Title: Fear Is Not Your Future

Speaker: Apostle Harvey Campbell

Icebreaker: Can you think of a time that fear influenced you to make a bad decision? How did that situation turn out?

This Sunday we received a special message from Apostle Harvey Campbell, teaching us how to address the spirit of fear. Almost everyone can probably think of a time that they allowed fear to influence their decision-making or hinder them in some way. Fear can be difficult to discern, especially since there is a healthy fear that we all have as a natural layer of protection. That is what makes this message so impactful to help us identify the way the spirit of fear affects our lives, and the tools we have to overcome it.

Job 3:25

I. The Spirit of Fear (2 Timothy 1:7)

a. Fear is a spirit and it does not come from God. We know that God has given us a spirit of power and a sound-mind, and the spirit of fear comes directly from Satan to attack our minds and our faith.

b. We can call fear a strategy of the enemy that operates in continuous opposition to our faith. It is an unseen force that is constantly trying to bombard our minds.

c. When God designed mankind he made us spirit, he gave each of us a soul to house our thoughts and emotions, and he gave each of us a physical body to navigate this earth. We were created to live by the spirit, the part of us that can commune with God and steer our souls and bodies into obedience to his will.

d. While we were created to be spirit-led, we must be intentional about how much we feed each part of our being. To feed the body is to binge on unhealthy physical foods, idolize physical fitness, or indulge in physical pleasures. To feed the soul is to be driven by every emotion we may feel, to give into spirals of negative thinking, or to succumb to the spirit of fear. Whatever we feed most will grow, and if fear gains a stronghold in the soul it can wreak havoc on our lives.

Discussion:

How do you feed your spirit? How can you do a self-check to ensure you are being led by the spirit and not overindulging your soul or body?

II. The Power of Faith (1 John 4:18)

a. Thankfully, by God's design faith is undoubtedly greater than fear (Hebrews 11:1, 6). It is by faith that we see things manifested that did not exist, and by faith that we see things cease to exist that have persisted for too long. Faith can both bring new things into your life and remove the old.

b. Since fear is a spiritual strategy it requires a spiritual solution, meaning there is no way to be freed from fear outside of God. So our first defense against the spirit of fear is to activate our faith by calling out to God (Psalm 34:4).

c. The ultimate purpose of fear is to cause you to lose intimacy with God (Job 29:2-5). If Satan can lie to you and convince you that God is not trustworthy, if he can cause you to doubt God and walk away from Him then he has succeeded.

d. Remember, fear may infiltrate your mind and emotions, but it does not have the final say on the outcome of your life. Stir up your faith, trust in the Lord, and watch him come to your rescue (Psalm 56:3).

UPCOMING EVENTS + REMINDERS:

Spanish Services at City Church: Spanish services are now in full swing at City Church! Every Sunday you can worship with us in the chapel at 10 AM, alongside our English service. We look forward to seeing you there!

GriefShare: Grief is one of life’s most difficult journeys, but you don’t have to go through it alone. If you, or someone you know, has lost a loved one you can begin your journey from mourning to joy through GriefShare at City Church. Meetings are held on Saturdays at 9:00 AM in the District Pastors’ Office. For more information please visit citychurchnola.life/GriefShare.

Wednesday Morning Prayer: You can participate in corporate prayer every Wednesday morning at 7 AM on Facebook. Join us each week as we continue to pray for our church, our city, and our nation.

City Life TV: You can watch our Bishop deliver thoughtful messages throughout the week. Tune in to WHNO, channel 20, Saturdays at 10:00 PM.

REPORT:

Please continue to report your in-person and virtual group meetings!

By using the same email you would normally receive, you may update your group information and report your weekly meetings.

If you need help with reporting, please contact your district pastor.

Have an amazing and spirit-filled group!