Month: September 2024

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“When God is BIG … and people are SMALL: Fear of God”

Theme verse:  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom [the ability to discern; wise in judgement]: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

Introduction: Before we go into this week’s lesson, let’s touch on a point that we did not cover last week. Last week we talked about how people become bigger than God in our lives. There is a single word for this … idolatry.

What is idolatry? Is it simply the worship of an idol? No. Idolatry is more prevalent in our lives than we realize because in truth, idolatry is when we spend extra time (specifically away from God) on people or things. It is something that you have become strongly attached to or have a strong affection for.

Now knowing the true definition of idolatry, would you not say that when people become BIG in your life, you (unintentionally) become strongly attached to them? Your whole focus and world seems to revolve around THEM … people, does it not?

It does not even have to be people. It can be our jobs that consume us and that we become so attached to. It can even be our feelings (or emotions) that consume us and that we become too attached to.

All of this goes back to Pastor’s message the other Sunday … ALL of these are based on our CHOICES. We CHOOSE what we fill our minds and our time with … and sadly,

“What consumes your mind controls your life” — Unknown

Remember that we spoke about how we cannot serve two masters … we will either hate the one or love the other (Matthew 6:24)? When people (or anything else) are BIG, they control our lives … they are our masters, and we are their servants.

What does God’s Word say we are to do in situations like this? Luke 4:8 Jesus shows us by His example … “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Defining the Fear of God:

It “is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience.”1

“Fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience.”2 – Edward T. Welch

Our fear must change!

Our FOCUS must change:

  1. Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

Our SUBMISSION must change:

  • Submission is “to yield to the governance or authority of.”3 Lord, here’s my life! You control it!
  • James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
  • When we do not surrender ourselves to God’s plan and will for our lives, we are not only making ourselves miserable, but MORE than likely we are pulling someone else along with us!!! Eeeks, ladies!!! Did you just see that picture in your mind’s eye?? Who are you pulling along with you into your disobedience to God and His Word?? I GUARANTEE that someone else is following you … or at the minimum being affected by you and your actions or attitudes.

Our OBEDIENCE must change:

  • Our obedience must change:
  • Acts 5:29b “…We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Our LOVE must change:

  • I John 4:19 “We love Him, because He first loved us.”
  • I John 4: 16b-18 “…God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect … There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
  • When it comes to love, our actions will ALWAYS speak louder than words alone. Do I need to repeat this? Our actions WILL ALWAYS speak louder than our words alone. I was just thinking this past week of doing a lesson on our loves.

Our TALK must change:

  • Psalm 141:3 “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.”
  • Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
  • Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Our THOUGHTS (mind) must change:

  • Philippians 2:4 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
  • Tearing down the strongholds of our imagination (II Corinthians 10:3-5).
  • Filling our minds with the right things, the positive things (Philippians 4:8).
  • What we think and dwell on is our own choice. A thought may cross our minds, but we do not have to let it stay there. [illus: birds may light on our head but we do not have to let them build a nest there] [illus: someone says something and we pick up on one phrase that about drives us crazy as to what they meant by it; when in truth they never meant anything adverse by it, but it was the way our minds made up the meaning of it]

“The person who fears the Lord will fear nothing else.”4 – Edward T. Welch

Conclusion: You can tell God how big your problem is, but don’t forget to tell your problem how BIG your God is too! Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

Printable PDF of Bible Study Lesson

1 FEAR – Definition from the KJV Dictionary (av1611.com)

2 Welch, Edward T, “When people are big and God is small” p. 97

3 Submit | Definition of Submit by Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com)

4 Welch, Edward T, “When people are big and God is small” p. 96

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“When people are BIG … and God is SMALL”

“And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”   I Samuel 15:24 KJV

Introduction: When our fear of man becomes bigger than our fear of God, people become VERY BIG in our lives … and consequently, they then control and rule our lives. These people may or may not be intentionally causing this fear in our hearts and in our lives, but they can do it by their words or by their actions.

Fear has two definitions on TOTALLY different spectrums … Definition #1: a strong unpleasant emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; anxious concern; to be afraid of …Definition #2: a profound reverence and awe toward God.

Who is affected by people?

ALL of us (at some time or another) … it is not just the timid, church mouse person, but even people who seem big and bold can be affected [illus: Peter when he denied Christ 3x]

How do people get BIGGER than God?

  • When we get our eyes off of God [illus: Peter walking on water]
  • Mind/imaginations (shadows are so big; they distract us from the real deal)

Satan is a LIAR!!!

He is going to cause some deadly things to happen in our Chrisitan life to make people BIG and God SMALL … but DO NOT believe him!

  • Deceive – to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid; to ensnare [trap]

  • Distress [verb; expresses an act or mode of being] – to subject to great strain or difficulties; to cause to worry or be troubled; upset

  • Distract – to draw or direct (something, such as someone’s attention) to a different object or in different directions at the same time; to turn aside; to stir up or confuse with conflicting emotions or motives

  • Depress – to cause to sink to a lower position; to press down; to lessen the activity or strength of

  • Discourage – dishearten; to deprive of courage or confidence; to hinder by disfavoring

How can we overcome the wiles of Satan … for ANY situation? The same way that Christ did in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). What do these scriptures teach us?

  1. Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
  2. Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
  3. Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”
  4. Acts 5:29 – “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
  5. Joshua 24:15 – “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
  6. Jeremiah 17:5 – “Thus said the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.”
  7. Psalm 62:5-8 – “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” [Song: God is my Refuge]
  8. Psalm 118:8 – “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” [illus: this is the middle verse of the Bible; notice what the middle two words are]
  9. Matthew 5:43-44 – “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
  10. Ephesians 6:18 – “Praying always with all prayer [talking to God; asking a request/petition] and supplication [to ask humbly and fervently] in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

Conclusion: When we let fear slip into our lives, people will get bigger than God. Let us not just bury our heads in the sand and not acknowledge that there is a problem … that in truth we are sinning when we fear man. Confess it to God and let Him change that fear to trust in Him to lead and to guide us aright.

Homework: Prayerfully consider these questions and answer them as God speaks to you.

  1. In what area or areas of my life are people BIG right now?
  2. What situations or people control how I am acting and reacting?
  3. What deadly D has Satan made me to believe in this situation?
  4. What verses can I use to refute Satan in this situation?
  5. How can I make God bigger than my fear?

Printable PDF of Bible Study Lesson