Joyce Meyer - Do It Afraid [FULL] (08/21/2019)
Joyce Meyer gets real about fear in this message, pointing out how it torments pretty much everyone at some point, but God didn’t wire us with a spirit of fear—He gave us power, love, and a clear head instead. She drives home that you don’t have to wait for the scared feeling to disappear; the trick is deciding “I will not fear” like David said, then moving forward anyway—even if your knees are knocking—because that’s what real faith looks like. She calls it “do it afraid,” shares some of her own shaky moments (like barely getting a word out the first time she spoke to a big crowd), and keeps reminding us God’s right there with us, so fear doesn’t have to steal the good life He planned.
Understanding Fear and Its Torment
Well welcome to Enjoying Everyday Life. I hope that you really enjoy yourself today and I'm going to talk to you today about fear. We all experience fear in our lives. Fear brings torment and God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. And I don't know what you might be dealing with right now but it might be safe to say that a good majority of people watching today are battling with fear of some kind.
And you know the psalmist David said I will not fear what can man do unto me and I don't think that David was talking about I'm not going to feel fear. I think he was making a declaration I will not fear and I think it's a decision that we all have to make and possibly very often in our lives.
Faith as the Answer to Fear
And there's really only one way to conquer and overcome fear and that's with faith. When fear knocks on your door send Faith to answer. Fear and faith are two opposing forces. We receive everything from God by faith and we receive everything the enemy wants for us by fear. So we really must learn to choose to live by faith.
In Romans 14:23 there's a scripture that is just astounding to me and every time I look at it I have to just go wow and it ends by saying whatever is not of faith is sin. Now just imagine that God wants us to live from Faith to Faith to Faith to Faith to Faith not from Faith to fear and doubt and unbelief and Dread and then throwing a little more faith. He wants us to consistently live by faith.
And that just simply means putting your trust in God believing that he loves you that He sent Jesus to die for you that he has a good plan for your life and that he's promised to never leave you or forsake you. Many of the places in the word of God where the Bible says do not fear the only reason that they give for not fearing is because I am with you. God says do not fear for I am with you.
God Is With You: The Key to Conquering Fear
And I want you to just get a handle on that right now just grasp that fact that God is with you. Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you. And you know most of the time the things that we fear the fear we experience is actually worse and more tormenting than if the thing actually did happen.
But fear f a r sometimes is said to stand for false evidence appearing real. The enemy can make us afraid of things that will actually never happen in our life and cause us torment that whole time. And so we're always going to experience the feeling of fear but we can learn how to do it afraid.
I heard a story many years ago that really really helped me concerning fear. I had taught on fear a lot but I always kind of felt like I was missing something and I didn't know exactly what it was. And then I heard a story about a woman who had really just let fear rule her whole life.
Do It Afraid: A Life-Changing Perspective
And I don't know where you're at in the area of fear or what level of fear you have or maybe you don't have any but maybe you've got so many fears that you could never even write them all down on a piece of paper. But this poor woman she was afraid to drive at night she was afraid of heights she was afraid of the dark she was just afraid of so many things.
And she was a Christian she was a believer and one of her Christian friends stopped by and she was doing what she did a lot she was complaining about what all had been stolen from her because of fear and she was talking about some particular thing that she had wanted to do but she was afraid to do it and you know how bad she felt that she was robbed of that.
And her friend looked at her and simply said well why don't you just do it afraid. Well because God was trying to teach me something I mean I got that right away but I want to try to unpack that for you today. You know when God says fear not he's not telling us not to feel fear I actually think it's kind of a warning that you will feel fear.
Courage in the Face of Fear
And I don't know if this is 100% accurate or not but I've heard it said that there are 365 different scriptures or references about fear in the Bible so that would be one for every day of the year. And I think that fear is the main thing that Satan uses to try to control people. Fear keeps you from going forward.
How many things do you think that the enemy has stolen from you or kept you from doing just because of fear? And so we have to learn that we don't have to bow down to fear just because we feel fear. Do it afraid. Well what does that mean? You may shake you may feel nervous you may sweat you might feel like you're going to faint and fall over but that still doesn't mean that you can't do it while you feel that way.
Courage is actually taking forward motion in the presence of fear. Courage is not not feeling fear courage is feeling the fear and doing what you believe God wants you to do anyway. And I've had many instances in my life where I've had to do that actually I would not be in Ministry today had I not been willing to step out and do it afraid.
Faith Pleases God: The Foundation
And so I want to talk to you a lot about faith and also some about fear and I'm hoping and praying that the word is going to penetrate deep into your heart and that you're going to really find some help with this area of fear. I believe that whatever the word is preaching on that there's power to deliver people in that area so I'm believing today that as you hear this word there's power available to deliver you if you'll reach out and take it.
Hebrews 11:6 and without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever comes to him must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So God wants us to believe to believe first of all that he is that he exists and he wants us to believe that he's good believe that God exists and believe that he's good that's the beginning.
What God Really Requires: Believe
You know so often we wonder what does God want from us sometimes I say I think there's a little demon that is sent to sit on our shoulder every day and just whisper in our ear here all day long what are you going to do what are you going to do what are you going to do. You know everybody seems to want to know what we're going to do.
And some of the disciples went to Jesus and asked this is recorded in John 6:28-29 what must we do to please God what must we do to be doing the works that God wants us to do and the answer came back this is the work that God requires of you that you believe in the one whom he has sent.
Can you imagine that what does God want me to do he wants me to believe. Well yeah I know that but what does he want me to do well yes there are things that God will give us to do but Faith always has to come first first you have faith and that Faith enables you to take bold steps to do whatever it is you believe that God has asked you to do.
