Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Fear
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World - Matt Redman, Holding Nothing Back - Jesus Culture, Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin, Hosanna - Hillsong
Read: I Kings 19:1-4
Think: In July 1945, just as World War II was ending, a general election was held in Great Britain. Just weeks before, Nazi Germany had surrendered and Winston Churchill was hailed as a hero for his wartime leadership. But in the election of 1945, Churchill lost his post as Prime Minister. It was a stunning setback after a great victory.
Setbacks have a way of coming right on the heels of accomplishment; valleys are just beyond each peak. Pastor Ben spoke of a particular kind of setback last weekend when he said that fear usually returns. Even when we have faced up to the cause of our fear and moved forward, that same fear can slow us down again, just as Peter began to sink after starting to walk on the water.
Perhaps the most dramatic example of this in the Bible comes from the life of Elijah. At Mt. Carmel, Elijah called on God to demonstrate His power. After hundreds of false prophets spent hours calling on their gods, receiving no response, Elijah’s simple, solitary prayer to God was answered. Fire fell from heaven and consumed the soaking wet offering. Following Elijah’s lead, the people of Israel turned on the prophets of the false gods, and slaughtered them. Elijah’s ministry for God had reached an astonishing peak.
Yet Elijah immediately fell back into fear, and ran for his life (v. 3). Although he had faced his fear only a short time before, he was overwhelmed when the fear returned. The lesson for us is that we can’t expect to defeat fear in a single instance. If returning fear can trip up a great prophet like Elijah, or a disciple like Peter, we have to admit that it can get to us, too.
But God is greater than our fear. God continued to use Elijah, eventually taking him to heaven in a fiery chariot. Jesus reached out to Peter, later appointing him to care for His followers. When we ask, God will help us overcome our fear, and will join with us to advance His purpose.
Do: Think about a recent victory in your life, when, despite your fear, things turned out fine. Now, predict what it might look like for that fear to return. How will you react?
Pray: Heavenly Father, I want it to be simple to defeat fear. I want to name my fear, pray about it, and get past it. But I realize that it’s not that simple, and that I should expect the fear to return. Help me be ready for that, and to respond not by running for my life, but by running to You. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.
|
