Freedom From Fear

In this episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, Dr. Andrew Farley explores the profound theme of overcoming fear and stepping into a life of freedom. The episode begins with a compelling statement about fear being the threshold between bondage and freedom, emphasizing the opportunities God has offered us. It draws inspiration from Biblical stories of adventure and triumph, which pose a crucial question: Are we willing to take the leap of faith God has provided, or will fear hold us back? The episode dives into the story of Rahab and the spies, highlighting a powerful scripture that encourages strength and courage. The host sets the stage for a deep dive into the topic of freedom from fear, building on previous episodes that explored freedom from sin and setting the tone for a compelling discussion on this important aspect of faith.

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Fear, if left unchecked, can lead to selfishness, diverting our attention from God and others. The Bible is a treasury of stories that highlight the courage required to overcome fear. Gideon and Joshua needed constant reassurance, emphasizing that freedom from fear is not easily attained. This powerful episode reminds us that God's promises are on the other side of fear and leaps of faith. By conquering our fears, we can truly embrace the boundless freedom God offers. We hope you'll be inspired to make the choice to live a life free from fear and full of faith. Thank you for joining us on The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, where we make the Bible come alive in the most engaging and enlightening way.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray for God didn't give us a spirit
of fear, but of power, love, and self control. Therefore,
don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor
of me his prisoner, but endure hardship for the good
news according to the power of God. Two Timothy, Chapter one,

(00:23):
verses seven and eight. Dear Lord, sometimes I am overcome
with fear and anxiety. I can find myself paralyzed and
unable to move forward. But you, God, are rich in
mercy and grace. You have given me your spirit, so
I have everything I need for life and godliness. You

(00:43):
are my strength to endure despite my fears. Through your
permanent and powerful presence within me, you supply the love
and self control I need to face every difficulty. I
look to you to day, and I trust you to
be mything. In Jesus' name. Amen, thank you for praying

(01:08):
with me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture
through prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with
doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick word from
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Speaker 2 (02:16):
Nine eight nine eight.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Fear keeps us at the threshold between bondage and freedom,
but God wants us to trust him and step into
the amazing freedom of His grace. There are lots of
stories of adventure and triumph in the Bible that leave
us asking this question, am I willing to believe God?
Take a leap of faith and step into the benefits

(02:49):
of what He's promised.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
No one shall be able to stand against you, just
as I was with Moses, So I will be with you.
I will never leave you. Be strong and courageous, and
you will lead the people into victory. Keep my commands
close to your heart, and do not be afraid, for
I am with you.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Hello, I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Welcome back. If you've been with
us up until now, you know we've been exploring the
depths of Scripture in new and exciting ways. We've delved
into biblical themes, motifs, and questions using stories we've gone

(03:37):
through earlier this year. This episode is day three of
our three day journey looking at biblical freedom. Last time,
we learned about the freedom that comes from our total forgiveness,
which inspires us to walk without the weight of shame
dragging us down. Today, we look at our freedom from

(04:00):
fear and the chokehold that fear can have in our
lives when we don't trust the love of God. There
are healthy fears and unhealthy fears. The Book of Proverbs
tells us that the fear or respect of the Lord
is the beginning of wisdom. Reverence and awe of God

(04:20):
are healthy and necessary. However, unhealthy fears can be crippling
and hold us back from our true potential. Fear of failure,
fear of connection, or fear of stepping out into the unknown.
God wants to draw us out of these fears and
call us into a grand adventure. God called Abraham to

(04:44):
step out in faith and embark on a journey of
epic proportions. Abraham chose to trust that God's promises meant
he could let go of his fears.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Out of the line of Shem came Abram, a man
well advanced in years. When Abram was seventy five years old,
the Lord spoke to him, saying, go away from your
country and your people to an unknown land. I have
a place for you. I will bless those who bless you,
and curse those who dishonor you, and through you all

(05:24):
the nations shall be blessed. This was Abram's call to adventure,
and he had no idea what the Lord would truly
do through him. Yet he obeyed and left his father's
land with his wife SARAHI, and his nephew lot. They
journeyed together, determined to see God's will unfold before them.

(05:46):
They set out to Canaan, the land God had chosen
for them. There, God spoke to Abram, saying, this is
the land I have promised to you and your descendants.
Even now, as the Lord's will was being shown to Abram,
he could not fathom what great things God would do.

