WEBVTT 00:00:04.139 --> 00:00:05.780 Hello and welcome back to the Potter's House 00:00:05.780 --> 00:00:08.560 Seminar Podcast. This is a special series from 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:10.900 our Prescott Conference that just recently occurred. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:13.560 The theme of the conference was Into the Unknown 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:17.100 and the scripture for the theme was Romans 15, 00:00:17.339 --> 00:00:21.120 20 -21. I have made it my aim to preach the gospel 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:26.699 to whom he was not announced. ...in this atmosphere 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:30.539 and we appreciate so very much all of you being 00:00:30.539 --> 00:00:34.500 here. I feel like I'm a little bit out of the 00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:37.100 will of God because I'm not preaching from Genesis 00:00:37.100 --> 00:00:42.920 12. And I don't have the word unknown in my title. 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:47.020 Although I can change it. My sermon title is 00:00:47.020 --> 00:00:51.119 Calming Your Fears. But I want to change it so 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:55.020 I can partially be in the will of God to overcoming 00:00:55.020 --> 00:00:59.759 your fear of the unknown. I don't know if they 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:04.129 can do that or not. Anyway, turn in your Bibles 00:01:04.129 --> 00:01:09.890 to the book of Judges chapter 7. The book of 00:01:09.890 --> 00:01:15.890 Judges chapter 7. Don't try and tell me that 00:01:15.890 --> 00:01:23.549 you don't have any. I'm talking about your fears, 00:01:23.650 --> 00:01:28.409 not fear in general. I'm talking about your fears, 00:01:28.530 --> 00:01:31.980 which you all have. I know you're a tough guy. 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.140 I know the words I'm afraid would never come 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:39.900 out of your mouth because you don't want to project 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:48.739 fear in any way. But despite your pride, we all 00:01:48.739 --> 00:01:53.420 have fear. Fear can be the source of undermining 00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:59.750 progress. It can be the source of unwillingness 00:01:59.750 --> 00:02:04.409 to venture into the unknown. It can be debilitating. 00:02:07.750 --> 00:02:10.969 It can undermine your progress in the will of 00:02:10.969 --> 00:02:16.509 God. Some of you are stuck where you are. Maybe 00:02:16.509 --> 00:02:19.530 you have some modicum of success, but you're 00:02:19.530 --> 00:02:24.330 stuck where you are because of your fears that 00:02:24.330 --> 00:02:27.409 you may not even acknowledge that is the case. 00:02:29.229 --> 00:02:32.169 One of my all -time favorite books on World War 00:02:32.169 --> 00:02:34.770 II is called The Victors by Stephen Ambrose. 00:02:34.930 --> 00:02:38.009 He wrote another book called D -Day that is an 00:02:38.009 --> 00:02:41.110 excellent book as well. The Victors covers a 00:02:41.110 --> 00:02:43.689 little bit of the biography of General Dwight 00:02:43.689 --> 00:02:47.830 Eisenhower and D -Day and the run -up to it. 00:02:49.009 --> 00:02:51.169 And one of the quotes in the book says, they 00:02:51.169 --> 00:02:55.289 were ready. But of course, going into combat 00:02:55.289 --> 00:02:59.400 for the first time, is an ultimate experience 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:04.360 for which one can never be fully ready. It is 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:08.500 anticipated for years in advance. It is a test 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:12.360 that produces anxiety, eagerness, tension, fear 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:15.780 of failure, anticipation. There's a mystery about 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:18.680 the thing, heightened by the fact that those 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:21.819 who have done it cannot put into words what it's 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:26.319 like, how it feels, except that getting shot 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:31.560 at And shooting to kill produces extraordinary 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:37.259 emotional reactions. No matter how hard you train, 00:03:37.539 --> 00:03:41.879 nor how realistic the training, no one can ever 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:45.699 be fully prepared for the intensity of the real 00:03:45.699 --> 00:03:49.740 thing. This is precisely what Gideon is up against 00:03:49.740 --> 00:03:55.039 in his 300 men. The challenge of achieving great 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:59.740 things in your life. brings with it fears. It 00:03:59.740 --> 00:04:03.180 does. Whenever you're challenged to go beyond 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:06.000 where you are now, fear wants to take hold and 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:14.500 control. And that has to be overcome. Another 00:04:14.500 --> 00:04:17.420 quote from the book, Eisenhower's greatest concern 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:21.639 about these young men whose average age was 22. 00:04:24.159 --> 00:04:26.720 Soldiers, that was their average age on D -Day. 00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:31.939 A large percentage of them, over half, had never 00:04:31.939 --> 00:04:37.420 been in live combat before. His concern was, 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:41.079 would they overcome their fear and advance under 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:45.339 live fire? This is an image of one of the landing 00:04:45.339 --> 00:04:52.100 craft. And I want you to take note of... The 00:04:52.100 --> 00:04:57.199 image, there it is. Look at that young man right 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:01.079 in the middle. He looks like he's 15 or 16, probably 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:06.740 19. Imagine what they're feeling right now. They're 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:11.279 not going to be delivered from their fear. They 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:16.120 have to overcome their fear. In the book, The 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:20.000 Victors, The word fear and fearful is used by 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:25.639 Stephen Ambrose 43 times because it was so pervasive 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:29.399 among the troops and it had to be overcome. Everyone 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:33.040 had it. Everyone had to deal with it in their 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:37.439 own way. So let's read our text. It will help 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:41.019 to enlighten us about overcoming our fears so 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:45.290 that we can advance into the unknown. Notice 00:05:45.290 --> 00:05:47.629 the word I just used. It puts me in the will 00:05:47.629 --> 00:05:53.470 of God this morning. This is Judges chapter 7. 