Freedom Series (Part 10)

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Freedom Series

(Part 10)

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church=

In the middle of a series on freedom in Christ

• Because the Bible says that Jesus came to set the captives free

Eph 4:7-8

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people… to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

• What’s the reason for all this… setting the captives free
  • Here is the reason and the conclusion (notice)
  • Its not all about you…

Eph 4:12-13

To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

• Your freedom – It doesn’t just effect you
  • It effects the entire body of Christ
  • And what is the body of Christ… it’s the church

Last week we talked about when do we make that decision to trust God

• Most of us think the answer is when we’re faced with the decision
  • But our decision to trust God over our self or the enemy
  • It needs to come long before the hard times
  • Need to make our decisions in the good times for the hard times
• If you haven’t settled in your heart whose voice you answer to
  • In the middle of the storm… you will be lost
  • In the middle of the fire… you will be burned
  • And when you trust God – You will find peace in your chaos

This week we are going through another area many of us deal with

• Along with Pride… something very common in so many of our lives
  • This is another open door the enemy is waiting to use
  • To stop you from everything God’s called you to be
  • And I see this all the time with Christians and non-Christian’s
• And that is Fear – Specifically the Fear of Man
  • And this spirit will come after you if you let it
  • It will suffocate your relationships
  • It will stifle your ministry

[Pray – Give this time to the Lord]

Illustration

When it comes to fear… lots of things people are afraid of

• Personally I have a lot of things I don’t really like
  • Hate spiders & scorpions
  • Hate the feel of velvet
• The things you fear are probably different than me
  • Some of you can’t stand snakes
  • Or others those holes in the back of frogs for the eggs
• I’ve known a couple people who really just hate fire
  • And maybe it’s the thought of it… destruction it can be
  • Its painful to get burned – Maybe that’s it

But if you look at all of these – If handled properly… nothing to fear at all

• Like fire for instance… if handled properly there is nothing to fear
  • Because you won’t get burned
  • So the antidote to fear is understanding what you’re afraid of
  • Learning how to handle so you don’t get burned
• But of course so many times our experience dictates our behavior
  • So pain from the past brings fear in the present
  • And if you have ever been hurt by another person
  • That fear is right there really to take you prisoner
• But today we are gonna kick the enemy out of the house

Prov. 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

Fear of Man – Usually goes undetected for years

Because we usually just pass it off as part of who we are

• Most people bound by fear of man usually fall into 2 camps
  • 1: People Pleasers
  • 2: Control Freaks
• And you might think that’s just your personality… so no big deal
  • But it’s the intentionality behind your actions that give it away
    • Keeping the peace sounds innocent
    • Maintain control sounds reasonable
  • But in all reality there is a spirit caused by fear in your life
    • Stops you from confronting issues that need to be addressed
    • And leads to anger… resentment… apathy
    • None of those come from God (cause division)
• Here’s the encouragement… God wants to free you from fear of man
  • And it is far easier to cast out this spirit on your life
  • Than to change your personality

So what do we need to identify and how do we get free

Prov 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare…

What is a snare – It’s the most elusive trap… used to catch birds

• This trap is the hardest one to see
  • When you get caught by spirit of fear… it will speak to you
  • And in case you don’t believe fear is a spirit
• Bible says God has not given us a spirit of WHAT?
  • Fear… but of love and a sound mind
  • That’s not a personality of fear – It’s a spirit of fear

It’s a prophetic spirit… it will try to tell you what the future looks like

• It’s a false prophet – But it will prophecy to you
  • It will tell you all sorts of things you don’t know
  • And they always cause fear and division
• When you listen to fear… it will tell you things about other people
  • It will tell you people are talking bad about you
  • It will tell you their mean and evil intentions
  • It will tell you that person looked at you the wrong way
    • When they were probably looking past you
    • Bad look because their kids were downing communion

And it’s the most common fear in the Bible

• Almost every time God says “Fear Not” he is saying don’t fear them
  • Don’t fear Pharoah
  • Don’t fear that nation
  • Don’t fear unbelievers

Luke 12:4 (Jesus addresses it specifically)

I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more they can do.

