Who Told You? Overcoming Distractions and Fear

Devotional

Day 1: Standing Still When Pharaoh’s Army Approaches

Fear often wears us down like water eroding stone. The Israelites faced Pharaoh’s chariots after tasting freedom, their panic a distraction from God’s promise. Fretting consumes, but stillness redirects our eyes to the One who drowns threats in Red Sea deliverance. Trust isn’t passive—it’s choosing to calculate God’s power over visible chaos. What looks like a dead end becomes a highway for His glory. [01:00:55]

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’”
(Exodus 14:13–14, ESV)

Reflection: What “Pharaoh’s army” is advancing in your life right now? How might stillness, not strategizing, shift your focus to God’s track record of deliverance?

Day 2: Rebuking the Fire We Want to Call Down

Offense ignites quickly—like disciples demanding judgment on Samaritans who ignored Jesus. Their reaction wasted energy on secondary battles, distracting from Jerusalem’s purpose. Jesus rebuked not the offenders, but His own followers’ misplaced fury. Distractions often masquerade as righteous anger, diverting us from our mission. Every spark of irritation asks: does this fire serve Heaven’s agenda or my ego? [01:07:25]

“And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them.”
(Luke 9:54–55, ESV)

Reflection: When has someone’s rejection or indifference made you want to “blow them up” spiritually? How might that reaction distract you from what God is building through you?

Day 3: Feeding Sheep Instead of Rehearsing Denials

Peter expected Jesus to resurrect his three denials. Instead, Jesus resurrected his purpose. The enemy replays our failures like a broken record; God hums a new song of redemption. Distraction chains us to shame’s post. Obedience frees us to nourish others. Every “feed my sheep” drowns out yesterday’s “I don’t know Him.” [01:22:21]

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’”
(John 21:15, ESV)

Reflection: What past failure plays on loop in your mind? How might focusing on one practical act of service today disrupt that cycle?

Day 4: Naming the Voice That Told You to Hide

God’s first post-fall question wasn’t “Why did you eat?” but “Who told you to hide?” Distortion begins when we internalize hell’s commentary as truth. Naming the source of “you’re not enough” disarms its power. Every lie shrivels under the spotlight of “Thus says the Lord.” [01:26:28]

“But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’ He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked?’”
(Genesis 3:9–11, ESV)

Reflection: What specific lie about your identity have you accepted without investigating its origin? How would believing God’s “who told you?” challenge that narrative?

Day 5: Investigating the Source of “I Can’t”

“I can’t” often parrots someone else’s voice—a critic, a failure, a fearful parent. Paul’s “I can do all things” wasn’t bravado but reliance on the Strengthener. Weakness becomes the classroom where Christ tutors us in resurrection math. Every limitation whispers an invitation: trace this lie back to its liar. [01:35:13]

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
(Philippians 4:13, ESV)

Reflection: What “I can’t” have you accepted without question? How might Christ’s strengthening redefine what’s possible in your current struggle?

Sermon Summary

Distraction keeps trying to pull the church off course, especially in a loose, unstructured season like summer. Fear is the first hook. Exodus sets the tone with God’s word, be still, you will see these enemies no more, while Psalm 37 keeps saying fret not. John 14 pushes it to a command: let not your heart be troubled. Fear and fretting are a natural reaction, but faith calculates with God. When God is factored in, the heart stops reacting and starts responding. The call is simple and strong: command the soul to let not, fret not, and keep calculating with God.

Offense is the next trap. Luke 9 shows James and John catching the Samaritans’ attitude and asking to call down fire. Jesus does not rebuke the Samaritans. He rebukes His disciples. Stop it. That is the word. Stop taking on other people’s bad day and letting it hijack the assignment. Some distractions can be good when God interrupts with a word or a song, but most aim to knock the church off mission. So Jesus lives from the inside out, not from the noise outside in.