Steps of Faith: The Jordan Example
I'm always amazed when I think about when Joshua was going to take the children of Israel into the promised land he had to cross the Jordan well it was too deep for them to cross and so God told them to go forward. Well you got this whole Jordan River in front of you but the thing I find so interesting is the water didn't part until he put his foot in it.
You've heard people say well I put my foot in it now and what they mean by that is okay I'm out into this now if God doesn't help me I'm going to surely fail. And God wants us to do that he wants us to take steps of faith based on what we believe that he has spoken to us whether we feel like it or not.
And many times we feel like God doesn't show up right until that very second when we take that step but a lot of people are not ever willing to take that step they want to feel like they want to feel courage they don't want to have to have any fear while they do it and that's just not the way that God works.
Personal Testimony: Stepping Out Afraid
I can tell you that every time that I step up on the platform I don't know exactly what God is going to do until I open my mouth and see what comes out. Now by now I've had a lot of experience with God and so I know that he's not going to let me down but you know a lot of times no matter how much I study or what kind of plan I make it comes out differently than what I thought that it would.
What must we do to be doing the works of God this is what God requires of you that you believe. You know when Lazarus's family was waiting for Jesus to come and they had called for Jesus when Lazarus was still alive and was just sick but the word of God says that he purposely waited until Lazarus was dead actually by the time he got there Lazarus had already been dead four days.
And the Bible says that he loved Lazarus so in our Natural State we might think well what kind of love is that you know you didn't come and help me when I needed you. So when he did show up of course Martha said if you would have been here my brother would not have died.
And Jesus told them have I not told you to only believe and you would see the glory of God. The glory of God is a manifestation of his Excellence. Jesus of course was not threatened by the fact that Lazarus was dead because he knew that he had the resurrection power to raise him from the dead but I like the fact that he said to them have I not told you if you would only believe.
Only Believe and See God's Glory
You know I think a lot of times that all we need to do we just need to only believe just keep believing that God is going to do something. You know he doesn't always do exactly what we want him to do but God always does something and he always does the thing that's right for our lives it may not be what we thought he should do but we can learn to trust him more than we trust ourselves.
I was thinking this morning how sometimes when we greet each other sometimes somebody will say well how do you do and I thought you know that's really kind of a goofy way to greet somebody you know we need to care more about the person than we do what they do but we are so doing oriented we feel like that that's how we get approval from God by doing and that's how we get approval from people by doing.
And yes God wants us to do things but first he wants us to have faith and then when we have the faith the things that we do coming out of that faith will be much easier for us than if we had tried to do them without that.
Everyone Has a Measure of Faith
And you might say well wait a minute Joyce I just I just don't have faith for that I just I I just don't have any faith and you know what that's absolutely untrue because the Bible says in Romans 12:3 that God has given unto every man The Measure of Faith.
You say well what does that mean that means that everybody has enough Faith to do whatever it is God assigns them to do. For by the grace given unto me I say to everyone among you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but think with sober judgment each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned him.
You know we look at some people and we see the things that are going on in their lives and you know I mean maybe I see someone and there was a car accident and they lost three of their children at one time and I think I I don't know how I don't know how you do that I I don't know how you ever recover from that.
Well see I don't have the grace to do what they did so naturally I can't understand it or I see somebody who's living with an alcoholic husband and trying to hang in there and pray for him because she believes that's what God wants her to do and I think I I don't know if I could do that but see whatever God wants us to do he gives us the faith the grace to be able to do that.
Declaring Trust in God Daily
People say to me all the time how have you done everything that you've done well it's because I had the grace of God on me he put the faith in me to do it. I look back and I think how did how did I ever do this I didn't have the education to do it I didn't have anybody to help me do it I didn't have any money.
But I remember one of the first really big opportunities that I got I had taught small Bible studies and done a few things but I was really believing God to get to do bigger things and I got invited to a conference at the last second because one of the speakers had cancelled which is not too exciting to get it was exciting to get invited but it's not exciting to think that you were an afterthought that you were like the emergency person to bring in.
And so a lot of the other people that were at that conference were well-known big-name people and they all had fancy titles doctor and Reverend and prophet and prophetess and then there was Joyce. Well there were 900 people at this conference which looked like 9 million to me and I was only a workshop speaker I wasn't one of the main speakers.
And so they ask on the opening night for all the workshop speakers to come up and just give a about a one minute synopsis of what they were going to talk about the next day and I was so scared so scared shaking trembling mouth was dry I was so frightened that actually when I opened my mouth to try to say something all that came out was a squeak.
Stepping Out Despite Fear
And you know I'm pretty bold so for me to say that my voice I was so frightened that my voice wasn't working I mean I was pretty frightened. Well you know I still look back at that night and I had a decision to make I could either run off the stage in embarrassment pack my stuff up and go back to Fenton Missouri where I live which is what the devil wanted me to do or I could try one more time and believe that God would come through.
And since I'm still here it's obvious that I tried one more time and the next day my workshop was completely full people standing out in the hall trying to listen. And so God honored that step of faith that I took but the waters didn't part until I put my foot in it.
When fear comes to you you need to open your mouth out loud and say I trust God I trust God. I don't care if you have to do it a thousand times every day you say I trust God. And remember we are given enough Faith to do whatever it is that we need to do but we must choose it.
Choosing Faith Over Fear Daily
You know God has given us Free Will and that means that we get to make choices about what we're going to believe and what we're going to do. And you know if you really think about it there's a lot of opposing forces in the world there's good and evil there's love and hatred depression and joy harshness and kindness noise and quiet positive and negative and so really we we are constantly making decisions about what we're going to do.
And I think that the only acceptable attitude that a believer in Jesus Christ can have is the same one that the psalmist David had I will not fear. And I want you to get that on the inside of you today I will not fear. I didn't say I will not feel fear you're going to feel fear at different times in your life I do you will everybody does and it's probably going to last as long as we live but we don't have to give into it we can answer that fear with faith take a step and go ahead and do what we believe that God has asked us to do.
That's the only way that you're ever going to be successful in life. You know God has planned a great life for you and I want you to know that think about that God is good and he has planned a great life for you.
Abundant Life Through Faith
John 10:10 Jesus said the thief comes only to kill steal and destroy but I came that you might have and enjoy your life and have it in abundance to the full until it overflows. We read in many different places in the Bible that God wants to bless us and he wants to use us in Mighty ways and he wants to meet our needs and he wants to do great things for us and through us he's good and God has a good plan for your life.
And I feel that somebody really needs to grab hold of that today because right now it doesn't look to you like your life is very good ever has been very good and the enemy is telling you it never will be any good but I want to say to you only believe and you will see the glory of God.
See believing is your choice what you believe is your choice you can believe well nothing Good's ever going to happen to me or you can believe something good is going to happen to me today. That's something that I try to say every day something good is going to happen to me today and something good is going to happen through me today and to stay in faith.
Righteousness by Faith
Romans 1:17 says in the word of God there is a righteousness revealed which is a position that we have with God by his grace and mercy because we believe in Jesus he makes us right with him even though we don't do everything right he views us as being right with him.
Do you know that every time you come to the father in jesus' name what you're saying is that you're presenting unto the father everything that Jesus is thank God when I go to him in prayer I'm not presenting everything that Joyce is because I fall very short of being what I'm sure God would want me to be but because I have my faith in Jesus faith faith faith faith because I have my faith in Jesus I don't have to approach the throne with fear and trembling thinking God doesn't want to hear from me.
You know what God gets so excited about hearing your voice every time you come and every time you pray he's so excited to hear what you have to say and he wants to help you and he wants to do things for you but you have to believe and believe all the way through.
Speaking to Mountains in Faith
In Mark 11 it says that we can speak to mountains and they'll move that when we pray whatever we ask for if we believe we have received it we will get it and I love that so there's a space of time between believing that I've received it by faith and actually getting it and it's during that testing time when I need to keep my faith strong and I need to keep saying I'm believing and I believe that God is working.
You should try that when your faith starts to feel weak say I'm believing and I believe that God is working. There's scripture that actually says as long as we believe God will keep working in us. Walk in faith a walk is many steps many decisions what are you going to do if you don't trust God you're going to be miserable it's time to start trusting God more and more doesn't matter how you feel you say I trust God I trust God I put my faith in God I will not fear what can man do unto me.
Joshua chapter 1 it's actually nine verses but I'm not going to read them all it says after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord the Lord said to Joshua the son of none Moses's assistant Moses my servant is now dead so therefore arise go over this Jordan you and all these people into the land that I am giving to them to the people of Israel.
Taking Possession by Faith
Now listen to this and every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given it to you just as I promised to Moses. So God says I've already given it to you but you're going to have to go in and take it I love that there's such a good plan for your life laid out in front of you but you're going to have to shake off that Despair and depression and discouragement and the negative attitude and the negative thoughts and the self-pity and the being mad at everybody who's ever hurt you and say I'm going to live the life that God wants me to live he's there to help you God is in you the holy spirit is in you he'll give you the strength to do what you need to do.
So he said the good plan is already there you just have to go out and take it and then a couple of in verse five he says be strong and courageous for you shall cause this people to inherit the land verse 9 have I not commanded you be strong and courageous don't be frightened nor dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
He had a good plan for their life and all they had to do was be bold enough to take steps of Faith to go out and take it. God said as I was with Moses I will be with you he didn't tell him go be like Moses sometimes I think we get caught in the Trap of thinking well you know I'm not like them and I'm not like them and I'm not like them but you don't have to be like somebody else as long as God is with you whatever you're lacking God will make up for that he's more than enough for every single one of us and he can help us do whatever we need to do in life.
Final Encouragement: Do It Afraid
You need to forgive somebody and you feel like you just can't do it God can give you the grace to do that you need to you really feel like you want to apply for a new position at work but you're afraid that you'll get rejected well do it afraid. If you let fear rule your life you're never going to find out about the wonderful life that God has for you.
↓↓↓ Part 2 ↓↓↓
Joyce Meyer continues teaching on fear, emphasizing that while fear visits everyone and comes from the devil, God gives power, love, and a sound mind instead. The key to victory is faith—choose to "do it afraid," press through feelings of fear, trust God's perfect timing during waits, and step out boldly, knowing He is always with you and working for your good.
Fear Visits Everyone: The Enemy's Tool
We're talking about fear something that we all experience at different times in our life. Some people have a lot of fear others may not have as much but as long as we live there will always be times when fear will visit us. And fear is from the devil God has not given us a spirit of fear but he's given us a spirit of power love and a sound mind.
And the only thing I think that actually defeats fear is Faith. When fear comes that doesn't mean we can't do what we believe we're supposed to do or what we want to do it's simply means that that fear is trying to prevent us from doing it but you can still do it even while you feel fear. Thus the title of the message that I preach a lot and have written a new book on called do it afraid.
You can do things while you feel afraid. I have a friend who was afraid to fly and her husband flies all the time for business and their kids were grown gone and she could have gone on so many trips with him and they could have added some days for personal time or vacation or whatever but she wouldn't go unless they could drive.
Overcoming Specific Fears Through Action
So sometimes they were taking like long I mean like 20 plus hour drives just in order for her to go and so she had heard my message on do it afraid and at some point she decided that she was going to do just that she was going to do it afraid.
And she shares with me that the first few times she got on an airplane she felt like she was going to throw up she was nervous she just didn't know if she could do it felt like she was having a panic attack but she kept pressing in and saying no I'm going to do this even if I have to do it afraid.
And you know what now she has no fear of flying at all and she goes with her husband all the time and they have such a wonderful time. Don't let fear steal your life don't let fear steal your relationships don't let fear steal your joy God wants you to have a good life.
But one thing's for sure you have an enemy his name is Satan or the devil and he does not want you to enjoy your life he wants you to be afraid all the time.
Fear During Waiting Seasons
One some of the times when we are afraid the most is when when we're waiting for God to do something in our life maybe when you prayed about it you just felt full of faith and you were sure that God was going to come through for you and do what you needed him to do but it's been a long time since you prayed that prayer and so doubt is seeping in and the lies of Satan are coming on a regular basis.
It's not going to happen it's not going to happen uh there's no telling us what all you might hear God's mad at you he's not going to do that for you your faith isn't strong enough there could be numerous so many lies that you couldn't even count them all but that's exactly when you need to have faith.
Paul wrote to Timothy and said you have to fight the good fight of faith and we do fight but it's a different fight than the kind of fights that people have in the natural we lift up the shield of Faith which is a piece of armor that God has given us Spiritual armor talked about in Ephesians chapter six.
And we say no matter what I feel like no matter how long it's been I believe God you know I can't tell you why some things take longer than others do sometimes I'll pray a prayer and it'll be answered within a day or so and then sometimes I've prayed prayers that by the time God answers them I forgot I even prayed it and he has to remind me don't you remember back when you prayed that prayer.
Trusting God's Perfect Timing
I don't know only God knows timing and I think if you ever want to have any peace and enjoy your life you have to believe that God's timing is perfect for you the psalmist said my times are in your hands.
And one of the things that we go through all the time is we have this this question all the time God when God when when God when when are we going to get there well you know to be honest that's part of the baby stage of Christianity.
If you recall if you have children when they were small and you went on a trip are we there yet are we there yet when are we going to get there when are we going to get there. And God would rather hear I know that you're going to come through at the exact right time.
You know just because God hasn't manifested your breakthrough yet doesn't mean that he's not working on it and so one of the things that I've learned to say when doubt comes to me is God is working instead of God aren't you doing anything or why aren't you doing anything don't say that because God is always working in your behalf say God is working.
Why God Hides Timing: For Our Good
You know God gives us desires he gives us dreams and hope for our lives but he hides the exact timing of when these things will Manifest this he reserves for his wisdom. Why does God withhold information from us about timing well first of all sometimes if we knew how long we had to wait we would give up before we ever really got started.
Sometimes if we knew what we were going to have to go through while we're waiting we would give up before we ever got started and I personally believe that God likes a little mystery I think it's good for us to not know everything.
One of my favorite types of movies to watch is our mystery movies I love that watching and being on edge and waiting to see when it's going to happen and waiting to see the outcome who did it or whatever the case might be and I think that mystery actually gives us some excitement.
I mean we always think we'd love to know the future but would we really would you really want to know everything that was going to happen to you the rest of your life and exactly when it was going to happen I don't think so because first of all if you knew all about the good things you wouldn't be as excited when you get them and if you knew all about the more difficult things you would be frightened all that time.
And the thing is is when you know things ahead of time you're looking at them without the grace of God but when the time comes for something to really happen that you do have to deal with or go through then you have the grace and the faith to do that God never leaves us without the help that we need to do whatever it is that we need to do.
Waiting Well Builds Spiritual Growth
And I can tell you that every everybody waits you're not the only one that Waits everybody waits it's part of our test of faith and believe it or not you're growing spiritually while you're waiting especially if you learn how to wait well.
You know patience is not just the ability to wait but it's how we behave while we wait come on now somebody needs to get a hold of that today patience is not just waiting if God says you're going to wait then you're going to wait but you can wait the right way or you can wait in a way that makes you miserable.
So waiting is not just sitting around waiting for something to happen or patience is not just waiting for something to happen but a patient person knows how to behave while they're waiting so one of the things we need to do while we wait is keep saying God I trust you I believe your plan for my life is good and I believe that your timing in my life is perfect.
Examples of Waiting in the Bible
Moses waited 40 years for God to use him to bring Deliverance to his people God spoke to him and he jumped out ahead of time and tried to help the people before the time was right and he ended up getting in trouble and being accused of some things and he he fled and ran from Egypt and lived out in the wilderness for 40 years.
And then God called him to do what he had put in his heart to do 40 years previously remember he ran nobody told him to run but he ran he ran out into the Wilderness do you know that the word fear doesn't mean to shake or tremble or to be nervous the word fear means to take flight or to run from.
So when God says in his word do not fear for I am with you what he's really saying is fear is going to come to you but when you feel it don't run stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will work for you today.
I wonder how many opportunities God has put in front of you to do great things and yet you were afraid of the unknown so you stayed in what you think is the safe Zone but then if you look at your life you feel like it's been boring no Adventure no excitement.
Well you know what it's your own fault because if you're not going to step out into the things that God calls you out into you're never going to really experience the life that he has for you I always say step out and find out.
Finding Your Calling by Trying
A lot of times people don't know what it is God wants them to do well I don't know what God wants me to do with my life you know when I got into a serious relationship with the Lord back in the 70s God had touched my life and filled me with the power of the Holy Spirit and I'd been a Christian for a long time but now I was an on-fire Christian I mean I wanted to serve God but I didn't know what he wanted me to do.
I didn't know at that particular time that I was called to teach the word of God and I tell you what I did any opportunity that came in front of me I stepped out and tried it one of the first things I did as a Ministry for God was I went out with a group of people from my church on Saturday mornings into downtown St Louis which is the city that I live in and we passed out gospel tracks.