00:05:55.810 --> 00:05:58.810 The army's already been reduced to the 300. They've 00:05:58.810 --> 00:06:03.089 gotten rid of 22 ,000, then 10 ,000. And now 00:06:03.089 --> 00:06:08.819 he's left with his 300. And on the eve of battle, 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:11.000 the Bible says it happened on the same night. 00:06:11.060 --> 00:06:14.120 This is verse 9 of chapter 7. That the Lord said 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.120 to Gideon, Arise, go down against the camp, for 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:21.100 I have delivered it into your hands. Done. Finished. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:27.439 Definitive statement by God. But if you are afraid. 00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:32.120 Remember, this is God's mighty man of valor that 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:34.839 he's asking that question to. But if you are 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.800 afraid. Go down, go down to the camp with Purah 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.060 your servant, and you shall hear what they say. 00:06:42.819 --> 00:06:44.959 And afterward your hands shall be strengthened 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.339 to go down against the camp. Then Gideon went 00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:51.360 down with Purah his servant to the outpost of 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.399 the armed men who were in the camp. Now the Midianites 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:56.379 and the Amalekites, all the people of the east, 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:59.819 were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts. 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:03.579 And their camels were without number as the sand 00:07:03.579 --> 00:07:09.779 by the seashore. In multitude. And when Gideon 00:07:09.779 --> 00:07:13.470 had come. There was a man telling a dream to 00:07:13.470 --> 00:07:16.370 his companion, and he said, I have had a dream. 00:07:16.569 --> 00:07:20.009 To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled 00:07:20.009 --> 00:07:22.430 into the camp of Midian. It came to a tent, struck 00:07:22.430 --> 00:07:25.250 it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent 00:07:25.250 --> 00:07:28.209 collapsed. Then his companion answered and said, 00:07:28.430 --> 00:07:31.550 This is nothing but the sword of Gideon, the 00:07:31.550 --> 00:07:34.569 son of Joash, a man of Israel. Into his hand 00:07:34.569 --> 00:07:36.689 God has delivered Midian and the whole camp. 00:07:37.350 --> 00:07:41.629 And so it was when Gideon heard, the telling 00:07:41.629 --> 00:07:48.089 of the dream and its interpretation. Then he 00:07:48.089 --> 00:07:51.269 worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel. 00:07:51.449 --> 00:07:55.449 And now he's saying, arise for the Lord has delivered 00:07:55.449 --> 00:07:58.509 the camp of Midian into your hand. Let's pray 00:07:58.509 --> 00:08:01.269 this morning. Father, we thank you. For your 00:08:01.269 --> 00:08:03.449 ministering power and presence, have liberty 00:08:03.449 --> 00:08:06.110 to accomplish all that is your purpose. And we 00:08:06.110 --> 00:08:08.649 thank you for it in Jesus' name. So I want to 00:08:08.649 --> 00:08:12.110 talk first of all about the very real presence 00:08:12.110 --> 00:08:18.810 of fear. Fear can have extreme consequences. 00:08:19.990 --> 00:08:23.230 Your fears, first of all, have the ability to 00:08:23.230 --> 00:08:27.740 paralyze you. We make excuses for it, but the 00:08:27.740 --> 00:08:31.399 purpose and the strategy of Satan implementing 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.879 fear into your life is to paralyze you so that 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:37.960 you will not advance. Fear has the ability to 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.980 neutralize the testimony of past victories. It 00:08:41.980 --> 00:08:45.340 has the ability to rob you of gifting and ability 00:08:45.340 --> 00:08:48.299 and how it should be expressed in your life, 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:52.480 and it strips you of your potential. Getting 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:56.500 rid of the 31 ,700 that would have been a hindrance 00:08:56.500 --> 00:08:59.000 has already been done. They're on the eve of 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.879 battle. Gideon has his 300. They've got their 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:07.279 trumpets, their torches. God has said, I've delivered 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:11.600 the camp into your hands. But Gideon is not quite 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:16.840 ready because of the presence of fear. Fear causes 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:21.070 paralysis. And fear then has to be dealt with. 00:09:21.090 --> 00:09:23.909 It paralyzed the army of Israel in the face of 00:09:23.909 --> 00:09:28.509 Goliath. David has to overcome what was paralyzing 00:09:28.509 --> 00:09:30.870 everyone else. Don't tell me, I know David had 00:09:30.870 --> 00:09:33.649 great faith and he went charging against the 00:09:33.649 --> 00:09:36.769 giant. But don't tell me that he didn't have 00:09:36.769 --> 00:09:42.289 to take fear and set it aside. Your faith has 00:09:42.289 --> 00:09:48.980 to overcome your fear. Jesus was a man. and God, 00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:52.580 and the Bible tells us in the Garden of Gethsemane 00:09:52.580 --> 00:09:56.340 that he was distressed and greatly troubled and 00:09:56.340 --> 00:10:00.000 exceedingly sorrowful, even to death, and if 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.320 it's going to be in him, how much more in us? 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:06.389 He's realizing, and it's... And it's hovering 00:10:06.389 --> 00:10:10.909 over him that he's hours away from Roman crucifixion. 