Jude 9 opens a strange window. The devil contends for Moses’ body, not because the body has power, but because a shrine would shift focus. All it takes is a tiny shift of focus and a generation’s worship can warp. The church sings about God while getting fixated on platforms, personalities, and preferences. God will not let the enemy take what belongs to Him, but the warning stands: keep worship aimed at the One who brought them out, not the people He used.

Shame from the past is another loud voice. Peter denied Jesus three times, yet the risen Christ never drags it back up. He says, feed my sheep. The future is the subject, not the failure. Genesis 3 frames the battle under one question: who told you? God is after the source of belief, not just behavior. Voices from wounds, rejections, and failed attempts say too young, too old, too late. The Lord keeps asking, who told you that, because Philippians 4:13 keeps answering, strength comes from Christ. The Roman Road settles the issue of standing with God, then the church settles which voice it will follow. Investigate the source, cut off the noise, and follow the inside voice of the Spirit.

Key Takeaways

1. Let not, fret not, fear not. [01:04:26] Fear is human, but it is not lord. Faith calculates with God and changes the math on every anxious thought. Commanding the heart to let not is obedience to Jesus, not denial of reality. A believer who factors God in will respond instead of react. [64:26]
2. Offense is a sneaky distraction. [01:07:25] Borrowed offense feels righteous, but it bleeds focus and burns time. Jesus rebukes disciples, not Samaritans, because offense inside the team does the deepest damage. The assignment to go to Jerusalem cannot survive a heart hooked on payback. Stopping offense is part of staying on mission. [67:25]
3. Worship God, not the platform. [01:14:29] A tiny shift of focus reshapes a generation’s heart. Songs can still say God while the gaze slides to personalities, production, and preference. Shrines form wherever gratitude for God’s servants replaces glory to God Himself. Correcting the aim of worship heals the soul’s center. [74:29]
4. Ask God’s question: Who told you? [01:26:28] God goes after the source of belief, not just the slip in behavior. Lies dress up as experience, statistics, and family storylines, then set ceilings over a calling. Tracing a thought back to its origin exposes whether heaven authored it. What God did not say, the church does not have to carry. [86:28]
5. Feed His sheep, not your shame. [01:22:21] Jesus restores Peter by handing him work, not a rap sheet. Grace refuses to let yesterday narrate tomorrow. Calling grows where the conversation shifts from failure to faithfulness. The church that feeds His sheep finds its past put in its place. [82:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[60:07] - Summertime and spiritual distractions
[61:43] - Fret not and define fear
[62:58] - Respond, do not react
[64:26] - Let not your heart be troubled
[65:57] - Samaria slight and rising offense
[67:25] - Jesus rebukes borrowed offense
[69:29] - Live from the inside out
[70:46] - Jude 9 and Moses’ body
[74:29] - When worship shifts to platform
[78:38] - God keeps what belongs to Him
[82:21] - Peter restored to feed sheep
[83:16] - Genesis 3: God’s question
[87:50] - Investigate the source of voices
[91:41] - The Roman Road and a choice
[94:52] - Strength for the weak in Christ
[99:38] - Final charge and blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- John 14:1 (ESV): "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."
- Genesis 3:9-11 (ESV): "But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?' And he said, 'I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.' He said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?'"
- Philippians 4:13 (ESV): "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Observation Questions

In John 14:1, what specific command does Jesus give about our hearts, and what does He pair it with?
How does God respond to Adam’s explanation of hiding in Genesis 3:9-11? What question does He ask to address the root of Adam’s fear?
What does Philippians 4:13 emphasize as the source of strength for overcoming challenges?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus command us to actively “let not” our hearts be troubled instead of passively waiting for peace? How does this connect to faith?
In Genesis 3:9-11, why does God focus on who told you rather than immediately addressing Adam’s disobedience? What does this reveal about His priorities?
How does the promise in Philippians 4:13 (“all things”) challenge common limitations we place on ourselves, like “too old” or “too broken”?