To be honest I wasn't called to Street evangelism it was hard for me to do but it was an opportunity to do something so I took a step to do it one of the next things that I did was I tried to work in the nursery they were asking for nursery workers to help on Sunday mornings and you know that lasted about two weeks and me and the kids both knew that I wasn't called to Nursery work.
But the first time I tried to teach oh my I had found my slot you know you got to find your place you got to find the place that fits you the place that fits inside of you and where you fit and where you feel comfortable God's not going to call you to do something where you have to be totally miserable all the time while you're doing it.
So I say step out and find out what God wants you to do you would be surprised what you're capable of if you would just step out and find out what God can do through you you're never going to find out if you're right if you're not willing to be wrong come on I want somebody to hear that you're never going to find out if you're right if you're not willing to be wrong.
And it won't be the end of the world if you step out and try something that you feel like you want to do or that God wants you to do and it just doesn't work and you have to step back and say well I made a mistake but at least that's something you can cross off your list and say well I know now that's not what I'm supposed to do.
And I believe there are people watching right now that you really need to hear what I'm saying because you are not happy with your life but it's because you're not taking any steps of faith you you don't have any Adventure because you live too much in fear your new attitude toward life has to be I will not fear I didn't say you wouldn't feel fear but you're not going to give into fear because God is with you.
Biblical Examples of Faithful Waiting
Joseph waited 14 years God gave him a dream and I mean from there things got bad you ever feel like God spoke to you and then it's just nothing but one problem after another after another well I've had that experience and so did Joseph he had a dream and he shared it with his brothers and they were jealous so they went out hunting with him and they ended up selling him to slave Traders and killed an animal and rubbed blood all over his clothes and took his coat back to his father and said that an animal had killed him.
Well he ended up in Egypt and everywhere that Joseph went God gave him favor I love the way the Bible says it that Joseph's brothers hated him and they hated him all the more but God was with him God was with him do you see no matter who's against you and no matter who tells you that you're not enough and you can't and you'll never be able to if God is with you you can do anything that God asks you to do.
It's time for you to live a braver life it's time for you to step out and find out what all you're capable of Abraham waited 20 years after God gave him a promise that he would have his own child and you talk about somebody who was had reason to doubt and not believe what God said it was Abraham and Sarah I mean she was past childbearing age he was almost hundred years old and by then was not able to father a child.
And yet God said I'm going to give you your own child and the Bible says that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness you want to be right with God believe being right with God is not about doing everything right it's about believing in the one whom he sent.
John 6:27-29 gives us a wonderful explanation of this when the disciples said what must we do to be working the works of God what must we do to please God and the answer was this is the work that God requires of you that you believe on the one whom he has sent.
So Abraham had an impossible situation but all those things are impossible possible with man all things are possible with God but he waited 20 years he waited well that's a long time to have to stand against fear but he believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness.
Staying in Faith Through the Years
Let me say it again you want to be right with God trust him believe him always believe that God is on your side and he's got a good plan for your life and even when you sin and mess up believe when you pray and ask for forgiveness that God forgives you and he removes your sin as far as the East is from the West.
You know sometimes I can teach a message on faith and then find myself later doubting whether or not my message on faith was right so we all have to make decisions all the time to stay in faith you know I received a call from God to do what I'm doing now in February of 1976 and if you can count you know that's been a long time ago 45 years 46 years something like that.
And I started with very small Beginnings don't despise the day of Small Beginnings for five years I taught a Bible study in my home with 25 people five years and I had quit a full-time job where I made good money in order to study and prepare to be able to teach because I hadn't been to Bible College I didn't have the education I didn't know how to do it but God assured me that he did and if I would step out in faith he would make it work and he did.
And for five years the people came and then I felt like God wanted me to lay that down so I laid it down matter of fact I thought I heard God say lay this down behold I do a new thing well I thought surely the new thing was going to be that I was going to go to the world now I was going to my dream was going to be fulfilled and I was going to teach large amounts of people in huge meetings and travel overseas and do all these things.
Well the next thing that happened was for one year I did absolutely nothing it was just like God set me up on a shelf and said let's see what you believe during this year and you know what I didn't know what in the world was going on but I look back now and I can see what God did in me in that year was something that had to be done before he could promote me to another level because I had some problems with comparing myself with other people and God had to give me the confidence to be myself before he let me go to the ministry that he had for me.
He didn't want me to go into Ministry and try to copy and be like somebody else he wanted me to follow him then the next thing I did was I worked at a church for 5 years under somebody else's leadership and that wasn't always easy because I couldn't just do everything I wanted to do I had to come under Authority and I say real often that you're not fit to be in Authority till you know how to come under Authority.
So I worked there for five years had a great job had a women's meeting there that four or 500 people every week came to and I got to do a lot of the preaching when the pastor was gone and I taught in Bible College and had a lot of friends and it was a good job and then God told me he was finished with me there and I was to go North Southeast and West the only problem was nobody knew me North Southeast or west.
And so I thought well where am I going to go oh my gosh when I left I was so excited on the inside and so frightened on the outside have you ever felt like that well see you have to go with the inside what God gives you peace about inside and what you know is right on the inside is the thing you want to do not the thing your flesh is telling you to do.
And yes I was very frightened it took a long time for us to start getting speaking engagements and we started by going on few more radio stations and then we would travel to places where we could drive to because we couldn't afford to fly and I won't tell you the whole story but it's been a long journey and it was a Journey of Faith.
