From Fear to Favor
1. Fight your “FEARS”! (Luke 1:30-34)
“26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin….. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary.”
- The word “troubled” is diatarássō, which means agitate, confuse
- The word “fear” is phobéō, which means frightened, alarmed, to be afraid
When our Lord calls us to be an instrument used of Him, it can be both humbling and intimidating. But the Holy Spirit of God assures us of His faithfulness to His calling. Therefore, our “FEARS” are replaced with His peace and presence.
2. Feed your “FAITH”! (Luke 1:28-33)
“28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: For thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Faith is taking God at His Word. Our Faith is built up and strengthened because of God’s promise (Rom 4:17-19).
3. Find your “FAVOR”! (Luke 1:28-34)
“30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”
- The word “favor” is cháris, which means delight, pleasure, blessing, benefit
God extends favor or grace to the guilty sinner because of His great love which was shown in sending His only Son, Jesus Christ to die in our place. Then, He arose from the grave, and promised to come again.
Conclusion:
So what are you afraid of? Nuclear war? Sickness? Losing your job? Stock market crash? Will you face your fears?
“Fighting our Fears” with “Faith” finds “Favor” with God. When we “Fight our fears” and find “Favor” with God, then we can expect to do extraordinary exploits for the glory of our Lord.
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese