[00:00:00] One of the kindest men I've ever met was Adrian Rogers. It was back several years ago when I was in Jerusalem, leading a tour through that land. One day I met Adrian Rogers face to face. We'd never met before, but he was so gracious. For perhaps a half hour or so we talked. He was so lovingly concerned about what I was doing.
[00:00:26] He asked all about my ministry and about my life, my family. So what impressed me is how he spoke to me with a heart of love and concern, though we'd never met before. And no wonder that his ministry was called Love Worth Finding. Now I have obtained a publication written by Adrian Rogers. It's entitled, When We Listen to That Sinister Minister of Fear the Devil,
[00:00:55] Rather Than Listening to God. Let me repeat that. When we listen to that sinister minister of fear, the devil, rather than listening to God, we'll fail every time. Well, many of us and many of you have been hurt by having a spirit of fear. So I want to speak to you about hurting people. I believe fear is one of the most diabolical spirits of our adversary.
[00:01:21] And I want to read to you this message by Dr. Adrian Rogers entitled, Facing Your Fear. And I believe it'll minister to you as it did to me. He wrote, During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt famously said, We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Those were riveting words, however, I don't agree. There are many things in our world to fear.
[00:01:47] Today, people fear losing their health, their wealth, their savings, their job. They even fear losing their family or friends. God's word has plenty to say about conquering fear, facing fear with faith, and living a future free from the bondage of fear. Not all fear is bad. Jesus literally told us to fear on one occasion. He said in Matthew 10, 28, Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
[00:02:16] The unsaved do have something to be afraid of, and that's a healthy fear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Proverbs 9 and 10 says. That's the kind way of saying you don't have to have good sense unless you fear the Lord. That doesn't mean you cringe before God, but reverence him with holy respect. There are also harmless fears and phobias like fear of mice.
[00:02:41] But a spirit of fear of 2 Timothy 1, 7 and the bondage of fear in Romans 8, 15. They're damaging, destructive, debilitating. And the spirit of fear, if you suspect you're in bondage to fear, you don't have to stay there. Young Timothy, equipped and anointed to do the work of God, was briefly right where you are. But the apostle Paul spoke to him very straightforward.
[00:03:08] He said, God has not given you the spirit of fear, but a power and of love and a sound mind. And Paul says, you've forgotten who you are, what God has done for you, and God wants to do through you. Fear caused Timothy to forget. Focusing on what you fear, take your eyes off the Lord, his blessings, what he's done in the past, and what he'll do in the future. Perhaps Timothy was afraid of what might happen to him.
[00:03:34] And when we listen to that sinister minister of fear of the devil, rather than listening to God, we'll fail. In your life, do you have unused abilities, gifts buried and forgotten because you're afraid? Don't be bound by fear. Your treasure will remain buried. In addition, fear can literally make you sick. In fact, a well-known American doctor said, for 90% of chronic patients, the trouble did not start with a cough or chest pain.
[00:04:04] The first symptom was fear. Fear in your life is like sand in the machinery. Faith in your life is like oil that lubricates life. Thank God Paul didn't tell us that the problems are always what we have to accept. No, he says we can face fear and overcome. And we understand that greater is he that's in us than he that's in the world. We have every reason to be overcomers by God's grace. And that's my appeal to you.
[00:04:34] So faith can face fear and overcome. Your strength is in the Lord himself. There is no foe that's greater than God's word. There's just no need to be afraid. I love the scripture. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. For whom shall I be afraid? That's the great 27th Psalm, verse 1. So I say, focus on the Lord.
[00:05:02] Remember the gift of God within you. God has given you the spirit of power. He's given you the spirit of love. And he's given you the spirit of a sound mind. Love can be a mighty force to overcome fear. 1 John 4, verse 18 says, Perfect love casts out fear. This doesn't mean if you can love God perfectly, you won't be afraid. It means literally you don't have to be afraid.
[00:05:30] Because God loves you perfectly. The Bible says we have no fear of someone who loves perfectly. When you see God's mighty power on one hand, and his mighty love on the other, fear just melts away. Fear in that love says, Lord, no matter what happens to me, I know you love me. And because you love me and you're all powerful, you're working all things together for my good.