00:10:10.909 --> 00:10:16.950 And he cowers in emotional turmoil as he is facing 00:10:16.950 --> 00:10:24.610 this obstacle. Fear sows seeds of doubt. That's 00:10:24.610 --> 00:10:28.070 what's happening in our text. God's promise of 00:10:28.070 --> 00:10:32.409 deliverance is met with doubt. The Lord said 00:10:32.409 --> 00:10:35.980 to Gideon, arise, go. For I've delivered the 00:10:35.980 --> 00:10:38.340 camp into your hand. That's what God is saying, 00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:42.340 but Gideon is not yet ready to say it because 00:10:42.340 --> 00:10:46.980 of fear. Fear can silence God's voice. You're 00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:49.840 not hearing God's voice. You're hearing the voice 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:56.500 of fear. So much is at stake. The children of 00:10:56.500 --> 00:11:01.299 Israel need deliverance. Fear can prevent that 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:04.129 from happening. And I want you to think about 00:11:04.129 --> 00:11:06.889 this morning, whether you're a man of God, a 00:11:06.889 --> 00:11:09.730 seasoned pastor, a leader, a new believer, or 00:11:09.730 --> 00:11:12.330 somewhere in between. I want you to consider 00:11:12.330 --> 00:11:15.909 what fear may be preventing in your life right 00:11:15.909 --> 00:11:22.470 now. What are you not doing or afraid to do because 00:11:22.470 --> 00:11:26.769 your fears are holding you back? But maybe it's 00:11:26.769 --> 00:11:30.500 pulling the plug on planning a church. Maybe 00:11:30.500 --> 00:11:33.100 there's a couple here. You're in the throes of 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:36.340 God dealing with you about venturing into the 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:39.100 unknown, but you're unwilling to pull the plug 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:45.320 on that because of fear and uncertainties. Giving 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:50.440 an offering tonight. We pull back. We may not 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:53.299 have enough. The need may not be met. And so 00:11:53.299 --> 00:11:55.500 I'm not going to give what God has spoken me 00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:58.220 to give. And that occurs because of fear. Fear 00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:04.399 leads to disobedience. So let's look at the three 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:08.360 occasions when fear is most likely to occur. 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:11.960 First of all, it's most likely to occur when 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:16.539 it's time to advance. It's time for leadership 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:20.809 to arise and lead. But fear has the potential 00:12:20.809 --> 00:12:25.450 of intervening, interfering rather. Another quote 00:12:25.450 --> 00:12:28.250 from the book, The Victors, the AEF, that's the 00:12:28.250 --> 00:12:33.309 Allied Expeditionary Force, was set to go, living 00:12:33.309 --> 00:12:37.419 on the edge of fearful anticipation. The mighty 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:42.480 host, in Eisenhower's words, was as tense as 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:46.399 a coiled spring, ready for the moment when its 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.220 energy should be released and it would vault 00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:51.960 into the English Channel and onto the shores 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:56.100 of France. In our text, it's time to advance. 00:12:56.620 --> 00:12:59.080 Got to get moving. Go, he said. I've delivered 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:01.639 the camp into your hands. But if you're afraid, 00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:09.259 and notice here, God is making room for him to 00:13:09.259 --> 00:13:13.519 help Gideon overcome his fear. He's not rebuking 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:17.860 Gideon for being fearful. But he has a plan to 00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:22.000 help him and we'll get to that in a moment. Remember, 00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:25.500 this has already occurred. Earlier in the chapter, 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:27.519 now therefore proclaim in the hearing of the 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.960 people saying, whoever is fearful and afraid, 00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:33.059 get rid of them. And the Bible says 22 ,000 left. 00:13:34.350 --> 00:13:37.629 I would have to describe that as a debilitating 00:13:37.629 --> 00:13:40.470 fear that was not able to be dealt with in the 00:13:40.470 --> 00:13:44.750 short term. Now we're advancing forward. Gideon 00:13:44.750 --> 00:13:47.649 on the eve of battle with 300 men against 135 00:13:47.649 --> 00:13:50.929 ,000 Midianites has a little bit of a reservation 00:13:50.929 --> 00:13:53.190 that God's going to have to help him with. But 00:13:53.190 --> 00:13:56.450 God had confidence that he could help him. And 00:13:56.450 --> 00:13:58.470 he has confidence that he can help you this morning. 00:14:01.629 --> 00:14:06.230 Secondly, Fear appears when the odds are against 00:14:06.230 --> 00:14:10.690 you. We're all vulnerable to visuals. And I like 00:14:10.690 --> 00:14:14.610 how the text describes the enemy here. This is 00:14:14.610 --> 00:14:18.990 quite a visual. Now the Midianites and the Amalekites, 00:14:19.149 --> 00:14:21.610 all the people of the east, were lying in the 00:14:21.610 --> 00:14:26.129 valley as numerous as locusts. That's what Gideon 00:14:26.129 --> 00:14:29.659 is seeing. From one end of the horizon to the 00:14:29.659 --> 00:14:34.960 other, 135 ,000 soldiers with equipment, with 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:40.240 camels, takes up a lot of territories. He's got 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:43.539 300 men against that. That's not a great visual. 00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:49.480 If you're going to win, don't you need to stack 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:54.799 the odds in your favor? The odds are being reduced. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:01.159 And this is a visual that Gideon is up against. 