Application Questions

When anxiety or fear arises, what practical step could you take to “command your heart” to trust God instead of reacting impulsively? [01:04:26]
Think of a lie you’ve believed about yourself (e.g., “I’m not enough”). How might asking, Who told you that? help you reject it and replace it with God’s truth? [01:26:28]
Are there areas where your worship or focus has subtly shifted toward platforms, personalities, or preferences instead of God? What’s one way to recenter your heart this week? [01:14:29]
Jesus restored Peter by giving him a purpose (“Feed my sheep”) rather than revisiting his failure. How could focusing on what God is calling you to do next help you move past shame or regret? [01:22:21]
Offense often feels justified, but how might holding onto someone else’s “bad day” distract you from your own mission or relationships? What would it look like to “stop it” in a specific situation? [01:07:25]
Identify a voice (past experience, criticism, or insecurity) that limits your faith. How can you “investigate its source” and replace it with Christ’s promise in Philippians 4:13? [01:34:52]

Sermon Clips

27s

#QuestionTheSource

“``Instead of arguing with the tough or the thought the tough thought that we have, trace it back to the origin. Is this really what God is saying to me that I just can't be this? I just can't do it? Who told you? Who told you?”

43s

#DivineDistractions

“``There are good distractions and there are bad distractions. Do you realize there are good distractions and bad distractions? Sometimes God will distract us with his word. He'll he'll put a word in you. He'll put a song in your spirit or some will come on the radio or or you'll come to church like you did today and like, oh, I'm coming to church at Sunday. I there's nothing else going on. I'm coming to church. I'm glad I'm here. And then when you get here, god's begin to speak to you. God begin to move into your heart. I mean, that's a that's a You might have come here not expecting anything and next thing you know, you believe in god for something super natural miracle that you thought you're gonna settle for, but now God's gonna do great things in your life. That's a distraction.”

50s

#BeliefOverBehavior

“``Adam, where are you? See, god doesn't just deal with behavior. He deals with a source of belief. Yeah. We have, let me go ahead and say this, we all have a behavior problem. You're welcome. We all have a behavior problem. God has constantly dealing with our behavior problems, and he deals with our behavior problems. And he has an antidote for our behavior problems, and he's teaching us how to deal with our behavioral problems. But our behavioral problems, ugh, I'm getting ready to get slammed for this. That's okay. I can handle it. It's not the behavioral problems that he that he has a problem with. It's our source of belief that he has a problem with.”

57s

#GuardTheirWords

“``We've got kids, got grandkids now, and all your parents, all these kids here. If you go to school or go somewhere or stay at neighbor's house or whatever, you come back and a kid says a word or has a definition of something that you didn't want them to say or you don't want them to know. Everybody know where I'm going with this. And there's little Jimmy over there. He did I mean, you in the other room doing something totally different, and you hear a vocabulary come out of old old Tommy's mouth over here. As a parent, you're gonna leave that room and go in there and you're gonna say what? Who told you that? Right? Hey. Who told who told you that? Who who told you that?”

32s

#FaithOverFear

“``Just just wear you down. Just just literally pull you down. Just drag you down. The origin of the word literally means to consume you, to devour you. So that's why God wants to make sure regardless of what's going on in your life, man, don't don't fear. Don't fear. Don't fear is a natural response, but don't let fear become your belief because the opposite of fear is faith. And so if you don't, you can't have faith and fear at the same time because that faith will overcome any fear that you have.”

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Who Told You? Overcoming Distractions and Fear

Devotional

Day 1: Standing Still When Pharaoh’s Army Approaches

Day 2: Rebuking the Fire We Want to Call Down

Day 3: Feeding Sheep Instead of Rehearsing Denials

Day 4: Naming the Voice That Told You to Hide

Day 5: Investigating the Source of “I Can’t”

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Who Told You? Overcoming Distractions and Fear

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