The Long Hard Way: God's Training
And you know today sometimes I just wish I could sit down with some people and tell them the whole story because people just they think you know they should have money and they should have this and they should have that and something else and I I think just faith I remember somebody said to uh Mother Teresa before she went to India because she didn't have anything she said I've got three pennies in God and that's all I need and she went over there and did such tremendous tremendous work.
You know don't look at what you don't have look at the fact that you have God and put your faith in him and let your faith overcome those fears and so now here I am all these many years later doing what God called me to do 46 years ago and I have been doing it now for about 20 years but it didn't just happen overnight God led me the long hard route even though there was a place that was near.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt the Bible says in Exodus 13:17 when Pharaoh let the people go God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines although that was near for God said lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.
Now that that's very important because the thing you have to understand is sometimes when God leads you the long hard way it's actually an education for what you're going to do a little bit later you have to go to the school of the holy spirit before you're ready to be released into whatever it is that God is calling you to do.
And so God had told them that he was going to take them to the promised land and that they had to go in and possess it well you know that sounds like well just go in and there it is it's yours but I was so amazed when I studied the word possess to find that it means to dispossess the current occupants and that's why he said he led them the long hard way because they were not yet Ready for War they were going to have to take the land God had given it to them but they had to take it.
And God has arranged already such a wonderful life for you but you're going to have to take it you can't just sit back and wait for everything to fall on you you have to listen to the word of God that comes to you in your heart and make sure it lines up with scripture and then step out in faith and do whatever it is you believe that God has asked you to do and he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Depending on God in the Wilderness
Well God trained them while they were out in that Wilderness and things were tough they had to depend on God for every time for everything they didn't have food they didn't have water and they spent many years with God sending food called Manna every day and they couldn't even gather up a bunch of it and save it for later they could only gather up one day supply for one day except when it came to the Sabbath and because they couldn't work on the Sabbath they got to gather two days the day before.
Well if you really think about some of these things just imagine how difficult that would be because the thought would naturally be there well what if God doesn't send any tomorrow but if they gathered more than what they needed for that day it would rot and stink.
And I think some people have stinking lives because they're not willing to follow the leadership of God and they're always trying to provide for themselves what only God can give them if they will put their faith in God I'm going to say that again because somebody needs to hear it some people try to provide for themselves what only God can give and you need to start trusting God and living by faith.
↓↓↓ Part 3 ↓↓↓
Joyce Meyer explains "do it afraid" means acting despite feeling fear—fear means to run, but God says "fear not, for I am with you." Defeat fear with faith, doubt your doubts, praise God to grow strong in belief like Abraham, ignore unbelief, surround yourself with faith-filled people, and stop doubting yourself—God believes in you and covers your shortcomings.
What "Do It Afraid" Really Means
I've been talking about fear and overcoming fear with faith and learning how to do it afraid so just in case you haven't been watching what do I mean when I say do it afraid. Well the word fear actually means to take flight or to run away from and there's many places in the Bible where it says fear not for I am with you.
Now God wasn't telling the people that he was talking to not to feel fear we're always going to feel fear at different times in our life for different reasons on different occasions but keeping in mind that we don't have to bow down to every feeling that we have we can do it afraid even if we feel afraid don't let fear control you and keep you from doing the things that you believe that God wants you to do are the things that are really in your heart that you want to do.
Now you know I don't believe in being foolish I'm not saying if you're afraid of water if you can't swim and you're afraid of deep water I'm not suggesting that you should go jump off the deep end of a swimming pool just to do it afraid what I'm talking about are things that actually make sense things that you really know that God is asking you to do and things that you need to do.
Don't Let Fear Steal Opportunities
I don't want anybody to hurt themselves because Joyce said do it afraid but there's so many things that people miss out on because like how many people get invited to a party and they won't go because they're afraid they won't know anybody there are they're afraid that they'll be rejected or there's going to be somebody there that they've had an issue with in the past and they're afraid to face them again.
You probably have so many opportunities to be in fear that you can't even imagine how many you have but every time fear comes knocking on your door you need to answer with faith but to live without fear we need to learn to also live without doubt.
Now I'm not saying that God gets mad at us every time we doubt Thomas doubted and he said I won't believe that it's you unless I can put my hands in your wounds and so Jesus let him do it he showed them to him but then Jesus also said blessed are those who believe and have not seen and I think that's the place we want to get to.
I mean if you have a real doubt you can talk openly to God about that but then also stay in prayer that you'll get to the point where you're not tormented with those doubts we need to learn how to doubt our doubts because every time doubt comes it means that the enemy is trying to steal something from us.
And I like to say that doubt is like baby fear it's it's not full grown tormenting fear yet but it's the beginning of it and so if we can catch it in the beginning then we have a greater chance of overcoming it.
Abraham's Faith Against All Hope
Abraham had faith for the impossible God told him he would give him his own child but he and Sarah were both Beyond childbearing years and during the time that he waited yes I said waited during the time he waited for God to bring that promise to pass in his life let's read what the Bible says about him Romans 4:18 through 21.
In Hope Abraham believed against hope that he should become the father of many nations some translations read all Reason for Hope being gone he hoped on in faith in other words he had no natural reason to hope there was nothing for him to look at that said well that's hopeful I mean he could look at Sarah's almost dead Barren body and think well I don't have any hope in that he could look at himself who was 100 years old and think well I don't have any hope in this.
You know we don't need to try to find Our Hope in things here on the earth we need to find Our Hope in God and I really think it's time for us to really go back to believing that all things are possible with God and sometimes I don't think it's so much that we doubt that God can do it but we doubt that he will do it for us we have doubts about ourselves and we're going to talk about that today.
