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Speaker 2God bless you wherever you are . We thank you so much for joining us for these podcasts . You know , these 10 podcasts on fear , we're into the second one and the title of the second one at this moment , wherever you are across the world , is God's presence as a remedy for fear . You know the Bible is extremely clear what it says about fear . It tells us over 365 times do fear , do not fear , for I am with you . You know , fear is such a very powerful emotion . Whether we're in faith , wherever we're out of faith , whether we're churched , unchurched , whatever our look at life is , fear is so powerful . But we've got to rise above that and I just want to touch on a couple of areas for these 30 minutes , these quick-fired podcasts , and whether you're listening to this via audible or whether you may be listening to this through radio and whatever means you're capturing this , and also through the book form as well . We just want to say that you know , never give up . God is with you in everything and every year of your life . But as we just look at these interesting chapters , you know we're in number two at this moment in time God's presence as a remedy for fear . You know what is happening in this world at this moment in time , when we look across the news and we look at school and we look at education , we look at life and we look at the financial issue and the political agenda and everything that's happening around the world . You know everything that's going on . You know fear . It's like the world is just driving this fear bomb to each and every one of our front doors and we pray here that you will find a place to rest , that you won't allow this fear to dictate to you , because fear does something very , very interesting to the human being . Whether you're churched unchurched , whether you're in faith out being , whether you're churched unchurched , whether you're in faith out of faith , whether you're a believer , an atheist , whether you're from a different world religion viewpoint , whatever it may be , it doesn't matter your spiritual understanding at this moment in time , because fear is the same for every human being . It will take your vision and your focus just from life itself , regardless whether you're a bible believing believer or not .
Speaker 2Fear will change the landscape that is before you and it's critical to realize that I cannot allow the fear that is on the outside to affect the inside of my life , because we live by perception , we live by what we perceive through the , the basic of the body smell , touch , visualization and then hearing . You know , it's very important that I , as a human being , do not allow the outside environment . And what does the outside environment look like mainly in our lives ? Well , the majority of our day , the majority of our week , the majority of our lives , we are surrounded by issues . Now , that might be through toxic people , that might be educational situations , that may be family situations , that may be business , that may be schooling , that may be any area of life .
Speaker 2We've got to be careful of the people that we allow into the circle of our lives . Are the people coming into our lives bringing joy or are they bringing fear ? Are the people that are connected to us when you look at certain areas of life and your life and my life , and when we analyze that and we unpack that and we unpick the thread of life , are the people in our lives driving us to achieve what we should be achieving and helping us to be focused , or are they making us fearful and doubtful ? You know , fear sits under many umbrellas , but as we look at this one , at this particular point , god's presence as a remedy for fear what do you mean a remedy ? What is that actually that you're talking about ? How unpack that for us ?
Speaker 2What does the Bible say ? How does the Bible look at God being a remedy ? What is it ? Well , it's simply the Word of God .
Speaker 2We come to understand that the Word of God is written by 66 books . We have 66 books with New Testament , old Testament . We understand that the Word of God has 40 different authors . We understand that the Word of God is life-changing and the word of God doesn't drive fear to us . The word of God drives hope and faith . You know , the only time that we look very clearly about fear , as in work out your salvation with fear and trembling . The other area of fear is to to be fearful of the living god . You know , holy , holy , holy is the lord . So fear is a very interesting drumbeat that lucifer uses to take our focus just off of life itself , and he uses that drumbeat by people that are around us .
Speaker 2But the bible says greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world . I've got to come to the realization as a human being , as a john 3 , 3 , a born again , spirit filled , believer , that my god is greater than any fear . So the outside environment , the outside , is lucifer's playground . The inside is owned and it is god's territory . So the inside of me , my autonomy , my physicality , my spirit , my soul , however we look at what goes on on the inside is not owned by lucifer . But my internal system of life is god's territory because the Bible says greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world . So God lives within the Bible-believing believer . And it's very interesting .
Speaker 2The territory on the outside , the territory on the outside , everything on the outside of the skin that you walk in , the landscape before you , is Lucifer's playground and he will use many areas of life . He will use toxic people , he will use business , he will use education , he will use schooling and he will even use church in a certain area , the mechanics of religion , to try and drive fear through our system . Because if Lucifer can drive fear through our system , if we can just be solely focused on fear , fear drives us to many areas . It drives us to anxiety , it drives us to doubt , it drives us down to our self-worth , it drives us to a place where we feel completely depressed and we are exhausted if we had time , but we will cover this later on down the podcast in other chapters of this book , how fear really affects the body , the human side of us , that fear , we live on adrenaline , we live on this fire inside of us . That is not correct and not right .
