DO NOT FEAR - Trust God’s Plan When Times Get Tough

all through scripture you find God sending people out we call this your life mission and God has a life mission for you he has a job he wants you to do on this planet only you can fulfill your life mission God did not put you here just to take up space breathe there use resources and die most believers do absolutely nothing for Jesus Christ outside the four walls of a church building why is that well the number one reason is fear it is fear that keeps us from becoming what God wants us to become from

doing what God wants us to do and going where God wants you to go it's fear specifically there are five fears that keep you from enjoying the kind of life that God intended for you to have that keep you from fulfilling your life mission fortunately we can see them all in one Passage in the life of a guy named Moses now you know Moses was the guy who got the Ten Commandments from God he's the man who led an entire nation of Israel out of bondage they had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years and

God used that one man to do a mighty thing but moses' life can be divided up into three different Parts 40 40 and 40 40 Years Learning To Be A somebody 40 Years Learning To Be be a nobody and 40 Years Learning to be God somebody the story of Moses as you know is he was Jewish he was Hebrew and there came out of a decree in the land of Egypt that all the baby boys were to be slaughtered his mom didn't want him slaughtered and so she put him in a basket and put him

in the Nile River just then well maybe God will just take care of him and as God had planned in Providence the pharaoh's daughter was out bathing in the Nile River the the little basket comes down she sees the baby boy it touches her heart and she takes him in and raises Moses as the grandson of pharaoh so he's raised as royalty when he gets to be 40 years of age he learns the real truth about his life and all of a sudden he's very interested in these million plus people who are being beaten to

a pulp building the pyramids and he says I got to do something about this I'm not Egyptian I'm I'm Jewish I'm Hebrew and so he goes out and on his own tries to set the people free in his own cocky self-willed way ends up killing a slave driver and has to flee for his life on the account of murder and so he runs across the desert and for the next 40 years Moses is nobody and while he's there he becomes a Shepherd tending goats and sheep and he he marries a woman and he has a

bunch of kids and he's living he's made a new life he's a nobody for 40 years but God says you haven't fulfilled the mission I created you for and one day God has to get his attention and the story is like this in Exodus 3 it says now Moses was tending his flock the flock of Jethro his father-in-law and he led the flock to The Far Side of the desert the Mountain of God then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in Flames from within a bush and Moses saw that even though the Bush

was on fire it was not burning up so this gets his attention so when the Lord saw that he had gone over to look at the bush he called from within the bush and said Moses Moses and Moses said here am I can you imagine a bush talking to you that'd be kind of freaky okay don't come any closer God said take off your sandals for the place you are standing is Holy Ground and then God said I am the god of your father the god of Abraham the god of Isaac the god of Jacob

and at this Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look toward God now Moses god gets moses' attention through this bush that's that's not burning up and he speaks to him and it's a weird side on the back of a mountain and then God says I have a mission for you Moses I want you to go back to Egypt and set my people free I want you to let them go and in verse 7 says then the Lord said I have indeed seen the misery of my people in is Egypt I have heard

the crying because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering and down in verse 10 so now go this is his mission I am sending you to pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt so this is his mission now how do you know when you got a mission from God there are three Hallmarks of a true Mission from God and they're seen in this verse first a true Mission from God is based on God's love a true Mission from God is motivated by God's love for other people and he

says there I've seen their misery I've heard their crying and I'm concerned about their suffering if God gives you a mission it's going to involve caring about other people it's passionate I'm concerned not only only is a mission from God passionate it's personal he says I'm sending you that's the second thing it's specifically to you Mo God didn't say I hope somebody will go set them free he didn't say I'm sending a group he said I want you to go it's a personal mission it's passionate it's personal and then it's practical he said you're going

to go set them free you're going to relieve somebody's suffering you're going to help somebody else out and a true Mission from God benefits other people it's okay to be afraid Moses was okay about the mission God gave him and he says there are five things I'm afraid of Lord so what are the fears that keep you from becoming what God wants you to become doing what God wants you to do and going where God wants you to go your life mission there are five the first one is the fear of inadequacy oh this is

a big one the fear of inadequacy I don't think I can measure up to what God wants me to do how could God use me and this is exactly the first fear that Moses dealt with in verse 11 it says God had said I've got a mission for you and Moses said but Moses said to God who am I that I should go to pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt now what's interesting is that 40 years earlier Moses was full of confidence and when he first learned that he was Jewish not Egyptian he

