Overcoming Fear and Embracing Faith

Introduction to Fear and Disobedience

• Fear hinders individuals from pursuing God's calling.
• Operating in fear means disobeying God's call to action.
• "Saved Not Soft" offers a platform for feeling heard, seen, and loved by God, acknowledging the challenges in the Christian journey.
• Fear imprisons many young Christians, affecting various aspects of life.
• Overcoming fear means identifying it and recognizing that it serves the devil; replace fear with faith.

Prayer for Guidance and Strength

• The Holy Spirit's impact and the spread of the gospel are requested.
• 2 Timothy 1:7 states that God gives power, love, and a sound mind, not fear.
• Listeners are called to repent from fear and embrace God's opportunities.
• Individuals are capable because of God's spirit.
• Seek greater intimacy with God, and understand his compassion, rejecting fear and embracing faith.

Understanding Fear and Faith

• Fear has robbed the host of good life experiences.
• Both fear and faith require belief.
• It's impossible to be fearful and faithful at the same time.
• Confronting fear, rooted in disbelief, is essential for walking with God.
• Fear manifests as inadequacy, anticipation of abandonment, lack of confidence, and loss of identity.
• Satan uses fear to stop God's plans to be fulfilled.
• Faith means confidence in what is hoped for, and trusting God's words over personal perception.
• Spiritual circumstances from God help individuals rely on him.
• Fear equates to the absence of power, love, and a sound mind/self-control.
• Fear inhibits proper love, authoritative power in Jesus Christ, and a clear mind.

The Thief of Opportunity: Fear of Embarrassment

• Fear of embarrassment, disappointment, and failure prevents pursuing God’s plans in faith.
• Fear combines with unbelief, which makes individuals trust their understanding more than God’s promises.
• Admitting fear enables God’s healing.
• Satan's deception is intelligent and crafty.
• Varied expressions of fear lead to an intelligent design of deception.
• Escaping deception requires power, love, a sound mind, and receiving the truth of the Gospels.
• Conquering fear means trusting God's declarations and promises over one's understanding.

Parable of the Bags of Gold: An Analysis

• The Parable of the Bags of Gold teaches about entrusting wealth.
• The master entrusted servants with bags of gold based on their abilities.
• Servants were required to steward their gifts properly.
• The servant with five bags doubled the gold through proper stewardship of the master's investment.
• The master was pleased with the servant's work and promised more responsibility.
• God tests with smaller opportunities before bigger ones are granted.
• The third servant hid the treasure because of fear.
• Shame and fear were partnered, and fear in turn was partnered with partners with unbelief.
• The risk of displeasing his master was less than the risk of being embarrassed, so the servant did nothing.
• The master derived no pleasure because the servant did nothing.
• Hiding is in partnership with shame, guilt, and fear.
• Hiding the treasure stemmed from shame, guilt, and feeling unworthy.
• Fear prevents individuals from taking opportunities from God.
• God may give your position to someone else if you fail to deliver on a known calling; he informed you and you did not deliver.
• God's opportunities should be invested in, not hidden.
• Fear prevented one servant from pleasing his master, reflecting efforts of the devil in John 10:10 to kill, steal, and destroy God's plans.

Enforcing A Spiritual Security System

• A strict spiritual security system must be enforced to do God's work and seize opportunities.
• A spiritual security system involves trusting God and acknowledging His system.

The Importance of Trust, Prayer, and Obedience

• The servant entrusted with one bag viewed his master as harsh, leading to inaction.
• Lack of trust in God can create a mindset where financial provision is unseen, but God wants his servants to succeed, so it is important not to idolize money.
• A false perception of God hinders success and obedience to God.
• Making decisions in alignment with getting the most of opportunities from God requires placing security in God.
• Entrust what God has invested in you and put that into your life.
• Believing in one's unworthiness to receive God's promises hinders action.
• Strengthening the spiritual security system includes prayer, fasting, studying God's word, and community involvement.
• Opportunities are given according to abilities.
• Disciples are given opportunities to be faithful, and those small opportunities are taken into account when the Lord shows his affection to you.
• Investing in spiritual growth and obedience, fueled by faith, creates joy and happiness shared with God.

Practical Steps to Overcoming Fear

• Overcoming fear means acknowledging God's Sovereignty.
• Cultivating an intimate relationship through prayer, fasting, and community reveals God's true nature.
• Put an end to trusting yourself; acknowledge what the word of God reveals, and test that against your feelings.
• Investment in spiritual growth includes scriptural study, mentorship, service, and investment.
• When God calls you to action, he demonstrates his faithfulness.
• Pursue peace in your prayer, you must stay to receive it, and don't leave your prayer closet until he releases you or it will open you up to the world.
• Embrace opportunities to see God's love and kindness.
• Reconnecting with God is still possible, even imprisonment.

Explore how fear obstructs God's calling and imprisons young Christians, affecting various aspects of life. Discover the power of faith over fear, replacing it with God's love and a sound mind. Embrace opportunities and seek intimacy with God, rejecting fear and living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.