fear

This Session on Fear

Was prompted by someone searching under 'fear' in the search engine on the site. So I decided to do a session on it. I can't always react to what people write but I do try my best. If you put a search into biblegateway under 'fear' it brings back 254 entries from the NIV. Admittedly some of these entries are talking about the 'fear of God' (click here for that) but nevertheless the Bible talks a lot about fear.

Introduction

All people suffer from fear. No-one is fearless, only God. Fear is usually a negative emotion but, like pain, there can be times where fear is a motivator, a positive feeling. But mostly it hinders us, plays on our worries and concerns, stops us doing things. I've worked with young people who cannot go out as fear and phobias dominate them. But we know that in Christ, we have release from fear. We may not be completely 'delivered' from fear but once we see fear in its rightful place, we can move on, despite fear.

Facts about fears and phobias

- Approximately 4 to 5% of the U.S. population has one or more clinically significant phobias in a given year.
- Specific phobias occur in people of all ages. The average age of onset for social phobia is between 15 and 20 years of age, although it can often begin in childhood.

Students 12-15 see "big problems" from
Teasing and bullying	68%
Alcohol or drugs	68%
Discrimination	63%
Violence	62%
Pressure to have sex	49%
HIV/AIDS	36%
Racism	35%

Source: Nickelodeon / Kaiser Family Foundation / Children Now

Teens online, ages 12 to 17, revealed which issues concern them most:

•   School violence—60%
•   Drug and alcohol abuse—55%
•   Crime—42%
•   Racism—31%
•   AIDS—27%

(USA Today, Oct. 20)

More Facts

•   70% of kids think they face more problems than their parents did as teens; 5% say they have fewer problems.
•   61% of kids think their parents spend enough time with them; 15% wish their parents would back off a bit.
•   48% of teens use a computer at home almost every day
•   24% have checked out something on the Internet that they wouldn't want their parents to know about.
•   Most teens feel pretty mellow. Only 3% say they're holding a lot of anger inside; 25% admit to some anger; 29% say they have none at all.
•   43% of teens say their faith is very important to them, while 35% feel it's somewhat important; only 8% say faith is not important at all.
•   21% of teens say most of the teens they know have already had sex.
•   If they had the choice between fitting in with friends and being outstanding, 69% would rather be different; 50% of parents would want their kids to be outstanding, with 43% preferring that kids fit in.
•   17% of teens and 37% of parents worry a lot about safety at school.
•   Where's the peer-pressure pulse? 10% of teens feel pressured to have sex; 20% of parents think this is a pressure for their kids; 16% feel the pressure to grow up too fast, while 35% of parents fear this; 4% are tempted to steal, 11% of parents are concerned; 10% are pressured to use drugs or alcohol, 18% of parents consider this a problem; 11% are tempted to be mean to kids who are different, 14% of parents expect this.

What percentage of teens worry about these things (and what percentage of parents worry)?

•   Not having enough money to buy "wants"—34% (35%)
•   The cost of college education—54% (68%)
•   Violence in society—59% (82%)
•   Not being sure about job opportunities—43% (49%)
•   Getting into trouble with drugs—25% (66%)
•   Drinking or abusing alcohol—26% (64%)
•   Sexual permissiveness in society—33% (72%)
•   STDs—58% (75%)

SOURCE-Newsweek May 8 200

What are your greatest fears?

Give out pens and paper asking people to honestly write down what they fear

More facts

Biggest causes of stress in the UK

- Job (1 in 4)
- Family (1 in 5)
- Money (nearly 1 in 5)
- Queuing (over 1 in 20)
- Relationships/Friends (1 in 14)
- School, College, University (applies to 25% of 16-24s)
- Computers
- Environment
- Commuting

Stress - what we can and cannot control - as a a percentage

- Past events we can't influence (45%)
- Future events we can't influence (40%)
- Future events unlikely to influence (5%)
- Future events we can influence (5%)
- Past events we have influence over (eg in our mind) (5%)

- Total we can influence - only 10%

What does the Bible say?

These are some Bible verses that help us to deal with fear. I recommend people say them out loud and then make them personal. The verses are taken from different contexts (the handing over of power from Moses to Joshua, David and a message to the people of Israel). But we're not taking these verses out of context. These are Biblical principles that we can apply to our lives as much as they were applied to the people who received them initially. The Scripture is God's written word - the words of God that God ordained should be written down. That means they are there for us today as much as anyone else.

We also know from the Bible that 'faith comes by hearing' (Romans 10.17). So when we speak out Bible verses, our faith is built in ways we cannot understand. We know that God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55.9).

Deuternonomy 31.1-8

Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Jordan.' The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said. And the LORD will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Psalm 27.1-3

The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Psalm 118.5-7

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

Proverbs 29.25

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

Isaiah 41.10-13

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.

For I am the LORD , your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

More will be added this week. Remember that we need to face fear and not run from it. Fear can be the opportunity, the next step we need to confront in order for God to help us move forward. It is also faith building. We know that God delivers. The more we experience this, the more we know it and the more we are built up.