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:05.899 Remember when Gideon was called, he was threshing 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:09.779 wheat and then hiding it so the Midianites wouldn't 00:15:09.779 --> 00:15:12.940 steal it. And then when God called him, his... 00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:17.720 Response was, where are all the Lord's miracles? 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:21.860 The Lord has forsaken us. My clan is the weakest. 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:24.720 I am the lead. That's not exactly the disposition 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.960 of somebody who's going to go charging into battle 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:35.039 and be victorious. And then thirdly, fear emerges 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:41.299 when you are alone and you are isolated. The 00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:45.899 devil seeks to isolate you. And that is when 00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:49.460 he can be most successful in messing with your 00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:56.320 head. Why do so many of our pastors allow themselves 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:01.379 to be isolated? They don't call home. They don't 00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:04.179 work at cultivating close bonds of friendship. 00:16:04.970 --> 00:16:06.470 When they're out in the field. They've got their 00:16:06.470 --> 00:16:09.590 bros in the mother church. And maybe their bros 00:16:09.590 --> 00:16:11.070 that they grew up in the Lord with. That are 00:16:11.070 --> 00:16:14.190 scattered around the country. But in their local 00:16:14.190 --> 00:16:16.970 area. And with their leadership. They don't maintain 00:16:16.970 --> 00:16:20.070 close bonds of relationship. They're isolated. 00:16:20.070 --> 00:16:22.950 And I can tell you from experience. That when 00:16:22.950 --> 00:16:25.990 you isolate yourself. Like I allowed myself to 00:16:25.990 --> 00:16:27.990 do when I was in London, England. Pioneering. 00:16:28.029 --> 00:16:30.549 All kinds of wacky things go through your head. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:39.600 And fear is one of them. Sometimes as a leader 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:45.539 and a pastor, you can feel very isolated. Gideon 00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:49.740 has 300 men, but there's a dimension of isolation 00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:52.600 that a leader can feel. He's responsible for 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:59.789 leading and making a decision. Another very good 00:16:59.789 --> 00:17:02.669 book is called Five Ministry Killers. I recommend 00:17:02.669 --> 00:17:06.329 every pastor read that. One of the quotes in 00:17:06.329 --> 00:17:09.390 the book said, the number one problem pastors 00:17:09.390 --> 00:17:14.630 face is isolation. In an inventory he developed 00:17:14.630 --> 00:17:18.569 that elevates, that evaluates five areas in ministry. 00:17:18.690 --> 00:17:27.279 1 ,086 pastors from 42 denominations. Reveal 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.220 the difficulty most pastors encounter in discussing 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:32.680 their needs and their weaknesses with others. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.559 Most people in full -time ministry do not have 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.799 a close personal friendship and consequently 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:45.259 are alarmingly lonely and dangerously vulnerable. 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:50.880 Why is it? Here's Gideon. And I think one of 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.359 the most important features of this text is... 00:17:53.819 --> 00:17:57.720 When God said, go down to the camp and take Purah, 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:00.319 your servant, with you. It's the only time he's 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:05.039 mentioned. Take Purah with you. Don't go alone. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.640 Don't allow yourself to be isolated. Don't be 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:12.000 by yourself. And then the Bible says he went 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:15.299 down to the camp of the enemy with Purah, his 00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:17.799 servant. And you may think this is a little bit 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:20.559 of a stretch, but the word Purah means foliage. 00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:24.480 And I view that as kind of a covering. Your friendships 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:28.480 will cover you in fearful moments when you feel 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:32.240 all alone. A covering. And according to surveys, 00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:36.299 most pastors and leaders, as I said, don't have 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:39.910 a close friend that they can confide in. that 00:18:39.910 --> 00:18:42.450 they can call or go to their house and say, listen, 00:18:42.630 --> 00:18:45.730 I'm going through this. Can you help me? Can 00:18:45.730 --> 00:18:52.529 you pray with me? There's a metaphor that I heard 00:18:52.529 --> 00:18:54.750 when I was in London called being alone on the 00:18:54.750 --> 00:18:58.450 platform. And I was on a lot of platforms in 00:18:58.450 --> 00:19:01.089 London, England. It's referring to a train platform 00:19:01.089 --> 00:19:04.970 or a tube station. I mean, it's jam -packed with 00:19:04.970 --> 00:19:08.180 people, but you're close to no one. You're alone 00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:10.640 on the platform. There are people around you. 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:12.359 You don't talk. You don't interact. You have 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:14.500 nothing in common. They're not your friends. 00:19:14.579 --> 00:19:17.099 They're not your relationships. And I suspect 00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:20.440 there's a lot of pastors that even in a crowd 00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:24.380 like this are alone on the platform. That's why 00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:28.519 conference is such a great forum to connect, 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:32.789 to interact, to reacquaint yourself. To make 00:19:32.789 --> 00:19:35.549 a commitment to someone. Let's stay in touch 00:19:35.549 --> 00:19:38.289 over the next six months. Let's call each other 00:19:38.289 --> 00:19:41.569 from time to time and make sure that we're connected. 