decided he'd he'd free the whole slave issue by himself single-handedly and he went off and tried to do it in his own way and he failed and sometimes after a big failure you just lose your confidence and now 40 years later Moses is going no way not me I'm not the guy I tried that one and sometimes you're afraid to do God's Mission because you started off on it and you stumbled typically when God says I got a something for you to to do it seems bigger than you can do it and we start pointing

the tension on ourselves our inadequacies our background our weaknesses now listen very closely it didn't matter how Moses felt whether he felt inadequate or not it didn't matter whether he was inadequate or not he was he was inadequate and you are inadequate for your life mission but that doesn't matter what matters is God has chosen you and if God has chosen you it doesn't matter how you feel and it doesn't matter how competent you are it's going to work if God chooses you it doesn't matter that you're incompetent but God says if I choose you

it doesn't matter that you're incompetent and it doesn't even matter how you feel you may feel insecure frightened the whole time you're doing but it's going to work because I chose you you see your life message is not about you and your life mission is not about you it's about what God chooses to do in your life now God's answer to the fear of inadequacy is very short look at what God says I will be with you now that's the answer to your inadequacy why because one plus God equals a majority if God is near

you lose your fear you and God can do anything now the second fear that keeps you from fulfilling God's mission for your life is the fear of embarrassment it's the fear of embarrassment that somehow you'll get in a situation and you'll be there talking about the Lord or doing something for God and you'll feel embarrassed and you'll feel foolish like you don't know what you're doing and you'll just appear dumb and you you can't stand that thought now here's what Moses says the second thing verse 13 but Moses protested if I go to the people

of Israel or you're sending me and I tell them the god of your ancestors has sent me to you they won't believe me they will ask which God are you talking about what's his name then what should I tell them he go I'm going to feel stupid he's asking the right question because that's what matters is not who you are it's who God is and he says tell me who are you what's your name and God's response is in the next verse God said to Moses I am who I I am this is what you're

to say to the Israelites I am has sent me to you this is my name forever the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation what what what does that mean you see in the Bible names are important but in the Bible they Nam people for character and names are important and God has many names in this case he says I am that I am now what does that mean and how would that relieve my fears when he says I am that I am it means four things very important first it

means that God is real it means God exists he says I am that I am he's not saying I was that I was aren't you glad God isn't dead that is a stress reliever to know that we're not living in a world without somebody in control God is alive he is real and he's current second thing it tells us is that God is eternal he's Timeless I am that I am means I've been the same same forever and I exist forever God is outside of time he can see the past and the present and the

future all at once because God created time I know it's a mind-blowing concept okay but the truth is God is beyond time the third thing it means is God is truth God is truth when he says I am that I am he's not saying I am what you want me to be I am what people like me to be he says no I am what I am I am my own character see the problem today is we God made us in His image and today people try to make God in their image I hear this

all the time people say you know I like to imagine God as well so what you're just guessing well I like to think of God as you're just making that up what matters is not what you think God is what matters is what he really is and God says I'm not what you think I am I am what I am and then fourth it means God doesn't change I am what I am means I'm not what I I I'm not what I used to be I'm not what I'm going to be he's saying no I

am what I am he is unchanging in fact the Bible tells us in Malachi 3:6 it says I the Lord do not change now these four things are an enormous fear reliever when you understand there is a God he is eternal he always tells the truth and he never changes in fact he's the only thing in your life that doesn't change and the only foundation for a fear free life is to build your foundation on something that never never never changes and the only thing that doesn't change is God now there's a third fear that

we have and it is the fear of rejection we see that in moses' life too and then third is the fear of rejection and the Bible says in verse chapter 4 verse one of e Exodus but Moses protested again look they won't believe me they won't do what I tell them they'll just say the Lord never appeared to you now this fear of rejection is what what the Bible calls the fear of man and in Proverbs it says the fear of man is a snare it's a trap that means if you live your life always

worried about being approved by people and you live your life always worried that somebody's going to reject you you're already enslaved you were a slave to the expectations of other people when you are too concerned about everybody's approval and you are too afraid of criticism and you're too afraid of rejection to do what God God wants you to do then you're already a slave you're entrapped he says they're not going to accept me now what is God's answer to the fear of rejection and the fear of criticism and the fear of disapproval well God says