[00:05:58] The devil doesn't want you to grasp this. 2 Timothy 1, 12, Paul said, I know whom I believed. And I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. Have you committed everything to the Lord? Then you do not need to fear. I know that fear, I say, is one of the tormenting spirits that can cause you to be deeply hurt. And God wants you to know you can have victory.
[00:06:28] And you can have the ability to rise above fear. So learn this truth, that you can be an instrument of blessing by the fact that you are overcoming fear of all sorts. I'm very grateful. Praise God, I'm grateful that the Lord gave me a truth that enabled me to overcome fear of every sort. It was a time of visitation when I was endeavoring to overcome the fear.
[00:06:58] And I wrote down and I published it on a card. You'd like to hear what I wrote? Here's something I know is very real. Number one, fear has one source, the devil. 2 Timothy 1, 7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind. Notice that fear is not a mental quirk, but it's an actual spirit that emanates not from God, but from the adversary.
[00:07:26] For you do not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, Romans 8, 15 says. Notice it's called a spirit of bondage. Now, the results of fear are not pleasant. Fear can hurt and hurt deeply. In fact, fear produces deep discomfort. The Bible says in 1 John 4, 18, fear involves torment.
[00:07:49] Victims of satanic fear actually suffer physical agony, mental anguish, and spiritual torment. These are deep hurts indeed inflicted by the spirit of fear. Now, fear itself is so deceptive. It will lead you into the snares of the enemy. For instance, Proverbs 29, 25 says, The fear of man brings a snare.
[00:08:15] Fear beguiles, deludes, and leads you into a make-believe world of deception. And now, the fifth factor I want to deal with here is that fear can produce in kind. Like Job long ago, he said, The thing I greatly fear has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. You fear calamity, and you could be writing your own ticket for calamity.
[00:08:40] If you fear failure, you're opening the door for failure to envelop your life. So here's what to do about fear. Dare to rebuke fear in the name of Jesus. Call the spirit of fear by its right names, a deceiver, a liar, a faker, a fraud. And James 4, 7 says, Resist the devil, he will flee from you. Now, fear will cause you to expect the bad. It can lead to an urge even to commit suicide.
[00:09:10] Fear is manifested in stinginess toward God in giving. Fear creates nervous breakdowns. Sleeplessness will press you in your poor life, and bondage in sharing Jesus with others. I say again, no more convincing testimony. In the Bible, is that of Job. Job 3, 25. The thing I greatly fear has come upon me, and what I have dreaded has happened to me.
[00:09:38] So this day, we're going to deal with these wrong spirits, these wicked, vile spirits that cause defeat, depression, destruction, even death. The result of your fears. Give no place to fear. Resist it in Jesus' name. Apply the precious blood of Jesus. Quote the word of God, of course, and praise the Lord. Father, in Jesus' name.
[00:10:05] In this radio audience, there are many people who are beset by fear. And Lord, this has caused deep felt hurts in their life. So I speak today in the name of Jesus, and take authority over this spirit of fear. This oppression of the wicked devil. Father, I thank you for setting people free today. By the authority of Jesus' name, amen. Michael Dale will tell you about a very important resource
[00:10:34] on how to cope with your hurts. How to rise above a spirit of hurting, and let God's word prevail. Yes, thank God when you are free from this spirit that wants to cause you to be oppressed. Just rise up with victory in your heart. Defeat the enemy's attacks. You can see your loved ones saved. You can receive healing for your body.
[00:11:00] You can obtain supernatural guidance as you let God's word prevail. So this is my invitation to you. Request this special CD about overcoming hurts. Are you hurting? That's the subject. And Michael Dale will tell you more about that. Well, you know, in this ministry, we sort of have an emphasis that's called by God to really lead you into a life of joy and praise.
[00:11:31] I have discovered this for many years, of course, not just from my own life but the lives of many others. Whenever personally I find myself beset by a spirit of fear, I will simply stop and redress that fear and then affirm God's word. There's such power in praise to enable you to overcome. And if you this day will make it your purpose to magnify the Lord with me.
[00:11:59] Will you join me as we together say, Praise You, Lord. Let's say, Praise You, Lord. Amen. Ten times. Let's affirm it. Praise You, Lord. Praise You, Lord. Praise You, Lord. Praise You, Lord. Praise You, Lord. Amen. Praise You, Lord. Amen.
[00:12:34] Hallelujah.