Speaker 2You know what fear does , how it messes up the cognitive processing , where it weakens us , where it tires us , where it takes our vision , our focus , just off of our goals generally , because you know what it's like when fear comes into your life , when fear actually comes in and it invades , it invades your life . It invades from the outside . It doesn't start from the internals , it starts from the externals , because the externals is the devil's playground , and the externals , because the externals is the devil's playground and the externals affect the internal . But I got to say to myself that god is living within me . I have the father , the son , the holy spirit , I have the deity . There is no fear in this heart or this skin of mine .
Speaker 2But what happens is when I see the outside landscape of life , when I see the outside environment and I look around me , a 360-degree circle in life and however the day was for you and whatever is in your lens at this moment in time , when you look at life , you know . Is life bringing joy to you ? Is life bringing hope to you ? Is life bringing a new beautiful fragrance to you ? Or is the life around you getting you depressed and fearful and doubtful ? You know , are you engaging in too much TV ? Are you engaging in too much social media ? Are we engaging in too much sports ? Are we engaging in too much worldly activity ? Because those worldly activities are fueled very , very cleverly , you know . Social media , you've got sports , you've got all this area of education . It does something very , very powerful and it takes us away from what . It takes us away from the word of God .
Speaker 2If you are fearful right now , god's presence as a remedy for fear , it is the presence of God that is the remedy . It isn't the pharmaceuticals , it isn't watching the tv , it isn't listening to music . It is the presence of god . And how do we get into the presence ? Because our autonomy and our physicality is naturally living in this physical world , you know . But the bible says that there is more to this world than we see , that we can perceive , that we can touch with the thread of life .
Speaker 2And when you look at the scriptures because this is what this podcast is about is dealing with fear with a biblical viewpoint , with a biblical understanding , with the scripture , without scripture in my life . Scripture brings peace . Scripture brings hope . Scripture brings freedom . God brings freedom from the fears and the doubts of every trial and every situation of life . But I've got to make sure it's not about living correct , because when we look at living , living and lifestyle cannot hit the bar that christ has given us . It is impossible to hit that bar , you know . But the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of thy glory . So when we live our lives , we live our lives in the eternal hope that God is changing us from glory to glory . And through the cross of Calvary , through the shed blood of Christ , we have our sins nailed to the cross and we are free . Who the Son sets free is free indeed .
Speaker 2And another area of fear that the devil gets us is in our history , in is in the back book of our life , in the historical things that have gone on . You know , you can almost hear Lucifer's voice saying to us if those people knew what you was like , how would us , if those people knew what you was like ? How would it be If those people knew what you had done before ? Would they take you serious ? Does God know what you are thinking ?
Do these people around you know what you used to be ? Because the devil uses history , because the devil can only sit , lucifer can only sit in history . He can't sit in what is before us . He does not have any understanding is what is before you . He has no capabilities in any way , shape or form . He can only hold us to ransom . And what happens is when the enemy holds us to ransom through history , what does it do ? It brings fear .
Speaker 2So historical events can hold us from moving forward or migrating from where we are in this geographical place of life , moving forward in the word of god , not because god's word isn't capable , it is because of my mindset . I've got to break the mindset . How do I break ? When I say I break , I have to make a conscious and a clear understanding that I need to bring this to Christ because I cannot live in my history . You know so many people , so many of us human beings , and humanity is living in . What if that came out of the cupboard ? What if that was revealed ? What if people knew that about me ? What , what , what ? We are always living our lives in in historical events and not living by faith . So when we live in historical events , we are living in fear . When I live in what is before me and the bible says , we serve a god that calls the things that are not as though they are , so fear is living in the past , holding history , faith . Faith , you know . Faith is looking forward to what god has for you . So what is the , the scripture that is really relevant for god's presence as a remedy for fear ?
Speaker 2If you have a Bible and if you have a chance just to look at these scriptures , I really would encourage you , you know , just to have a look at these references . And the first reference that we got is probably the most famous psalm the earth has ever heard , and that is Psalm 23 , verse 4 . Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me , your rod and your staff . They comfort me . Psalm 23 , verse 4 , let me read that again Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me , your rod and your staff . They comfort me . So the Bible tells us that there is a walk . There is a good walk , there is a walk by light , there is a walk by darkness . And I'm not saying that we will walk by darkness . That darkness is leading us because the Bible is extremely clear Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world . You know , when you look at that scripture , the Bible says that Christ is the light of the world .
Speaker 2So when Christ is living within you , when we actually think of it through the lens of the spiritual walk with God , fear does not actually exist in our heart . It only exists in the cognitive processing . Fear can only sit in the mind . This is why the mind can be quite dangerous , this is why the mind can almost hold us back , because the mind is captured by our historical events , you know , and the mind can't really push us any further forward than where we are at this moment in time . Yeah , you might think about holiday , you might think about work Monday , you might think about an exam coming up , you might think about these physical areas , but the mind has no capability of living by faith because the mind is of this natural world . So where does faith come from ? Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water .
