Overcoming Fear to Share the Gospel, Part 2

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EPISODE:
As faithful followers of Christ, we want to share the gospel but may fear experiencing opposition. But here is the good news! We can feel fear and be unhindered in carrying out the Great Commission. Not only can we joyfully share our faith despite feeling fear, but feeling fear is not a sin nor a failure. In this podcast episode, we will learn fundamental principles for overcoming fear and sharing the Christian faith! Our foundational scripture for today's episode is John 15:20.

KEY TOPICS AND CHAPTER MARKERS:
Principle # 3: Jesus Is Worth Suffering Persecution [3:02]
·        Meditate on how Jesus suffered for us.
·        Decide what we are willing to sacrifice for Jesus.
·        Learn from the apostle Peter how to rejoice amid suffering.
Principle #4: Exalt God’s Word, Not Fear, to Fulfill the Great Commission [12:24]
·        Cast Down vain imaginations.
·        Use God’s Word as a spiritual weapon.
·        Invite the Holy Spirit’s help to resist fear.
Ending Prayer: [17:53] 

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:
John 15:20
2 Timothy 1:7
Ephesians 6:10-18
Matthew 27:26-31; 35-37; 39-46; 50
Matthew 28:19
Acts 5: 25-29; 33-34; 38-42
Acts 1:8
Acts 2:1-4
John 14:26
2 Corinthian 10:5
Matthew 4:4-6; 10
Matthew 22:41-46
Hebrews 4:12
James 4:7
John 8:44
2 Timothy 1:8, 14, 16
Ephesians 3:16

 CALL TO ACTION, EPISODE LINK & CONTACT INFO
·       Podcast website: https://acvpodcast.buzzsprout.com
·       Email Evangelist Regina: evangelismtrainer@gmail.com
·       Link to website for free Christian tracts (donations appreciated): https://fellowshiptractleague.org/
·       Link to lyrics for Knowing You, Jesus: https://youtu.be/vBzztqOSiDE