this in Exodus 4:2 what is in your hand the Lord said to him what's in your hand a staff he replied now let me tell you a little secret whenever God asks you a question it's never for his benefit he already knows the answer when he says to to Moses what's in your hand he knew what was in Moses hand he wanted Moses to know so whenever God asks you a question he already knows the answer he wants you to recognize something in your life what does the staff represent a staff is a symbol for

a Shepherd as much as a stethoscope around a neck is for a doctor to a symbol of three things a staff is a symbol of moses' identity of Moses income and of Moses influence let me explain first Moses is a shepherd and a Shepherd staff you know a little crook at the top and then a stake like this that's the symbol of a Shepherd in in leading sheep it is an a symbol of who he is his identity his job his career I am a Shepherd it's who he is if it's also a symbol of

his income because in those days there were no banks and there were no stock markets your entire wealth were tied up in flock either cattle sheep or goats and the more cattle sheep and goats you had the wealthier you were and then the third thing it's a symbol of is his influence because what do you use a Shepherd staff to do you use it to move sheep from point A to point B and God says Moses I want you to take what you have your identity your influence and your income what's in your hand and

I want you to give it to me and this is going to overcome the fear of rejection Moses lays down the staff and it becomes what a snake all of a sudden something it's just a dead stick and all of a sudden it becomes something that's alive it's it becomes a a snake and then God says pick it up and Moses picks it up and it becomes a Stak a stick again so what is that story in the Bible for there's always a meaning behind every miracle and God is saying Moses if you will give

me what's in your hand your identity your influence and your income who you are what you own and what you do and you lay it down when I tell you to lay it down I will make it come alive I will miraculously do things with your IDE identity income and influence you have never imagined but every time you pick it up it's just going to go into Dead stick again when it's yours it's worthless when it's mine it comes alive that's what he's saying that was a great lesson for Moses because from that point on

in the Bible it is never again referred to as Moses staff from that point on it is always called the rod of God and God takes his simple little stick it's there's nothing miraculous about it's just a stick and he uses it as a symbol of his power and it is the rod of God that Moses holds up and the Red Sea splits and the people walk through it to Freedom it is the rod of God that Moses dips into the Nile River and it turns red to blood it is the rod of God that

when they're out in the desert and the people are thirsty and there's no water and he strikes a rock and all of a sudden an artisian well comes up and they they have water it is the rod of God that he did all of the Miracles of the plagues that finally let the people go here's my question what is in your hand your hand what is your identity your influence your income if you today will give that to God say God it's yours you can use my income any way you want to my influence any

way you want to my identity any way you want to for the mission you put me on Earth to do God says I will make it come alive I will do things you never imagined and you know what when you have that kind of power in your life you're not afraid of what the critics are saying you're not afraid of rejection you're not afraid of somebody disapproving because you know you're being used by God or the fourth fear is the fear of comparison and this is one when you start looking around and comparing what you're

doing to what other people are doing and that's always going to mess up your life mission God didn't call you to be somebody else he called you to be you and he doesn't want you to be anybody else the fourth thing that Moses says his fourth excuse he says but Moses pleaded with the Lord oh Lord I'm just not a good speaker I never have been and I'm not now even after you've spoken to me I'm clumsy with words now he said I'm not a good speaker well compared to whom I mean his only audience

is sheep how does he know he's not a good speaker he doesn't have an audience he's not hearing anybody else there aren't like other Shepherds on the television channel how does he know you know what you're better at a lot of things than you think you are in fact there's some things in your life life you'd be really good at and you've not known it because you've never tried there's so many things in your life that God has given you gifts and talents that but you don't know it until you try here's what God said

to Moses verses 11 and 12 of chapter 4 then the Lord asked Moses who makes mouths I love that you God I can't speak Moses who makes mouths well duh hey goes who makes people so things speak or not speak hear or not hear see or not see is it not I the Lord now go there's that word and do as I've told you I will help you speak well and I will tell you what to say you said well that's great but that's Moses I mean this the guy gives the Ten Commandments to what

about me did you know that God has made the exact same promise to you Jesus said this in Matthew 10 don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it the right words will be right there will be there the spirit of your father will supply the word that is a promise to you if you're doing your life mission so you don't have to worry I'll give you the right words and the right way to say it at the right time friends never be afraid to go out on a limb that's where the fruit