00:19:41.750 --> 00:19:46.609 Some of you are dangerously alone. And when crisis 00:19:46.609 --> 00:19:49.750 strikes, you're going to be in trouble. Let's 00:19:49.750 --> 00:19:53.210 talk secondly about God's antidote for fear. 00:19:55.069 --> 00:19:59.710 From God's side of things in our text. Everything 00:19:59.710 --> 00:20:04.230 is in place for victory to occur. 135 ,000 of 00:20:04.230 --> 00:20:07.130 the enemy, no problem for God. I've got 300 men. 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:11.190 And I've got a leader in Gideon. As far as God's 00:20:11.190 --> 00:20:15.069 concerned, everything is in place for victory, 00:20:15.109 --> 00:20:20.190 but for the possibility of debilitating the fear 00:20:20.190 --> 00:20:25.450 getting in the way. God's aware of your fear. 00:20:25.849 --> 00:20:27.750 Whether you want to admit it or not, whether 00:20:27.750 --> 00:20:31.750 you can say, Pastor, I am afraid. God is aware 00:20:31.750 --> 00:20:35.869 of your fear. He knows you're vulnerable, even 00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:40.930 though you may be a mighty man of valor. God 00:20:40.930 --> 00:20:46.029 makes provision for your fear to help you. He 00:20:46.029 --> 00:20:49.069 doesn't rebuke Gideon. Get a grip. Come on, you 00:20:49.069 --> 00:20:53.259 wimp. Get over yourself, you punk. Get out there 00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:58.720 and fight. Quit whining and sniveling. It happened 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:01.019 on the same night that the Lord said to him, 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:05.140 Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered 00:21:05.140 --> 00:21:10.920 it into your hand. But if you're afraid, and 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:21.299 God knew he was, that happens. But if you're 00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:26.799 afraid, go down to the camp with Purah, your 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:31.299 servant. God has an antidote for your fears. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:36.539 No matter how acute they may be, they may be 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:39.880 completely dominating the landscape of your life. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:45.059 No matter how strongly and powerfully they may 00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:49.619 be interfering. With your advance and your progress, 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:53.839 Pastor, you're not alone when it comes to dealing 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:57.599 with your fears. Sometimes it's the presence 00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:00.920 of a companion that helps make the difference. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:05.220 As I mentioned a moment ago, go with Pura, your 00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:08.079 servant. Every one of us needs such an individual 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:11.220 or several individuals in our lives. Pura doesn't 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:14.160 say a word. He doesn't do anything. But I view 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:16.819 him as a significant part of this narrative. 00:22:17.630 --> 00:22:21.490 He's there alongside of Gideon, and you need 00:22:21.490 --> 00:22:25.670 to make sure you have a purer. Bible says, Gideon, 00:22:25.670 --> 00:22:29.250 you go get him and take him with you. He wasn't 00:22:29.250 --> 00:22:31.910 waiting for someone to come to him. You make 00:22:31.910 --> 00:22:35.170 friends. You build relationships. You reach out. 00:22:35.210 --> 00:22:37.390 You make sure you have a purer in your life. 00:22:40.609 --> 00:22:42.990 Sometimes just knowing someone is with you and 00:22:42.990 --> 00:22:46.910 for you, there's someone you can call. There's 00:22:46.910 --> 00:22:49.730 someone present in your life that will carry 00:22:49.730 --> 00:22:52.369 your burdens with you. And they know how to pray. 00:22:52.450 --> 00:22:55.569 I love calling someone. I'm going through this. 00:22:55.650 --> 00:22:59.230 And they know exactly how to pray for me because 00:22:59.230 --> 00:23:04.809 we have relationship and they know me. Fear is 00:23:04.809 --> 00:23:07.849 causing Gideon, at least in the beginning here, 00:23:07.950 --> 00:23:11.970 to have a spiritual limp. Not quite ready for 00:23:11.970 --> 00:23:15.660 battle. Why do you think it says in Ecclesiastes, 00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:19.980 two are better than one? Because they have a 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:22.599 good reward for their labor. If one falls, the 00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:25.920 other will lift him up. But woe to him who is 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:28.140 alone when he falls. I don't want you going alone. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:32.920 Take Pyrrha. Woe to him who is alone when he 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:36.839 falls, for he has no one to help him. Dutch Schultz 00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:40.720 was a war hero in World War II. He fought on 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:46.079 D -Day. He wrote an autobiography and this was 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:49.819 written about it. Dutch Schultz paid his officers 00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:55.019 and NCOs a fine tribute. Men like Captain Anthony 00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:58.680 Shefneck. Jack Tallarday, Lieutenants Gus Sanders, 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:02.039 Gerald Johnson, and Sergeants Herman Zeltner 00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:05.920 and Sylvester Meeks and Elmo Bell, to name only 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:10.539 a few, they were largely responsible for my transformation 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:16.720 to a combat infantryman able to do his job. They 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:20.660 taught me to overcome my fears and my self -doubts. 