Fear Not

Pastor Mike brought a thought provoking sermon entitled “Fear Not”. So that we may be doers of the Word and not hearers only let us remember the key points that are shared in that message.

Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous is going to cause a problem or is a threat.Fear is an effective weapon of the enemy to hold you back.

The main fear most people have isn’t of something causing physical harm. Our biggest fear is what someone else is thinking about us.

FDR said “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.”

The words “Fear not” are repeated 365 times in the Bible. That’s enough for once each day. And each day the key to overcoming fear is being in the presence of and being focused on God.

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Fear is overcome by spending time with God and focusing on God.

Psalms 46:1-3 NKJV

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah”

Because we know God is with us we do not need to fear. God is your refuge.

The closeness of God is how we overcome Fear. Jesus is the Price of Peace and we know the Word of God tells us perfect love cats out fear. Perfect love of what? Of God! His arms are continuously wide open!

Psalms 91:1-3 NKJV

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.”

Psalms 23:4 NKJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

The battle is to stay in the presence of God and not to allow anything to pull you away from Him.

Daniel 3:1-3 NKJV

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The king made a golden image of himself. The fact that it was 60 cubits high means it was 90 feet tall.

Daniel 3:4-7 NKJV

Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”

So everyone had to worship this 90 foot tall Image of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 3:8-13 NKJV

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.

The people didn’t like Daniel and the people didn’t like him. When you stand up for what God says and He’s using you there’s likely to be a lot of people who won’t like you. How did they notice 3 people out of all the people who didn’t do it? Because they were looking for something to be wrong with them. They were watching them.

Daniel 3:13-15 NKJV

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?

Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful of kings. The name Nebuchadnezzar comes from the Akkadian name Nabu-Kudurri-usur, which translates to "O Nabu, protect my first-born son".

Daniel 3:16-18 NKJV

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.

 There’s no peace treaty with Satan. The battle wasn’t just about whether or not to bow but whether or not to stay in that secret place with God. It’s whether to compromise or stay focused and in the presence of God.

Daniel 3:19-23 NKJV

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

They were in the fiery furnace but in reality they were in the secret place, the presence of God.

Daniel 3:22-28 NKJV

Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!”

We don’t like being thrown into the fire, but when you come out of they fire all of a sudden because the things they did to you didn’t affect you ask of a sudden you have a great amount of influence.

Daniel 3:28-30 NKJV

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

The three men were pay off the captives that came from Israel

Shadrach is a Babylonian name that means "command of Aku," the Babylonian god of the moon. The name is derived from Akkadian, a Babylonian language.

People may call you something other than your real name and you may start to believe that.

Meshach means who is like Shack. Shack was one of the Babylonian Goddesses.

It’s about being part of culture.

Abendenego means servant of Nebo. Derived from Nebo, the Babylonian god of wisdom.

Shadrach's original Hebrew name was Hananiah, which means "Yahweh has been gracious".

So we need to remember who we really are. Your name is a Words from God spoken.

Meshach real name Mishael meant who is what God is.

Abendego real name was Azzaria which means the Lord helps.

We must remember who we really are in God and the name that He has given to us and not allow fear to affect us.