Speaker 2You know , in your inner soul , in your inner heart , as the Bible says you know , the heart is where the word of God is . Your mind and my mind . It carries the word , but it carries it in an educational purpose . In that way , the mind is just a vehicle . But what we've got to understand is that fear sits in the mind . It doesn't sit in your heart because what the fear of this world does ? It draws on anxiety , it draws on adrenaline , and that starts in the mind . It doesn't start in the heart because it can't start and it can't stay in the heart . Fear actually sits in the mind of the human being . It has no way of getting onto the heart because when we talk about the heart in the realization of scripture , it is talking about the , the spiritual realm where God sits .
Speaker 2So when we look at what is this remedy ? Is God's presence a remedy for fear ? 100% God's presence and his love and his mercy and his unfailing goodness will guide you through the valley of the shadow of death . So this is where the Psalmist is explaining even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . So this is where the psalmist is explaining even though I walk through the darkest valley psalm 23 , verse 4 the presence of god is with you as you are walking right now . The presence of the holy spirit is with you right now . Jesus christ , as the savior of the world , is with you right now . You might be operating in fear . You might be listening to this in fear and anxiety and worry and doubt , but let me guarantee this to you when you get the word of God .
Speaker 2Now this is critical . It's not worship , it's the word of God . Worship and prayer is secondary to the word of God . Worship and prayer is secondary to the word of God . The first area that I gotta get to is scripture . It is scripture . Scripture . Worship will carry us , worship will place us . Worship will get us through certain times , and I love worship . Worship is powerful , but worship is only powerful when it is twofold . The Bible says the worshipers shall worship in spirit and in truth Holy Spirit and word . Holy Spirit and what do you mean ? Word ? Do doctoring ? See , if god wanted us to primarily find freedom from worship , he would have mentioned that . But it is the word of god . But actually the word of god is worship . So we are in worship when we are in the word of God . So if you look at Psalm 23 , verse 4 , even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil . Why is this , david ? Why does David say this ? For you are with me . God's remedy , god's presence , god's love is the remedy for freedom . It will destroy that . God's presence as the remedy for fear to go . Fear will go . God will redeem , god will set free , god will make a way . God's presence as the remedy of fear . God will destroy .
Speaker 2The Bible says perfect love drives out all fear . Now , if God wanted worship to drive that out , he would have said you know , perfect worship drives out all fear . But the scripture says perfect love drives out all fear . What is perfect ? Love ? Christ is perfect love . Prove it . The Bible says in John 3 , 16 , for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life . That is the great scripture For God so loved . There is a love that is over you that will drive out fear . That love is perfect because Jesus Christ is perfect . Jesus Christ is the living word of God . He is the Alpha and the Omega . He is the king of kings and the lord of lords .
Speaker 2So as I look at my life , my life and your life is the physical realm of walking . We walk , we move , we are active , we we live our lives by , by progression , you know , and however that may be in our lives . So , as we walk , so christ is using , through the psalmist of david , psalm 23 , verse 4 , this valley as an analogy of yes , I will walk through my life , yes , I will have hurdles , yes , I'll have peaks , yes , I will have troughs . Yes , I'll have highs and lows , yes , I will yo-yo in and out . But one thing is for sure if you keep walking , victory will come .
Speaker 2I cannot afford to allow the shadow of death to stop me moving forward , because I've got to understand that there is no power within a shadow . It is just a shadow , a silhouette , just something that is that is there in my eyesight but it's actually not there within the physical realm . You know , when you touch a shadow , it has no power . This is why this psalm is so powerful and it is so liberating and it is so freeing . You will know the truth and the truth will set you free . What do we need to be set free from ? The most we could say sin . We understand that . But running parallel with that , running in the fabric of that , is fear , because fear changes our vision , whether that's our daily life , whether that's our focus and whatever that may be . Fear changes everything the chemicals in the body and the way that we go into that fight and flight mode , and everything .
Speaker 2But god's presence is a remedy for fear . God's presence , it is God's presence that will give you freedom . So in the Psalm 23 , verse 4 , even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me , your rod and your staff . They comfort me . Your rod and your staff , they comfort me . Your rod and your staff , god , I love that . Your rod , the , the rod of instruction , that the staff that will comfort me .