00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:24.519 He couldn't have done that by himself. God says, 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:26.119 Gideon, I want you to go down to the camp of 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:28.460 the enemy. These men are armed and ready for 00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:32.859 war. He's going to creep along in the dark, getting 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:35.440 closer and closer and closer to the outpost. 00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:37.740 And he got close enough to where he could hear 00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:41.140 a conversation of two of the enemy talking with 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:49.500 each other. He needed a companion with him. God 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:56.160 can show you. Something at this altar this morning 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:00.319 that will blow your fears out of the water. That's 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:04.920 what occurred in our text. God provided a miracle 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:09.359 to assuage Gideon's fears. And that may be what 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:11.619 needs to occur in your life. You need a miracle 00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:14.059 so you can advance. There are plenty of times 00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:17.400 I've... Had a vision for where God wanted to 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:21.519 take my church. Or my ministry. And I make excuses. 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:25.119 Well I'm not so sure. What if this happens. That's 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:27.380 just the language of fear. That's all that is. 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:36.900 And do you realize. That the devil is more afraid 00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:42.920 of you than you are of him. The devil fears. 00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:47.900 righteous people of faith filled with the Holy 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:52.299 Ghost who are on the march to advance the kingdom 00:25:52.299 --> 00:25:56.039 of God. The devil fears people who are poised 00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:01.640 to venture into the unknown. He is afraid of 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:03.240 what's going to be announced Thursday night. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:07.759 Oh yeah. He's afraid right now of what you might 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:11.640 do. Those of you who may be wavering right now. 00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:16.319 uncertain, unsure, fearful. Your wife, your husband, 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:19.440 they're voicing the language of fear and you're 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:22.079 not sure if you should go and venture. The devil 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:28.380 is on the edge of his seat, fearful that you 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:33.519 might pull the plug and say, yes, let's go. Verse 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:39.279 13, and when Gideon had come, there was a man 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:42.809 telling a dream. To his companion, and he said, 00:26:42.849 --> 00:26:46.009 I've had a dream to my surprise, a loaf of barley 00:26:46.009 --> 00:26:49.109 bread. That's Gideon. Just a loaf of barley bread. 00:26:49.150 --> 00:26:51.690 A loaf of barley bread was poor man's food in 00:26:51.690 --> 00:26:55.750 those days. It's nothing great. To my surprise, 00:26:55.869 --> 00:26:57.970 a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp. 00:26:58.809 --> 00:27:01.730 It came to a tent, struck it so that it collapsed. 00:27:02.730 --> 00:27:05.250 And his companion then answered and said, how 00:27:05.250 --> 00:27:07.410 does this guy speak revelation? I don't know. 00:27:07.569 --> 00:27:11.460 But he did. This is nothing else but the sword 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:13.440 of Gideon. How did he even hear about Gideon? 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:19.819 What's there to fear? He's got 300 men. There's 00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:23.660 nothing on the surface to be afraid of. This 00:27:23.660 --> 00:27:25.759 is nothing but the sword of Gideon, the son of 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:29.359 Joash, a man of Israel. Into his hand God has 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:33.140 delivered Midian and the whole camp. God here 00:27:33.140 --> 00:27:40.559 is powerfully at work to assuage. Gideon's fears. 00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:46.579 God was working to sow seeds of fear into the 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:52.140 hearts of the adversary. I don't know how he'd 00:27:52.140 --> 00:27:54.960 heard about Gideon. Why he drew that conclusion 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:58.420 other than God put those thoughts through the 00:27:58.420 --> 00:28:01.619 agency of the Holy Spirit into his mind and he 00:28:01.619 --> 00:28:08.789 spoke them to his companion. All we know is whatever 00:28:08.789 --> 00:28:11.529 fear Gideon may have had, these guys have 10 00:28:11.529 --> 00:28:14.910 times or 100 times that level of fear. That's 00:28:14.910 --> 00:28:17.529 why the Bible says in James 2 .19, you believe 00:28:17.529 --> 00:28:20.430 there is one God, you do well. Even the devils 00:28:20.430 --> 00:28:23.990 believe and they tremble. They're trembling right 00:28:23.990 --> 00:28:29.950 now. The word means to shudder or to be struck 00:28:29.950 --> 00:28:34.750 with extreme fear or to be horrified. The devil 00:28:34.750 --> 00:28:38.539 listens to announcements. He trembles at what 00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:41.039 we're up to. You remember the narrative in the 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:44.039 book of Genesis when Jacob is just... traveling 00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:46.279 through the country. The Bible says that the 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:48.880 entire region and all the occupants of the region 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:52.099 were terrified. Remember when the spies went 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:55.700 into Jericho and they went to the house of Rahab 00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:57.779 and they identified themselves and she said, 00:28:57.940 --> 00:29:00.539 yes, all of us are