• And there is nothing more powerful that freedom from fear of man
  • When you realize who you answer to is not people
  • The one you answer to is your Father in Heaven

3 things about the Snare of Fear

1. It snares you to man

Jn 12:42-43

Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

This is exactly what the fear of man does… it binds you to people

• And displaces Gods rightful place in your life
  • So that man can now rule your thoughts and emotions
  • And its not even really a person – front for this spirit
• And the fight is for who sits on the throne of your heart
  • And you heart about a throne on your heart in Sunday school
  • Bible talks about you as a temple for the Holy Spirit
  • Isaiah: Lord sitting on his throne – train of robe filled the temple
• There is a throne in the temple of your heart
  • And you will decide who sits on it
  • That decision is made by who you allow to be the king of your life
    • Who influences you
    • Who you listen to
    • Who sets your emotional outlook… that’s your king

And listen to this and see if it makes sense to you

• When you are bound by the Spirit of Fear of Man
  • What people say is now your meter of acceptance
  • How people view you is your measure of success
  • And your joy is tied to how you think others perceive you
• What you end up valuing most… even over God is
  • The approval of others
  • The opinions of others
  • The wisdom of others
    • And you judge by the standards of man instead of God
    • So as man goes… so you go
• And you’re mind get consumed with
  • What are they saying about me
  • What are they thinking about me
  • Why are the looking at me like that
  • Why didn’t they talk to me when they walked by

And the Spirit will prophecy a lie to you of what is going on

2 Pt 2:19

While they promised them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption, for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

• When you put someone in that place of fear
  • You’re only told to fear the Lord
  • You’re now bound to serving them… and really the spirit behind it
• And the reason this bondage is so destructive…
  • You are the least like you when you are bound to someone else
  • Proof – Ever seen a 3 legged race (evil game at company picknick)
    • Evil because its designed to make you look stupid (sac race)
• Worst is 3 legged race… have to outrun everyone else looking stupid
  • Doesn’t matter how athletic you are – out the window
  • You will be slowed down if I’m tied to your leg
  • And that’s the picture of fear to man… bound to man
    • Can’t even be you
    • Completely lose identity – Tied to approval of other people
    • And you can’t even walk well…

2. Snares you from God

Lk 22:54-62 (Read last week… now look through eyes of fear of man)

Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance…

• After “I’ll never leave you” and showing how bad he is with a sword

…after they hand kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” (fear of man there) A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Glailean too.” But Peter said, “Man I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. (love this because only Luke records this) The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.

If you feel like this is talking to you… this is not condemnation – Its hope

• Because in your heart you can realize you have been pulled away
  • And care more about people than God
  • I’ve had another God and its man
• Listen there are 2 people who are recorded weeping bitterly in NT
  • One was Peter… other was Judas
  • And you can have either of these be your story
  • Peter was restored – Judas gave up
• And you might think… its too bad and I’ve walked too far away
  • You might have walked away from him
  • But he hasn’t walked away from you
    • And our faith does not rest on our ability to hold on to him
    • It rests on his ability to hold on to me!!!

And I believe in times of bondage – It seems God can’t even look at you

• But he is looking at you just like he looked at Peter
  • We like to make up what we think that verse meant
  • Jesus looked at Peter like (Told you so)
• But this is what the look of our God and Savior would be
  • It would communicate – Peter come back… because I love you
  • I knew this was happening… I actually told you… not surprised
• That is what the look of God is saying to you… not condemning you

You can communicate a ton with a look

• Even made eye contact with someone in the elevator
  • Make that face… like big eyes and a smile
  • Means hello I don’t want to say anything to you
• I can give my kids a look and straighten them right up
  • Brought you in world…
  • I can take you out & make another
• My wife can give me a look if I forget to do something I said I would
  • And it communicates everything she thinking in a split second
  • Its actually pretty amazing