is never be afraid to rock the boat if Jesus is your captain don't be afraid if you're going to walk on water you got to get out of the boat and that means you got to be willing to say Lord I'm going to allow myself in situation where I don't have the slightest idea what I'm going to say but I know you'll give me the right words and he will and it's such a great thrill Now by this time Moses has run out of excuses but he gives one more and in in verse 13 he

says but Moses said oh Lord please send somebody else to do it he's run out of excuses this is the fear of commitment the fear of commitment you see the bottom line is Moses just didn't want to go why the real reason is he didn't care he didn't care that over a million people were enslaved and being treated like animals in a country he didn't care that God said I will use you if you'll let me use you he's passing up the greatest opportun God says I'm going to change history I'm going to create a

nation I'm going to do Miracles and I am choosing you Moses of all the people I'm choosing you to have a part in it and Moses goes no thanks God I don't really care I don't care that people are hurting I don't care that people are suffering look at God's response verse 14 then the Lord became angry with Moses God got ticked now the Bible tells us that God is long suffering that means he has enormous patience with you he is very very patient with you but you can try his patience and Moses finally ran

an excuse says God I you know I I can't do this I feel insecure he says I'll be with you he said I'll be embarrassed he said I'm going to tell you what to to say and he said I am your God and he said well I I feel like going to reject me he says I'll do some miracles in your life to show put my stamp of approval on you and I'm not a good speaker he goes who made the mouth I'll give you the words God has an answer for every one of Moses

fear and so finally Moses goes send somebody else and God got ticked and God's going to get ticked at you someday if you don't fulfill the life mission that he made for you one day you're going to stand before God and say why you you either fulfilled or didn't fulfill your life mission God's going to go what what you think I put you on Earth just to live for yourself to not think about hurting suffering people in the world you cannot say Lord and me first in the same sentence Lord let me first that's the

problem me first I want to be first I want to do my plan instead of God's plan I want to do my mission instead of God's Mission that's a problem friends I want you to note the word that Moses used that's used in every one of moses' excuses God said I got a great thing for your life what's the first word in Moses response what is it but look at the second response what's the first word but okay look at the third one what is the first word but but Moses but Moses but what's the

fourth one but and what's the fifth one but every time God had a mission for Moses he countered with a butt what's your butt what's the butt that's holding you back what big butt is in the way of your life mission with we all have our butts there are some big butts and there are small butts but we all have our butts I always think your butt's bigger than my butt I can see your butt but I can't see my own butt but everybody else can see it and sees how silly it is and what

is God saying to you today it's time to get off your butts what's your excuse but God butt God butt God but God no he's saying stop the butting around whatever you're intending to do with your life you better get on with it because you're not guaranteed next month you better get on with it now you know there's a very sobering verse in Ezekiel chapter 33 look at the next verse God says this if I announce that some Wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways then they

will die in their sins but I will hold you responsible for their deaths whoa did you know that God holds you responsible for the people in your life that don't know Jesus and one day God will hold you accountable for what did you do with the people around your life you had the cure for cancer and didn't share it you had the key to you know on the spiritual cancer you had the key to eternal life purpose for living home in heaven and you didn't share it the Bible says God will hold you responsible that's

a serious thing so how do I get started in my mission well you do some basic stuff first you Sur surrender and you say God anytime anywhere anyway amen you give your life to Christ then you pray and you say God I need your wisdom and you pray Jeremiah 42:3 that says this pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do say Lord I want to fulfill your mission in life where do you want me to go and what do you want me to do just say

that you pray it and then you asked Jesus Christ to fill you with his spirit because God's holy spirit is love and the Bible says love casts out all fear what fear is holding you back you ask Jesus Christ to fill you with his spirit and his love a spirit of love and power and self-discipline and then you take a small step not a big one a small step and you just say God think of something in your mind you know it's the right thing to do but you've been afraid afraid to do it doesn't

have to be a big thing you know it's the right thing to do and say I'm going to do it and you do and you know what the fear will subside after you take the step it's not going to go away before you do it it is as you are doing it the fear will sub subside let's bow our heads Jesus with so many times we allow our fears to keep us locked up in a self-imposed prison that prevents us from experiencing the fullness of life that you intended it is so reassuring to know that

you are Eternal that you exist that you're the truth that you never change and everything else around us is changing today I pray for all the fears that are represented here that are keeping people in self-imposed prison now you pray Lord say Lord fill me with Your Love Jesus fill me with love so I'm not filled with fear I commit to you I trust you I want to fulfill your life mission for my life Jesus Christ in your name I pray amen