terrified. We've heard about 00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:02.880 the Red Sea and about what God did for you in 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:05.220 Egypt and we know that you're making an approach 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:08.339 to our sin and we are all scared to death. We 00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:11.140 are all terrified. That is the position that 00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:14.240 God puts Satan in. He has the power to do that. 00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.759 And Satan is in that position right now. And 00:29:16.759 --> 00:29:23.519 it's about time you realize that. And so it was 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.779 when Gideon heard the telling of the dream that 00:29:26.779 --> 00:29:30.640 he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:32.640 Israel and said, Arise for the Lord has delivered 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:39.599 the camp of Midian into your end. Your fear has 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:45.369 to be subjugated. That's what's going to happen 00:29:45.369 --> 00:29:52.089 at this altar this morning. That is the position 00:29:52.089 --> 00:29:56.230 that God is taking. And he has a strategy to 00:29:56.230 --> 00:29:59.470 help you as he had a strategy to help Gideon. 00:29:59.690 --> 00:30:03.109 And the strategy worked and it will work for 00:30:03.109 --> 00:30:07.829 you at this altar this morning. How much more 00:30:07.829 --> 00:30:13.720 can God accomplish but for our fears? How much 00:30:13.720 --> 00:30:17.660 advance is not occurring because fear is getting 00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:24.660 in the way. Fear can be very subtle, but a very 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:27.380 profound and powerful force to undermine the 00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:32.059 work of God. Sometimes because of fear, churches 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:35.940 aren't planted. Workers won't go. The unknown 00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:39.380 will not be ventured into. Offerings aren't given 00:30:39.380 --> 00:30:42.609 because of fear many times. Efforts aren't being 00:30:42.609 --> 00:30:46.670 made. What if it doesn't work? I've tried and 00:30:46.670 --> 00:30:50.450 it's failed before. I'm not sure about the individual 00:30:50.450 --> 00:30:55.490 who wants to go to Timbuktu and pioneer. It's 00:30:55.490 --> 00:30:58.210 the language of fear. So why don't you just say, 00:30:58.349 --> 00:31:07.750 I'm afraid. Tough guy. Mighty man of valor. Leadership 00:31:07.750 --> 00:31:13.930 plays a powerful role. That's why God dealt with 00:31:13.930 --> 00:31:19.069 the fear of Gideon. It could be dealt with. And 00:31:19.069 --> 00:31:22.990 then Gideon helped his 300 to overcome their 00:31:22.990 --> 00:31:26.210 fears. Think about their position, a pitcher, 00:31:26.349 --> 00:31:29.809 a trumpet. That's what we're going into battle 00:31:29.809 --> 00:31:34.609 with against 135 ,000. One of the very best quotes 00:31:34.609 --> 00:31:39.130 in the book, The Victors, by Stephen Ambrose, 00:31:39.190 --> 00:31:44.299 Eisenhower also realized. that optimism and pessimism 00:31:44.299 --> 00:31:48.039 are infectious, and they spread more rapidly 00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:50.460 from the head downward than in any other direction. 00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:54.119 He saw two additional advantages to a cheerful 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:57.059 and hopeful attitude by the commander. First, 00:31:57.279 --> 00:32:02.000 the habit tends to minimize potentialities within 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:06.039 the individual troops themselves to become demoralized. 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:09.170 Second, It has the most extraordinary effect 00:32:09.170 --> 00:32:13.349 upon all with whom he comes in contact. With 00:32:13.349 --> 00:32:17.049 this clear realization, I firmly determined that 00:32:17.049 --> 00:32:20.069 my mannerisms and speech in public would always 00:32:20.069 --> 00:32:23.329 reflect the cheerful certainty of victory, that 00:32:23.329 --> 00:32:25.549 any pessimism and discouragement I might ever 00:32:25.549 --> 00:32:28.450 feel would be reserved for my pillow at night. 00:32:29.450 --> 00:32:31.789 I adopted a policy of circulating throughout 00:32:31.789 --> 00:32:34.450 the whole force to the full limit imposed by 00:32:34.450 --> 00:32:36.750 physical considerations. I did my best to meet 00:32:36.750 --> 00:32:39.230 everyone from general to private with a smile, 00:32:39.329 --> 00:32:41.789 a pat on the back and a definite interest in 00:32:41.789 --> 00:32:44.930 his problems. Eisenhower did his best from that 00:32:44.930 --> 00:32:46.849 moment to the end of his life to conceal with 00:32:46.849 --> 00:32:50.589 a big grin the ache in his bones and the exhaustion 00:32:50.589 --> 00:32:55.849 in his mind. He was afraid. He was terrified 00:32:55.849 --> 00:32:59.869 whether these 17, 18, 20 -year -olds would charge 00:32:59.869 --> 00:33:03.250 into battle under live fire for the first time 00:33:03.250 --> 00:33:06.269 in their lives. Would they overcome their fear? 00:33:07.269 --> 00:33:10.470 This is a picture of Eisenhower on the eve of 00:33:10.470 --> 00:33:13.869 D -Day. He flew around all over where the troops 00:33:13.869 --> 00:33:17.710 were being stationed and spoke to them personally 00:33:17.710 --> 00:33:22.569 and encouraged them. And the next picture, look 00:33:22.569 --> 00:33:27.650 at his grin. underneath that grin is serious 00:33:27.650 --> 00:33:31.150 concern and fear and consideration. If you read 00:33:31.150 --> 00:33:34.250 the book, you'll get a better picture of where 00:33:34.250 --> 00:33:42.910 he was at at this moment in reality. That's Gideon 00:33:42.910 --> 00:33:47.630 talking to the 300. And so it was when Gideon, 00:33:47.630 --> 00:33:50.670 verse 15, heard the telling of the dream and 00:33:50.670 --> 00:33:53.430 its interpretation that he worshipped. He returned 00:33:53.430 --> 00:33:55.589 to the camp of Israel and said, arise for the 00:33:55.589 --> 00:33:57.829 Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your 00:33:57.829 --> 00:34:05.109 hand. Now that fear has been subjugated, Gideon 00:34:05.109 --> 00:34:09.289 is saying what God is saying. God told him that 00:34:09.289 --> 00:34:12.289 before. I've delivered the camp of Midian into 00:34:12.289 --> 00:34:14.849 your hand, but if you are afraid, go to the camp. 00:34:16.090 --> 00:34:18.010 And then he heard the dream. He wasn't ready 00:34:18.010 --> 00:34:21.309 to say what God was saying because fear was present. 