So all Reason for Hope being gone he hoped on in faith that he would become the father of many nations just as it had been promised to him now listen listen to this he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
So he didn't hide from a circumstances he looked at his circumstances but he said God is greater and I think that's what God wants you to do don't be afraid of your circumstances look at him stare him in the face and say I see this I see this I see this and I see this but none of you are greater than my God With God all things are possible.
Growing Strong in Faith Through Praise
No unbelief some translations say no doubt or unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God but I get this but he grew strong in faith as he gave praise and glory to God he grew strong his faith got strong longer as he continued to praise God and thank him ahead of time for what he was going to do.
You know when you've asked God to do something that seems like it's impossible in your life one of the things to do every time doubt comes to you is just open your mouth and say I believe that God is working in my life and my victory will come at just the right time.
The Bible says this is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith faith brings a victory into your life what what is faith faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things Not Seen now let's think about that what is it it's the substance of things that you hope for but don't see it the evidence of things that you do not see.
Let's think of an example okay I my husband and I own a house here in our city well you might say well how do I know you own a house I can't see your house I can't bring my house here to the studio and say see here's my house but I could bring the title to my home and I could show you the title deed and then you would say yes I believe that you have a house.
Well the Bible says that faith is the title deed to the things that we hope for that we have not seen yet but fear is actually believing for the negative it fear is the evidence of things we don't hope for and the substance of things we don't want to see happen and I believe that faith has creative power but I think that fear has creative power too.
Faith vs. Fear: Creative Power
And I'm not going to say that every time you fear something you cause it to happen but I think if you stay in fear long enough about something that it can actually affect your circumstances was it job that said the thing I greatly feared came on me we can do Warfare with our words.
When Faith Comes Abraham said no unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God but he grew strong as he gave praise and glory to God fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised and I think that's where we need to draw the line today are you fully convinced that God loves you that he will always do the very best for you do you believe that all things are possible with God.
See I've learned to trust God to the point where if I ask him for something and I don't get it then I know that my prayer wasn't right it's not that God's not right what I ask for was not the best that God wanted to give me and so he's not giving me what I asked for because it's not going to be the best for me.
You know a lot of times we ask for things that we think would be just right but really it might be something that you're not ready to handle yet or God's got something better in mind for you and you just don't even know how to ask for it yet I think God has got so many great things for us and we just don't have the nerve we don't have the faith to ask God to do them why because we doubt ourselves we doubt that God would do that for us.
God Knows You Completely
But you have to remember that you're no surprise to God he knew everything about you before you were ever born every day of your life was written in his book before he ever formed you in your mother's womb he knew every mistake you would make he knows every mistake you ever will make and as long as you believe in him as long as you walk in faith and you trust that Jesus died for your sins you admit your sins you repent of them and you want to live a Godly life your sins are forgiven and removed as far as the East is from the West God's not mad at you and he wants to help you.
In the Book of James it says that if we don't know what to do we can go to God who gives all wisdom and he will help us without reproach or fault finding that means that I could have done some foolish things and gotten myself in trouble but I realize what I've done and I go to God and say I know that I open the door for trouble by doing this this and this and God I'm so sorry I ask you to forgive me and I need you to help me show me what I can do to get out of this mess or if there's nothing I can do then just do it for me and he won't say well you know you did this or that says he gives without reproach our fault finding.
You know people in the world may find plenty of fault with you but God doesn't remind you of your mistakes he's merciful to us Abraham believed hope against hope he didn't weaken in faith but he grew strong as he gave praise and glory to God.
Jesus Ignoring Doubt in Mark 5
Now I want to share a story with you in Mark 5 where Jesus actually ignored the voice of doubt and unbelief and you know I think we're going to have to learn how to recognize when God's speaking to us and when the enemy is speaking to us and if it's the enemy we're just going to have to say well I know you're a liar so I'm going to ignore you and not pay any attention.
Mark 5:22 and I want you to try to insert yourself in this story sometimes we just read these things we don't really think about it I as I go through this I want you to pretend like you're here and you're seeing all this one of the rulers of the synagogue Jairus by name seeing Jesus fell at his feet and implored him earnestly saying my little daughter is at the point of death come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well and Alive.
Imagine the intensity of this man's prayer my little daughter is almost dead but I believe you will you come and lay your hands on her so she might get well well Jesus was full of compassion and so it says he went with him but there was a great crowd that was following them because there were crowds that followed Jesus everywhere that he went.
And in that crowd there was a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and she'd been to every doctor nobody made her better made her any better and it had cost her all the money that she had but she had heard about Jesus and the Amplified Bible says she kept saying to herself if I can only Touch the Hem of His Garment I know I shall be healed.
I love that you know if you're going to talk to yourself you might as well talk about something positive I believe if I can just get to Jesus and touch him that I shall be healed and so he's on his way to heal this man's daughter who's almost dead and now he stops to help somebody else think about how that would make you feel think about if you were Jairus what kind of doubt and fear would have attacked your mind at that time.
Faith Touches Jesus
When she touched Jesus immediately the flow of blood dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease and Jesus felt the power go out of him this power of God is a real thing it's a tangible thing you you know when the power of God is working in your life and Jesus turned to the crowd and said who touched me.
Well the disciples thought that was a foolish question there's such a big crowd here who what do you mean who touched you there's all kinds of people touching you but you know they this woman touched him with her faith can you touch god with your faith today and believe that no matter what kind of problem you have that God is great enough to get you out of the mess and bring restoration into your life.
But the woman knowing what had happened to her came with fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole entire truth and he said to her daughter your faith has made you well go in peace your faith faith does things Faith brings Deliverance Faith brings change Faith brings healing Faith brings that job that you need when there's no jobs to be had.
While he was still speaking someone came from Jairus house and said your daughter is dead you don't need to trouble the master any longer oh my gosh how did he feel Jesus why did you have to stop for her right now I told you what a desperate situation I was in I'm not saying that's what he said but he might have felt like saying that.
