Prayer And Fear

Hello this is Matt slick from the match lick live podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word. Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks authored the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and now James well, that we were going today.

Robbie started no they were going to be talking about are inferior likely elected because obviously there's a lot of fear around us right now and little humor is a good thing. So true. Ever since Calvin came on this email on offensive dealt with fear. On a daily basis. I mean even now some are reluctant to leave their homes and so as we head into this.

Let's begin by saying you're not going to take anyone to task what their perspective is we just want to encourage you today and to share some thoughts about praying when you have fear and we believe this is going to help so James start okay.

It will begin by touching on something. We looked at before the 23rd Psalm. David says in verse four, even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil for you are with me or course. The valley of the shadow of death is James says I love that that translation that I love about this verse. If the first place in the Psalm where it really gets personal.

Before every verse talks about the Lord and what he does is my shepherd. He makes me lie down. He leads me beside quiet waters he restores my soul. But when you get this verse talking about the Lord and starts talking to him right there in course. He is really key because, again, where is David when where is he walking in his mind the valley of the shadow of death.

That's right, that's right. And he's saying that because he's been there before.

He knows that God is been with him always been faithful when he was in that place, no matter what danger he went through in the thing that's so important here is again how personal this is notice he's talking to the Lord is not talking about me talking to him indicating he's right there with him right there beside him in that dangerous place.

All I like that it's a helpful reminder of how it really is with something he really is close to even the most difficult circumstances doesn't say that we won't go through them but that we when we do we can trust him to take care of us yeah yeah and Robert.

We were talking beforehand about how you had a story about that in your own life that had to do it. Here you want to share that. Actually I used to be terrified of darkness. You know me I'm 6 foot five. My wife is 5 feet tall that used to be when I heard a noise. I was like Tammy did you hear that now it was just horrible and I was just petrified laying in bed one time she was out of town and I just become a Christian, maybe about a year and there was lightning and thunder and I was lying in bed just absolutely horrified and I looked up in prayer and said God, I know that is somehow sin for me to be this scared.

I don't know how I'm supposed to do this but I cannot give you this fear and I felt in my spirit. Jesus say this to me while Robbie what's the worst thing that could happen and when that flipped into my mind. I thought oh you're threatening me with Jesus and little did I know that.

Actually, I would be diagnosed with cancer within a year of that and what Jesus told me about my fear of the dark I can't even begin to tell anybody how valuable that little insight was that he gave me that night when I talk to mind. Well, that's exactly it. You know, again there in the valley of the shadow wherever he is, there is peace come what many in the church was so indomitable it when you know that God is going to raise you from the dad because you think Jesus raised from the dead stop and in the same spirit was at work in them working. Now it's awesome and is important to keep that in mind that Scripture reminds us in second Timothy 17 that God is not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and self-control and that means is we turn to him. We don't have to be overcome by everything that's going on around us. Think about the way you prayed, when the Lord please take this year and I think that's a great place to start. Or think about what Dave doesn't Psalm 23, where he is just talking to personal way.

That's again what you were doing their God isn't some abstract concept. You know he's he's afraid this is the very thing that Jesus said he would be to us a friend would we trust him and follow him best way to handle those times and were afraid to support here for them beforehand by cultivating this loving open prayer filled relationship with him as we live. And that's just the beginning. Wow that's so true because if you know that is right there if you're short of that, because you been going there and more and more in your heart and mind. I mean, you're more open to receiving his face right right and in look not only how did it praise in this personal way, but also what he prays your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies describing this Dick banquet. You anoint my head with oil my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me. That is, will pursue me all the days of my life will dwell in House of Lords forever. So here's David he's he's looking at all of these attributes of God and what God does in no way reminding himself of that. But praising the point is, when we pray like that. Lord, you never forsaken me. You've always been kind to me you'll be with me in the future you know it… Arise about the source of the place where comfort comes makes me think of Psalm 46 where it says God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear that the very same Truth Network here. If you think about the these thoughts are from the Psalms came but just a mansion hope that we have become in all the more because of him and and how much more we can praise God for it really the best antidote to fear is praise trying praise in remembering who God is, as we stay close to him in prayer.

Yeah I think so because it helps us to run to him when our lives are caught up in that hope.

We know that that come what may. He will get us wow. Thanks James.

Let me wrap things up with prayer Lord, I know how much this means to me personally and I pray that this is we talked about it people that are struggling with so many different things right now that they would feel free to really get personal really let you in and ask you to take and help. And the reason I pray that you would help us to do that help us to lean on is no right to hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network say what would you do if you were a new Christian and you didn't have a Bible like a Woolworth my way from Bible, the international you probably say well it happened my car I go to Christian bookstore or have one shipped to me with those word options sing with the faith. I mean I need to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you know, you would pray that someone, anyone would bring you a Bible. That's exactly the way it is for literally Christians around the world are part of our spiritual family there new to the faith they want to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus but God has them planning where it's very difficult to access the Bible and that's why the Truth Network and Bible league of teamed up to sing God's word to 3500 Bible is believers around the globe. Our campaign is called the world needs the word five dollars in survival $100 since 20. Every gift matched make your most generous gift by calling 800 yes word 800 why ESW ORD 800 yes word or give Truth Network.com