3 Elements to Overcoming Fear - Pastor James Hooper

Devotional

Day 1: You possess God's gift; do not fear.

Paul reminds Timothy that the gifts and faith within him were given through family and the laying on of hands; likewise, you have received what you need—gifts imparted and a spirit from God—so the call is to stir up that gift, lean into what was passed down, and refuse to let fear keep you from using what God put inside you. [07:05]

2 Timothy 1:5-7 (ESV)
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded is in you as well.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Reflection: What is one gift or spiritual habit handed to you by family or mentors that you can intentionally "fan into flame" this week, and what is one practical step you will take today to begin using it in service to others?

Day 2: Perfect love removes fear and torment.

The love of God, perfected in believers, gives boldness and cancels the torment that fear brings; because as Jesus is, so are we in this world, and perfect love displaces the fearful thoughts that keep a person bound and anxious. [16:18]

1 John 4:17-18 (ESV)
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment; because as he is so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Reflection: Identify the anxious thought you rehearsed this week—what truth about God's love directly contradicts that fear, and can you speak that truth aloud to yourself three times right now?

Day 3: Adoption into God's family breaks bondage.

Believers have not received a spirit that returns them to slavery and fear; instead, they have been adopted—able to cry "Abba, Father"—which changes how they stand before God and frees them from the condemning, fearful posture of the slave. [17:46]

Romans 8:15 (ESV)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Reflection: When fear makes you feel condemned or unworthy, will you pause, place your hand on your heart, and pray "Abba, Father" asking Him to remind you of your adoption—and note how that changes one decision you face today?

Day 4: Jesus destroyed death's power over believers.

Because Christ shared in our humanity and died, he broke the devil's power that held people in lifelong fear—especially the fear of death—and now God helps the children of Abraham; you can live with courage because Jesus has already removed the authority that used to keep people enslaved. [18:43]

Hebrews 2:14-16 (ESV)
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

Reflection: What fear of loss or "death" (literal or symbolic) is limiting you today, and what one specific act of faith can you do this week to step into the freedom Jesus purchased—then do it and tell one trusted person?

Day 5: Holy Spirit empowers bold witness and power.

The same Spirit that empowered Jesus lives in believers to give power for ministry, signs, and bold witness; fear is the enemy's tactic to keep that Spirit from operating, but when the Spirit moves in a life, believers are equipped to do works that bring blessing and multiply Jesus' presence in the world. [30:12]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Reflection: Choose one small, concrete way you can be a witness this week (a phone call, a note of encouragement, praying for someone), ask the Holy Spirit for boldness now, and schedule it into your day—what will you do and when?

Sermon Summary

Across our campuses I pointed us back to a simple practice from last week—gratitude—and told the story of waking from an intense dream with my heart racing. Instead of heading to the recliner to fight, I laid back down and began to thank God for the most obvious things I could name. Gratitude redirected my mind, and I woke rested. From there we pressed into how to overcome fear from 2 Timothy 1:7. I walked through Timothy’s story—his mother and grandmother’s faith and Paul’s laying on of hands—and connected it to my own: a father’s spoken blessing, being “tricked” by the Lord into worship leading, and discovering a prophetic gift. Even with heritage and impartation, fear still tries to intimidate. So what breaks it?

Scripture leads us in three strands woven together. First, power: the Holy Spirit indwells us, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. He doesn’t empower angels; He aids the seed of Abraham—us. Second, love: not mere sentiment, but God’s agape poured into our hearts, the expulsive power that drives out fear and reorders our motives. Third, a sound mind: not frantic or foggy, but disciplined wisdom, the mind of Christ available to bless others.

I told a painful story about flight training. Practicing a stall triggered my deepest fear—not of heights, but of falling—and I bailed. I regret quitting, and I shared it to be honest: fear can rob us if we let it define the narrative. But in Christ, fear isn’t our storyteller. Adoption replaces bondage; Abba replaces accusation; perfect love replaces torment. We don’t make decisions out of fear. We confess, in the moment fear creeps in: I have power. I have love. I have a sound mind. And we act—blessing others—because pity parties wither where generosity flows.