But now listen to this in verse 36 Mark 5:36 but overhearing the Amplified Bible says but ignoring what they said Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue do not fear only believe wow he's asking I mean that's a lot just keep your eyes on Jesus what does it say I think it's Hebrews 12 that says looking away from all that will distract unto Jesus Who is the author and the finisher of your faith.
Surround Yourself with Faith
God didn't just start faith in you for something to leave you destitute and without an answer he's the author and the finisher of your faith but sometimes you need to keep believing when everything looks like nothing is going to work and you're never going to get what you asked God for.
I just sense in my heart today that there are people who have given up your dream there's people that the enemy has talked into just forget it it's never going to happen just forget it you're just full of bright ideas none of this is anything God spoke to you listen turn your head off for a few minutes and go back and see what's in your heart if you did miss it and you made a mistake then admit it and say so but if you say no I I believe that that's what God wants to do I believe this is something that God spoke to me then you need to stir your faith up today fan that flame that once burned on the inside of you and go back to saying I believe God and I don't care how long it takes I'm not going to give up on God because I've got his word on this and he is faithful.
So he Allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John now why was that you know what Jesus was going to go in and raise this girl from the dead and he didn't want a bunch of doubt and unbelief around him he wanted Faith around him and you know what when you're in a desperate situation and everything looks like nothing's going to work you don't need a bunch of people around you that are negative and always telling you what's not going to work you need surround you need to surround yourself with positive people people of Faith people that would encourage you and believe God with you.
I know certain people when I need somebody to pray I know who to call because they're not going to just say oh sure I'll pray for you I mean they're going to pray they're going to really pray and I have confidence that God hears them they came to the ruler's house and there was a great commotion people weeping and wailing loudly and when he entered into them he said why are you making such a commotion the child is not dead but she's just sleeping and they laughed at him.
But look what he did but he put them all outside once again he got rid of the doubt and unbelief he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him Peter James and John went to where the child was and of course he raised her up and she got up made totally whole.
You know what some of you could change your life if you would just simply get away from some of the negative doubtful people that you hang around with all the time you know I can't stand understand negativity and that's interesting because at one time in my life I was a very negative person I always say if I thought two positive thoughts in a row my brain got in a cramp.
Overcoming Self-Doubt
Now I mean I had grown up around a negative father he didn't trust anybody he didn't like anybody everything had an ulterior motive and I grew up being taught how to be negative and almost being made to feel foolish if I was ever positive so it took a while for God to get me turned around.
Dave and I had been married a short period of time and he he said to me why are you always so negative and you know what I said to him I said well if you don't expect anything good to happen then you won't be disappointed when it doesn't I'd had so many disappointments in my life I thought I was protecting Myself by believing for bad thoughts for bad things I actually had what the Bible calls in Proverbs 15:15 evil for bodings there was always this feeling around me kind of in my atmosphere like I was waiting for the the hammer to drop so to speak.
You need to be careful about letting yourself get into that situation and so if you're in if you're having problems right now don't let your friends be people that always just want to do nothing but talk about your problem and then on top of that talk negative about your problem surround yourself with people that will bring some Joy people that'll make you laugh people that will encourage you and tell you that God can do anything.
The word doubt if we Define it means to be without a way to be without resources to be embarrassed to be in doubt perplexed at a loss doubt can also mean to stand in two ways implying uncertainty about which way to take it's said of Believers with little faith to be in midair think of the phrase everything is all just up in the air.
Well you know what God wants us to know that he's good and that he wants to help us like I said in James 1:5-8 he says if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him but let him ask in faith without doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave at the sea tossed and driven by the wind for that person should not even suppose that they will receive anything they ask for from the Lord.
So I want to say to you right now make your mind up what you believe and stick with it I want to say it again make your mind up what you believe and stick with it and don't think for one minute that you won't be tested because you will you may have to wait it may look like nothing's going to work but that's when you fight the good fight of faith and you keep saying I will not fear because God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind and I know God loves me and he's got a good plan for my life.
Now as I said earlier I think a lot of times we doubt ourselves more than we doubt God so let let's talk about that just before our time is up today do you judge every fo every move that you make are your thoughts I shouldn't have done that I shouldn't have said that I shouldn't have bought that I shouldn't have gone there I shouldn't have eaten that I didn't pray long enough I didn't read the right chapter in the Bible I didn't confess the word enough today I read the Bible but I didn't understand it anyway oh I forgot to hug my kids this morning I talk too much I should be quieter I should be a better mother I should be a better father I'm not I'm not I'm not.
The devil always wants to tell you what you're not but see whatever you're not Jesus will make up for it and make you more than enough if you put your faith in him and don't don't always go around saying I shouldn't have done that I mean how many times in my life did I get up early in the morning to spend time with God and I would pray and study the Bible and I mean every time I would get done the devil would make me feel like I prayed wrong I didn't pray in the right posture I didn't pray in the right position I didn't pray long enough God didn't hear me.
And I had to learn to stop believing those lies and stop doubting myself and you know what that may be one of the most important things that you'll hear for a long time stop doubting yourself you know what God believes in you but it's not going to do you any good if you don't believe in you too and I'm not saying to have a hoty prideful attitude that well you know but God I'm all this and all that but what I am saying is get up every day intending to do your very best for God knowing ahead of time that you're not going to hit the mark 100% perfect but believing that God is more than enough to cover your sins and take care of them God doesn't want you to live in the torment of self-doubt believe you can hear from God believe God loves you believe he's got a good plan for your life believe that there's no mistake that you can make that is too great for God to turn it around and make it a miracle in your life.