00:34:26.510 --> 00:34:30.329 And now it's Gideon's role to communicate what 00:34:30.329 --> 00:34:34.690 God is saying to the 300 and assuage their fears 00:34:34.690 --> 00:34:39.829 and sow seeds of courage in their lives. And 00:34:39.829 --> 00:34:49.289 you remember the very dramatic outcome. He's 00:34:49.289 --> 00:34:51.369 talking to his troops now after he's had the 00:34:51.369 --> 00:34:54.070 dream and he says, when I blow the trumpet. I 00:34:54.070 --> 00:34:56.349 and all who are with me, then you also blow your 00:34:56.349 --> 00:34:59.369 trumpets on every side. Of the whole camp. And 00:34:59.369 --> 00:35:02.369 say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. So Gideon 00:35:02.369 --> 00:35:05.750 and the 300 men. And the 100 men who were with 00:35:05.750 --> 00:35:08.289 him. Came to the outpost of the camp. At the 00:35:08.289 --> 00:35:10.949 beginning of the midnight watch. Just as they 00:35:10.949 --> 00:35:14.289 had posted the watch. And it was then. Every 00:35:14.289 --> 00:35:16.949 man stood. Verse 21. In his place all around 00:35:16.949 --> 00:35:19.989 the camp. And the whole army ran. And cried out 00:35:19.989 --> 00:35:24.679 and fled. That is the Midianites fleeing. When 00:35:24.679 --> 00:35:29.559 the 300 are charging toward them. This is a powerful 00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:33.800 testimony of what can happen when fear is taken 00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:36.119 out of the way. You're able to advance. You're 00:35:36.119 --> 00:35:38.099 able to deal with the odds that may be against 00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:41.099 you. And you're able to say what God has been 00:35:41.099 --> 00:35:48.460 saying. Three things as I close. First of all, 00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:50.659 you need to acknowledge the presence of fear 00:35:50.659 --> 00:35:55.010 in your life. Without Gideon saying, I'm afraid, 00:35:55.170 --> 00:35:58.190 he acknowledges it because God said, but if you 00:35:58.190 --> 00:35:59.849 are afraid, go down to the camp and he goes. 00:36:00.449 --> 00:36:05.369 That's a tacit agreement with God that, yeah, 00:36:05.369 --> 00:36:11.190 I'm afraid. I need some encouragement here. He 00:36:11.190 --> 00:36:12.969 didn't say, who, me, afraid? Are you kidding? 00:36:14.710 --> 00:36:17.050 I'm ready to fight. Let's go. Except he wasn't. 00:36:23.349 --> 00:36:25.670 Secondly, for you to find the help that you need, 00:36:25.750 --> 00:36:29.570 you need an altar. That's where Gideon is. You 00:36:29.570 --> 00:36:32.969 know, altars aren't the same in every case. The 00:36:32.969 --> 00:36:35.570 Garden of Gethsemane was an altar where Jesus 00:36:35.570 --> 00:36:37.510 surrendered to the will of God. And that, in 00:36:37.510 --> 00:36:40.190 fact, was where our redemption was secured when 00:36:40.190 --> 00:36:41.969 he surrendered to the will of God to go to the 00:36:41.969 --> 00:36:48.429 cross. The altar for Gideon was outside of that 00:36:48.429 --> 00:36:52.449 tent, hearing these two. When he made a decision, 00:36:52.690 --> 00:36:56.269 yeah, we can do this. Now I'm going to say what 00:36:56.269 --> 00:37:00.789 God is saying. Make no mistake, this is a miracle 00:37:00.789 --> 00:37:03.030 that took place in Gideon's life at an altar. 00:37:03.969 --> 00:37:07.130 Fear is there hindering him, and then it isn't. 00:37:07.690 --> 00:37:09.929 And so when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, 00:37:10.090 --> 00:37:15.170 he worshiped and said to the camp, arise for 00:37:15.170 --> 00:37:17.590 the Lord has delivered the camp of the Midian 00:37:17.590 --> 00:37:22.440 into your hand. God already said that. Yeah, 00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:28.739 but fear was in the way. God has an antidote 00:37:28.739 --> 00:37:34.960 for your fear. Some people may not know God this 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:38.559 way. That may be living your whole life under 00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:43.239 a very dark cloud and a dark shadow of your fears. 00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:47.320 It's paralyzing you. You wake up in the morning, 00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:49.960 the first thing that comes to mind are negative 00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:52.739 thoughts, doubt, unbelief. You're not saying 00:37:52.739 --> 00:37:56.900 what God is saying. Fear is deafening his voice. 00:37:59.099 --> 00:38:02.519 Isaiah 41 .10, fear not for I am with you. Be 00:38:02.519 --> 00:38:04.940 not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen 00:38:04.940 --> 00:38:08.119 you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you 00:38:08.119 --> 00:38:10.260 with my righteous right hand. Deuteronomy 31 00:38:10.260 --> 00:38:13.280 .6, be strong and of good courage. Do not fear 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:16.030 nor be afraid. For the Lord your God, he is the 00:38:16.030 --> 00:38:18.769 one who goes with you and he will not leave you 00:38:18.769 --> 00:38:21.449 nor forsake you. In Psalms 23, 4, yea, though 00:38:21.449 --> 00:38:23.349 I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 00:38:23.630 --> 00:38:27.010 I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your 00:38:27.010 --> 00:38:30.150 rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now, I don't 00:38:30.150 --> 00:38:34.889 have a dream to offer you where a barley loaf 00:38:34.889 --> 00:38:39.010 collapses a tent to show you the victory that 00:38:39.010 --> 00:38:43.170 God has for you. But I do know right in front 00:38:43.170 --> 00:38:47.150 of you, there's an altar waiting for you to come 00:38:47.150 --> 00:38:51.389 so God can meet with you individually and provide 00:38:51.389 --> 00:38:55.170 you with the miracle you need to overcome your 00:38:55.170 --> 00:38:58.469 fears so that we can all adventure into the unknown. 00:38:58.670 --> 00:39:10.739 Let's give God praise. the PHSAA Potter's House 00:39:10.739 --> 00:39:13.400 Salmon Arm podcast. Be sure to follow us on Instagram 00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:16.159 at pottershouse underscore salmon arm to keep 00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:18.519 up to date on what we are doing. Join the conversation 00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:21.579 and discover how Jesus Christ can revolutionize 00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.199 your life.