Speaker 3 (06:06):
God's promise to Abraham concerning the promised Land was a
foreshadowing of God's promise to us today that we can
enter a spiritual rest through Christ. Hebrews four speaks of
this rest and says the Israelites failed to enter the
Promised Land for so long because of unbelief. As a result,

(06:30):
they wandered in a wilderness. Today, we wander in a
spiritual wilderness until we put our faith in Christ, who
is our promised land. Once we place our trust in Jesus,
he forgives us completely and saves us forever. This is
what he meant when he said we'd find rest for

(06:52):
our souls. But fear of the unknown can cause some
to remain stagnant. Shake from fear, and then we don't
move forward. That was the case for Abraham when he
feared what would happen to him in Egypt. Fear of
the unknown made him anxious, and he lied to save

(07:14):
himself from a threat he didn't know for sure was
even there.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
As they entered Egypt, doubt and paranoia began to seep
into Abram's mind. Abram became fearful that Sarah's beauty would
cause the Egyptians to kill him so they could take her. Abram,
fearful and faithless, devised a lie. He spoke to his wife, saying,
when we enter Egypt, do not tell them that you

(07:44):
are my wife. Instead, tell them you are my sister.
This way my life will be spared and they will
treat me well.

Speaker 3 (07:54):
The Bible is filled with brilliant stories of courage and
freedom from fear, but it isn't achieved easily. It takes
a radical step of faith, trusting God to follow through
with his promises. It also takes continual reminders. Gideon needed
several reassurances from God that he was called to lead

(08:17):
Israel against its foes. When faced with the daunting task
of leading Israel and battling its enemies, Joshua needed to
be reminded several times to be strong and courageous. But
God had something spectacular for them, like treasure awaiting them

(08:37):
on the opposite side of choppy seas. God's promises were
on the other side of their fears. Fear keeps us
at the threshold between bondage and freedom, but God wants
us to trust him and step into the amazing freedom
of his grace. There are lots of stories of adventure

(08:58):
and triumph in the Bible that leave us asking this question,
Am I willing to believe God? Take a leap of
faith and step into the benefits of what He's promised.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
No one shall be able to stand against you, just
as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
I will never leave you. Be strong and courageous, and
you will lead the people into victory. Keep my commands
close to your heart, and do not be afraid, for
I am with you. Three times God repeated these words

(09:36):
to Joshua, encouraging him to be strong and courageous. Joshua
closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He rolled
his shoulders back and assumed a large posture. Then he
arose to go lead his people. Prepare yourselves, Joshua shouted
to his men. He marched through camp to all the

(09:58):
officers of Israel's saying, pass through camp and command people
to pack their belongings, for in three days we will
pass through the Jordan and take the land that is ours.
So Joshua and all his men helped the families of
Israel prepare for their final adventure. A galvanizing spirit of

(10:19):
unity was among the people, and Joshua had the trust
and admiration of Israel. However, Joshua was not naive to
the dangers that awaited Israel. He remembered the vastness of
the Canaanite armies and their strength. They were not like
God's people. These cultures could be brutal and sadistic, taking

(10:42):
women and children as prostitutes and slaves. He must be careful,
and God must be with him.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
Experiencing freedom from fear doesn't mean you won't face danger
or that your life will be without struggle. Freedom from
fear simply means you choose to press forward through every
circumstance with hope and courage, because you know if God
is for you, then who can be against you.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
We know that all things work together for good for
those who love God, for those who are called according
to his purpose for whom he foreknew. He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the first born among many brothers, whom
he predestined, those he also called, whom he called, those

(11:41):
he also justified, whom he justified, those he also glorified.

Speaker 3 (11:50):
God's love is spelled out for you in so many ways.
Through Jesus, God justifies you, He makes you write with
him forever. Through Jesus, God also conforms you to his image,
investing in you for the long haul. God's trying to
tell you something that He loves you and that you

(12:12):
can trust him. And it's God's perfect love for you
that sets you free from fear. So next time you
feel that crippling sensation of fear that overcomes you, remember
God is for you always, no matter what, and God
is good to you always. No matter what this means,

(12:35):
you really can let go of that fear and fix
your eyes on God, who works all things together for
your good. Thank you for listening to today's episode of
the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you
can learn about the Bible in this entertaining and inspiring way.

(12:56):
Download Theprey Dot com app and for more in encouragement
in God's Grace, visit Andrew Farley dot org. That's Andrew
Farley dot org.