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:13

Hi, Jesus friends. Welcome to the Amplifying Christ Voice podcast with your host, Evangelism Trainer, Regina. Matthew 13, verse 15 tells us that people's hearts are hard and their spiritual ears cannot hear. So I'm excited to prayerfully equip and mobilize Christians to share the gospel as the answer to the world's spiritual deafness. In this podcast, you will hear encouraging biblical messages and learn strategies to joyfully and confidently communicate the salvation message. Join me weekly as we discover how to transform our communities and the world through Jesus, the living gospel. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Season one, episode eleven, overcoming fear to share the gospel. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. In last week's podcast, we discussed the first two principles for overcoming fear and sharing the gospel. First, we learn that when we're attacked with spiritual fear, it's false evidence appearing real. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7 says, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. So when we begin to feel fear about carrying out the Great Commission or doing anything God has told us to do, then we know that that fear is not from God, but it is from Satan. We need to rebuke or spiritually reject this fear in Jesus' name. The second principle we discussed in overcoming fear is prayerfully resisting the obstacle of suffering. Friends, there will be opposition to the gospel. So we must arm ourselves with the weapons of our spiritual warfare found in Ephesians 6 verses 10 through 18. Today we will continue with the second part of this teaching. Principle 3. Jesus is worth suffering persecution. When we truly want to make a difference in the kingdom of God, we will face some form of suffering or persecution. But here's the good news. We can be strengthened in our spiritual journey of obedience by reflecting on what Jesus suffered to give us eternal salvation. Let's take some time to be reminded of Jesus' suffering. Matthew 27, verses 26 through 31, 35 through 37, 39 through 46, and 50 tell us Pilate ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Some of the governor's soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a wreathed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, Hail, King of the Jews, and they spit on him, and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again, and then they led him away to be crucified. After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice, and then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. A sign was fastened above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. Look at you now, they yelled at him. You said you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then if you're the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross. The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. He saved others, they scoffed, but he can't save himself. So he is the king of Israel? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him. He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him. For he said, I am the Son of God. Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. At noon darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. At about three o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Then Jesus shouted again and he released his spirit. Have we suffered for Jesus what he suffered to bring us salvation? I haven't. Because of Christ's suffering and death, he saved us from hell, death and the grave. So what are we willing to suffer for Christ to carry out his last wish to us in Matthew twenty eight nineteen? Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. What are we willing to lay down? Our pride, our time, our self preoccupation, our fear of rejection, our fear of being judged, our physical freedom? Remember, Jesus told us in John 1520 that a servant is not greater than his master, and if they persecuted him, they would also persecute us. So here's the question, Jesus, friends. Is Jesus worth suffering for? Is the eternal salvation we receive through Jesus' crucifixion worth suffering ridicule? Judgment? You fill in the blank. If we were thrown in jail for preaching Jesus, would we continue to speak the name of Jesus? Would we continue to preach the message of Jesus publicly? We may not be willing today, but we can become transformed people who are willing to obey God no matter the cost. The same Peter who denied Jesus three times and the other disciples who cowered in fear and deserted the Savior became bold and courageous, willing to face imprisonment, beatings, and even death to preach the message of Jesus. Let's look at Acts 5, verses 25 through 29, 33 through 34, and 38 through forty two. Then someone arrived with startling news. The men you put in jail are standing in the temple, teaching the people. The captain went with the temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man's name, he said. Instead you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death. But Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than any human authority. When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. But one member, a Pharisee named Gameliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Gameliel gave this advice, so leave these men alone, let them go. If they're plotting and doing things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourself fighting against God. The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued to teach and preach the message. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, but now he was willing to sacrifice his very life for him. What made the difference? We find the answer in Acts chapter 1, verse 8 and chapter 2, verses 1 through 4. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, and throughout Judea and Samaria until the ends of the earth. And on the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly there was a sound from heaven, like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then what looked like flames of tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them, and everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to teach and preach about Jesus no matter the persecution and suffering, obeying God rather than any human authority. Every day they taught and preached that Jesus was the Messiah, and Jesus, friends, we should do no less. We will inevitably experience some form of persecution when we live for Jesus and give his gospel, but the Holy Spirit will provide us with strength and joy in our obedience if we seek his help. Jesus told us God was sending us a helper in the person of the Holy Spirit. How intimately do we know the Holy Spirit? Do we ask Him to help us when we feel afraid? Here's a spiritual challenge for us this week. Let's seek to know our earthly helper, the Holy Spirit, more and more each day. Principle four. Exalt God's word, not fear, in order to fulfill the Great Commission. We've just discussed standing firm when facing fear of sharing the gospel. But can I tell you something? There have been times I've allowed my imagination to be a tool in Satan's hands. Rather than believing that God would equip and empower me to do what he asked, I entertained Satan's lies and engaged in fearful thinking that resulted in spiritual disobedience. But neither you nor I have to yield to Satan's plans to trap us in fear, anxiety, and disobedience. So what are the spiritual weapons to resist fear and worry? 2 Corinthians 10 verse 5 teaches us we must cast down, meaning refuse to meditate upon or rehearse vain imaginations. And what are vain imaginations? Useless, unproductive thoughts that exalt themselves against God's word. These vain imaginations are lies that try to make themselves greater than God's truth. Instead, we're to bring every thought captive to the truth of Jesus Christ by proclaiming God's word, not our thoughts and feelings. When Jesus was spiritually attacked or challenged, he responded by quoting the Old Testament prophets, Matthew 4, verses 4, 7, and 10, and Matthew 22 verses 41 through 46. Likewise, our greatest spiritual weapon is God's word, Hebrews 4, verse 12. For example, when we profess 2 Timothy 1, verse 7 aloud, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, we're casting down Satan's lies and taking our thoughts captive to the truth in Christ. Scripture is an offensive weapon against Satan's lies and binds us to God's truth. We must have the weapon of God's word upon our lips, so that when Satan pounces with fear, we are ready to speak the truth to the Father of lies. As we meditate on God's word, not Satan's implanted thoughts, we are empowered to fulfill God's purposes, just as Jesus did in his earthly ministry. When we do not proactively take vain thoughts captive to God's word, Satan cheats us out of being living, breathing testimonies of faith. Fulfilling 2 Corinthians 10 verse 5 may seem daunting, but the Holy Spirit, our divine helper, empowers us to think like Christ. When we allow God's truth to transform our thoughts, our emotions and choices lead to joyful obedience. How will you invite the Holy Spirit to help you recognize and resist the entrapment of fear? Here are some faith principles we must hold firmly to confidently and effectively share the gospel. 2 Timothy 1 verse 8. 2, we must cast down vain imaginations and meditate on God's truth. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 5. 3, we must speak out God's word of truth when attacked by Satan's lies. Like Jesus, we must say, It is written. Matthew 4, verses 4 through 6. Number four, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us to carefully guard the precious truth entrusted to us and empower us to do God's will. 2 Timothy 1, verse 14. 5, we must ask God to send like-minded people who will encourage us as we seek to do God's will. 2 Timothy 1 verse 16. And number six, we must decide whether we love Christ enough to face persecution and share the gospel. Is loving Jesus greater than experiencing suffering? Let's be encouraged to love Jesus more through the lyrics from Graham Kendrick's song Knowing You Jesus. Now my heart's desire is to know you more, to be found in you and known as yours, to possess by faith what I could not earn, all surpassing gift of righteousness. Oh to know the power of your risen life and to know you in your sufferings, to become like you in your death, my Lord, so with you to live and never die. Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, there is no greater thing. You're my all, you're the best, you're my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, Lord. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the truths we've learned, but above all else, we ask that you help us to apply the truths to overcome fear in our lives so we can joyfully and confidently fulfill the Great Commission. We don't want to be hearers of your word, but doers of your word. According to Ephesians 3.16, I pray that out of your glorious riches, that we would be strengthened with power through your spirit in our inner beings to share the gospel faithfully with family, friends, and strangers. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for spending time with me today as we explored how to amplify Christ's voice. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and subscribe, tell your friends about this channel, and join me next week to learn more about the Great Commission.