Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Lesson 5
Who Me, Afraid?
Day One: “…do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you…”
1. Determine what kind of fear is addressed by each of the following verses and write your answer in the space provided. Put a check mark next to the fears that could lead to worry. (Possible answers might include fear of man, natural fear or fear of real danger, fear of the Lord, fear of what might happen, etc.)
a. Psalm 4:8 ______
b. Proverbs 29:25 ______
c. Proverbs 31:30 ______
d. Matthew 10:28 ______
e. Luke 21:26 ______
2. When might fear serve a good purpose? Give some examples.
3. Anxious fear can turn into sinful worry.
a. Give an example of a reasonable fear that turned to worry in you.
b. What does that indicate about your trust in God at that moment? See Psalm 56.
4. What are three things God wants you to do when anxious fear arises in your heart? See Philippians 4:6–8.
Day Two: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage…”
1. According to 1 John 4:18, what is the opposite of a spirit of fear? Who are you concerned about when you are afraid?
2. Paul’s word for fear in 2 Timothy 1:7 means “moral cowardice.”
a. How can a spirit of fear be selfish?
b. What does it not take into account?
3. Fear can keep us from doing things we ought to do or make us do things we should not do. See if you can give an example of a fear that hindered your Christian walk in the past several weeks? See Psalm 139:23–24; Gal. 6:9–10; Rom. 12:13.
4. Write out a prayer of contrition and confession for allowing fear to control your actions and seek God’s help to consciously choose to trust Him. Be blessed by Psalm 32:1–11.
Day Three: “God has spoken once; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.”
1. What kind of power does a believer have to deal with problems that arise in her life according to Romans 8:11?
2. What else might we be tempted to place our trust instead of in God? See Psalm 20:7; Jeremiah 9:23, 17:5;
1 Timothy 6:17.
3. What is it about knowing God that makes a difference when you are afraid? See Psalm 56:3–4.
4. How have you tended to excuse your fears or the fears of others? (e.g., “I’m just shy…”)
Day Four: Christ comforts His disciples of every age.
1. What had just happened and what was about to happen when Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 14:1–4? (See John 13:21–25.) What was the emotional state of the disciples?
2. As a command, “Let not your heart be troubled” implies that the disciples had the ability to obey. How did the Psalmist explain gaining control of his fearful emotions in Psalm 27:13? Compare what the Psalmist believed with what Jesus told His disciples to believe in John 14:1.
3. Please share some of the “good” things you have been able to see as you look back on a difficult trial.
4. What attributes of God help you set aside your anxious fears? (See Matthew 19:16; John 13:1; Lamentations 3:23; John 10:11, 14; Psalm 62:11.)
5. What promise did Jesus give His disciples to help them control their fear of the future? What other promises of God help you stabilize when you are tempted to let your emotions control you? (List references.)
Day Five: Greatly distressed, yet without sin. Read John 12:27–33.
1. What was Jesus troubled about in John 12:27 and John 13:21?
2. To whom did Jesus turn and what did He do when He was troubled? How did His emotions affect His obedience?
3. How can you follow His example the next time you face certain trouble?
“In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Psalm 56:11
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Anna Sanders Fall 2006