Close you are to someone… easier it is to communicate with a look

• David said… You will lead me and guide me with your eye upon me
  • No closer communication than when someone can just look
  • And this morning God is looking at many of us
  • Saying – Come on back… I love you… let me fix it
• Think about this… Satan demanded to sift Peter like wheat
  • The strongest and most outspoken apostle
  • What weapon did Satan use again Peter
  • Strong weapon he had… fear of man
• And if you’re trapped in this – Means Satan brought out the big guns
  • You are in good company
  • But it also means that you can be free from it
  • Because it will destroy your life

Jer 17:5

Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trust in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

• The heart departs from the Lord
  • And the Holy Spirit can speak to you in a powerful way
  • To show you the area where this might be in your life
  • And don’t look down in shame… look up to the freedom of God

3. Snares others through you

When you are bound you bind other people

• This is a bondage that is contagious because you are hurt
  • And you end up causing others to fear man through your actions
  • If ur trying to figure out if I’m saying you can be used by the devil
    • Yes I absolutely am saying that
    • But the good news is God can fix it
• Listen: You probably got your wounds from someone as well
  • People get wounds from their childhood/marriage/authority
  • And when that happens to you… you end up doing the same
  • And become the instrument the enemy uses to open other doors

Jn 7:13

Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Jn 9:22

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had agreed that if anyone confessed him to be the Christ, they would be put out of the Synagogue.

Jn 19:38

After these things, Joseph of Aramathea being a disciple of Jesus but a secret one for fear of the Jews asked Pilot that he might take away the body of Jesus

Jn 20:19

So when it was evening that day, the first day of the week . The doors were shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said “Peace be with you”.

Reason why – Jews were most fearful people of man that there were

• They did everything with goal to be people pleasers/manipulators
  • Why because the were man focused…
  • The religious leaders were crazy fearful… manipulated everyone
  • And because of that they put the snare of fear in others
• Jesus said it this way in one of his kind political speeches

Matt. 23:15

Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites. Because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourself.

• And that is hard to hear… and yes its hard to hear that you are sick
  • But its good to hear there is a cure
  • God is not saying there is something he can’t fix

But you have to realize if you deal with this – You put it on others

• All fear based relationships deteriorate into one of two things
  • First: You will contain and control
  • Second: Reject and Revial
• And this is just how people act in relationships – See in marriages
  • Someone with this spirit… if they can’t control
  • They will hate you and reject you
• This is how fear works… [Story of biker with Michelle]
  • If your bound by fear… you will treat people the same
  • If you can’t contain/control… you begin to reject and revial
    • Guess what that causes in those people on the other end

So what is the solution…

Prov. 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare BUT he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

(Septuagint) Porv. 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare BUT the one yielding upon the Lord will be glad.

• If you ask what the key is to deliverance
  • First you have to see it
  • Then you have to get ministered to
• Problem is if you ignore the ministry part you try it do it on your own
  • And you think you can fix it on your own
  • That right there is more “Fear of Man”
  • Because you are afraid of what people will think
• And you’ll try and do it in your own strength… but it will never work
  • Why – Because you have a wound
  • And the wound leaves you vulnerable
    • Like every action movie comes down to last fight (gladiator)
    • Hero has a wound… but he looks like hes gonna win
    • What does that bad guy always do… Goes for the wound

That’s what the enemy does – If you don’t get some healing

• No matter how hard you try… enemy knows right where to go for
  • And the enemy hits that spot from your past
  • And you go right back to the bondage
• Its almost like one of the main things they have to teach life guards
  • Is how to save someone without getting drowned
  • Because when someone is drowning… you come to save them
  • They will push you under the water… why… out of fear
• And we do the same thing – We fight – instinct to protect ourselves
  • And we will fight the one who comes to save us
  • Unless we allow ourselves to get help and heal
  • We will fight God until we listen to his voice “Fear not… It’s me”