Speaker 2You know , when you look at a shepherd , the god that we serve through christ , when we look at the man , christ , when we look at the savior of the world , jesus , he is the good shepherd . So when the psalmist writes this , he's using the analogy of a shepherd . The shepherd will protect the sheep . We are his sheep , we are his children . You know fear . We need to drive fear out of our lives . We need to drive this out . God has commanded us not to fear and God's presence is a remedy for fear to go , and we've got to stand on the word of God because fear is not our portion . Fear is not part of the Redeemer's plan . Fear sits in the playground of Satan . Fear sits in the playground of the political agenda . Fear sits in the playground of the political agenda . Fear sits in the way of the world . But by faith , and we know through scripture that faith and fear they run very , very close together .
Speaker 2But I just want to read this scripture again , and the scripture reference is Psalm 23 , verse 4 . Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I want to tell you tonight , this morning or this afternoon , whenever you listen to this audible , however you do , through radio , through podcasts , when you read this through book form , I want to let you know tonight that fear is not part of the master's plan , that fear does not belong to you , that the fear that you are feeling now will go at the name of jesus . So , wherever you are , I would encourage you to grab a bible and open the word of god , open up that text to psalm 23 , verse 4 . Even though I walk through the darkest valley , you might be walking through a very dark , a very gloomy , a very bleak . You might , you might be in a windstorm at this moment , you might be spinning plates that you can't control anymore . You might be going through this avalanche like an avalanche on a snow resort . When it just completely cascades down , there might be an avalanche of issues , there might be an avalanche of problems . There might be an avalanche of problems , but there is a way forward and it is the word of god .
Speaker 2Worship has its place , prayer has its place , but the prime area that we need to get into is the word of god . So this is the major issue that we have within the UK is that the church hasn't equipped the Bible believing believers for such a time as this . We are living in the days of Noah , we are living and we are waiting for the second coming of Jesus . So the devil is in his playground , trying to stir up as much fear as he possibly can , and he will use every vehicle under the sun that he can use to try and drive us away from faith , because faith is the opposite end of the stick to fear . So , wherever you are at this moment in time , whatever your time zone is , whatever lens you are looking at life at right now , if you are in a fearful position , as I said , grab the Bible .
Speaker 2Open up to Psalm 23 , verse 4 . Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me . God is with you . The power of the Holy Spirit is with you . The love of Christ is over you . Perfect love drives out all fear . The glory of God is within you . Destiny is waiting for you . You can find that beautiful place of peace right in the valley of despair . God is with you wherever you are tonight .
Speaker 2Do not give up . Do not give in . Do not allow the outside environment , the devil's playground , to control that faith that has been placed within you . Grab yourself the word of God . Grab yourself a coffee or a cup of tea . Take time out and read Psalm 23 , the most beautiful psalm the world has ever heard , verses 1 through to 6 . The Lord is my shepherd . God is guiding you through to six . The Lord is my shepherd , god is guiding you . God is going to drive out all fear because he loves you . Because he loves you , the Bible says because he loves me , says the Lord , I will rescue him . God is a God that will rescue from fear . God will rescue you from your troubles and your doubts . Do not allow anxiety . Do not allow doubt . Do not allow the present to hold you back .
Speaker 2I just want to drop this in before we click out of this podcast . It is coming from the book of Philippians , chapter 4 , verse 6 through to 7 . Do not be anxious about anything . Do not be anxious about anything , but in every situation , by prayer and petition , with thanksgiving , present your request to God , and the peace of God , which transcends all understanding , will guard your hearts and your
mind in Christ . This shows this shows something really powerful . This shows the glory of God .
Speaker 2I want to encourage you , wherever you are , read that text . We have the reference just as we come to a close . The reference is Psalm 23 , verse 4 . Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me , your rod and your staff . They comfort me . And then I've just dropped that reference into the mix . Philippians , chapter 4 , verse 6 through to 7 . I thank you for joining us wherever you are for this chapter of this book . I thank you for listening to us wherever you are through rb , christian radio . I thank you for listening to us through the World of Podcasts , wherever you're capturing what we are presenting to you right now . We want to encourage you to live by faith , live by the Word of God . God is with you . We will see you soon . Take care , never give up . The Word of God is with you , and the title of this podcast and this chapter in the book is God's presence as the remedy for fear . God bless , we'll see you soon .
Speaker 1Thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast . We hope you found inspiration and guidance in today's audio . Remember the journey of faith is a continuous one and your questions and thoughts are important . You can send us a text or an email and we will get back to you . So , wherever you are around the world , thank you for listening to our podcasts and radio ministry . For more information about our ministry , please find us on pastorbencoopercouk . Please support us with prayer . Also , you can sow a financial seed into this ministry . You can also leave us a legacy to support and continue the work of this radio ministry . If you enjoyed this episode , please subscribe and share it with others who might benefit . Until next time , stay blessed .