1. OVERCOMING FEAR! Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

2. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?... Overcoming Fear!

3. Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these… Overcoming Fear!

4. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… Overcoming Fear!

5. For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well… Overcoming Fear!

6. …Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Overcoming Fear!

7. Our world is a "fearful" world. There are at least 75 legitimate phobia’s Acrophobia - Fear of heights. Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders Overcoming Fear!

8. Hydrophobia – Fear of water Phalacrophobia - Fear of becoming bald. Alektorophobia – Fear of chickens Autodysomophobia- Fear of someone that has a vile odour. Overcoming Fear!

9. 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.“ Overcoming Fear!

10. 1. The Reason For Fear. 2. The Results Of Fear. 3. The Remedy Of Fear. Overcoming Fear!

11. 1. The Reason For Fear. A. Fear Is A Result Of Sin. The first evidence of fear in the heart of man came when Adam & Eve sinned: Gen 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called to Adam, and said to them, Where are you? And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Overcoming Fear!

12. B. Fear Is A Result Of Separation. C. Fear Is A Result of Selfishness. Matt 6:25-34 Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Overcoming Fear!

13. D. Fear is a result of Satan. Satan implied to Adam and Eve that their disobedience would lead to more knowledge, and that they would be better as the result of it. Satan is a liar. He knew exactly what would happen. Satan wants us to be controlled by fear rather than being controlled by the Spirit of God. He wants our lives to be governed by fear and anxiety rather than being governed by the word of God! Overcoming Fear!

14. 2. The Results Of Fear. A. Fears Causes Us To Panic Fear causes panic! It causes us to think irrational thoughts, and make irrational decisions. We cease to be led by the Lord, and instead are led, and controlled by our feelings. We act impulsively as a result of our fear! Overcoming Fear!

15. b. Fear Causes Us Paralysis Fear imprisons, Faith liberates; Fear paralyses, Faith empowers; Fear disheartens, Faith encourages; Fear sickens, Faith heals; Fear makes useless, Faith makes serviceable; Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while Faith rejoices in its God. Overcoming Fear!

16. 1. Fear will keep us from loving! (1 John 4:18 - “Perfect love casts out fear”) 2. Fear will keep us from leaving! (our comfort zones) Some folks are afraid of leaving their house some believers fear leaving their comfort zones. 3. Fear will keep us from living! (Fear drains us of life!) Overcoming Fear!

17. C. Fear Makes Us Prisoners Fear imprisons us while Christ came to set us free. Overcoming Fear!

18. 3. The Remedy Of Fear. A. Consider the Fowls. (Vs 26) “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not better than they? Overcoming Fear!

19. B. Consider The Father.V26....your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not better than they? Said the wild flower to the sparrow: "I should really like to know Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so." Said the sparrow to the flower: "Friend, I think that it must be That they have no heavenly father Such as cares for you and me." Overcoming Fear!

20. C. Consider The Flowers. Vs 28-30 – “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? D. Consider The Faith....O you of little faith? The problem with worry, anxiety and fear is one of faith! Overcoming Fear!

21. E. Consider The Foremost. V25,33 Jesus says "Take no thought for your life“ He instructs that we be not anxious about our life as far as what we shall eat, or what we shall drink nor yet for our bodies what we shall put on. Rather than focus on these things, and being worried, anxious, and fearful over them, he instructs us to focus on the foremost = GOD. V33 “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you! Overcoming Fear!

22. Though troubles assail us and dangers affright, though friends should all fail us and foes all unite, yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, his promise assures us, "The Lord will provide." Overcoming Fear!

23. The birds, without garner or storehouse, are fed; from them let us learn to trust God for our bread. His saints what is fitting shall ne’er be denied so long as ’tis written, "The Lord will provide." Overcoming Fear!

24. When Satan assails us to stop up our path, and courage all fails us, we triumph by faith. He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried, this heart-cheering promise, "The Lord will provide." Overcoming Fear!

25. No strength of our own and no goodness we claim; yet, since we have known of the Saviour’s great name, in this our strong tower for safety we hide: the Lord is our power, "The Lord will provide." Overcoming Fear!