Introduction: We are living in a season, at least in my lifetime and pastorate of an unprecedented fear! I have witnessed tremendous fear in the past two years.
After the 9-11 attack on America in 2001, I discerned that there was GREAT FEAR, people started to fill churches up for about a month or so, and then predictably they emptied, because fear though it may be a necessary emotion to get you to move towards God, it is not a sufficient emotion to keep you devoted to God because the Bible says… 1 John 4:18a “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
Now what has amazed and astounded me is that our current crisis has had a totally different effect than the one on 9/11. The caused by 9/11 had filled the church, the one caused by COVID-19 has emptied them!
The Bible tells us that FEAR IS A BONDAGE, FEAR HOLDS SOMEONE IN A STANIC SLAVERY!
No wonder the Bible refers to fear as a spirit.
2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Fear stalks us All! Fear was the first evidence of the fall (Gen. 3:10). Adam and Eve went into hiding. Adam’s response to God’s call was, “I was afraid.”
This Is a Psalm to Drive Our fears Away!
1. This psalm can give us light for darkness.
2. This psalm can give us salvation for condemnation.
3. This psalm can give us strength for weakness.
HOW CAN WE OVERCOME FEAR? Let us look at what Psalm 27:1 says:
I.
THIS PSALM DECLARES A LIGHT FOR DARKNESS
A. “The LORD is my light.”
B. God’s purpose is to bring light out of darkness
1. This was true in Creation
2. This was true in the Incarnation
3. This is true in our lives at salvation
C. “Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death’ (Spurgeon)
D. Salvation is our great transition from darkness to light
1. We are delivered from the power of darkness
2. We are translated into the Kingdom of Christ
Scripture represents “light” intellectually as divine truth (Ps.
119:130), and morally as divine purity (Eph. 5:8-14; 1 John 1:50.
Light, then, is a synonym for God’s kingdom.
II.
THIS PSALM DECLARES SALVATION FOR CONDEMNATION
A. “The LORD is my light and my salvation.”
B. We are sinners, all condemned
1. Our condemnation doesn’t require even one more sin
2. We are already condemned by our unbelief
C. Christ delivers us from condemnation (John 3:17)
1. We do not have to do good works to be loved by Him
2. We are saved by grace through faith apart from works
D. Here are two great words for believers: “no condemnation.”
III.
THIS PSALM DECLARES STREGTH FOR WEAKNESS
A. “The LORD is the strength of my life.”
B. Christ changes our eternal destination and our daily live
1. He gives strength for every task
2. He gives strength when we are weary
3. He gives strength when we are fearful
C. “Our life derives all its strength from Him who is the author of it’
(Spurgeon)
D. Here are two great promises of strength
1. “The joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh. 8:10)
2. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 30:15)
DO YOU FEAR THE POWER OF DARKNESS? COME TO JESUS, THE LIGHT!
DO YOU FEEL CONDEMNED? COME TO JESUS FOR SALVATION!
DO YOU FEEL WEAK? COME TO JESUS AND GET STRENGTH FOR THE DAY!
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