We ended by standing in faith, receiving fresh help from the Spirit, and asking for wisdom. Jesus has taken the keys; the Spirit raises a standard; and we are sent to live from power, love, and a sound mind.

Key Takeaways

1. Gratitude disarms midnight assaults Gratitude is not denial; it is attention, choosing what gets the first and last word in your heart. Naming specific gifts slows anxious spirals and reorients your nervous system toward trust. Gratitude becomes spiritual warfare when fear prowls in the dark. Start small, and watch the list grow. [03:51]
2. You possess power, love, sound mind These are not wishes; they’re gifts already given in Christ. Power is the Spirit’s enabling presence, love is God’s agape poured into your heart, and a sound mind is disciplined, Spirit-given wisdom. Refuse fear-based decisions; confess truth and cooperate with the Helper within you. [29:41]
3. Adoption ends fear’s lifelong bondage Fear thrives where we feel orphaned and alone. Adoption means Abba meets us with nearness, not condemnation, and gives us the inheritance of the seed of Abraham. When belonging is settled, fear loses leverage; you are not bracing for rejection, you are moving from sonship. [17:17]
4. Perfect love confronts torment head-on Fear torments; love casts it out. God’s love is not a cushion but a cleansing force that evicts anxiety’s lies and resets your internal world. Receive love vertically, then release it horizontally—love turns intercession outward and breaks fear’s self-absorption. [15:47]
5. Your story becomes someone else’s strength God wastes nothing; wisdom you gain in battle is bread for another. Even regrets, named in the light, can become guidance and courage for the next person in line. Blessing others breaks the cycle of self-pity and re-enlists your heart in God’s larger purposes. [38:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Archives and weekday devotions
[01:43] - Gratitude quiets a night attack
[04:19] - Overcoming fear: 2 Timothy 1:7
[05:50] - Generational faith and impartation
[11:26] - From sound booth to worship lead
[14:02] - First prophetic words released
[15:47] - Perfect love casts out fear
[17:17] - Adoption: Abba, not bondage
[18:43] - Jesus breaks fear of death
[22:29] - Flight lesson: practicing a stall
[27:58] - Panic, regret, and confession
[29:41] - Three gifts: power, love, mind
[45:22] - Stand and receive freedom
[48:48] - Benediction: planted and prosperous

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
- 2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Observation questions (3–4)

What three contrasts does 2 Timothy 1:7 make (what is not given and what is given)? How would you put that short phrase into your own words?
Paul reminds Timothy that the gift was seen in his grandmother and mother and was stirred up by the laying on of hands. How does the sermon describe that combination of heritage and impartation as evidence that the gift was in Timothy? [06:31]
In the pastor’s story about waking from an intense dream, what happened when he chose to name simple, obvious things to be grateful for? What physical and mental changes did he report? [03:51]
The sermon cites 1 John that “perfect love casts out fear” and connects fear with torment. How does the preacher describe the relationship between love and fear in everyday life? [15:47]

Interpretation questions (3–4 — third person, specific)

How should the group understand the word “power” in 2 Timothy 1:7 in practical ministry and day-to-day life, given the sermon’s references to Acts and the Spirit-empowered examples like Stephen? [29:41]
What does the preacher mean by love being more than sentiment (agape poured into the heart)? How might this kind of love function to “cast out fear” in concrete interpersonal situations? [33:04]
How does the sermon contrast a “sound mind” with anxious or frantic thinking? What markers would indicate that someone is operating from Spirit-given wisdom rather than fear-driven impulses? [35:19]
The sermon points to adoption (crying “Abba, Father”) as ending lifelong bondage to fear. How should this identity as an adopted child change the way someone responds to rejection or loneliness? [17:17]

Application questions (5–7, personal and concrete)

The pastor used a bedside gratitude practice to quiet a midnight attack. What five specific things will you put on a gratitude list tonight? Will you commit to writing at least one thing each night for the next seven days? [03:51]
Name a decision you recently made that, in hindsight, was motivated by fear. What would a different choice look like if you re-made it from “power, love, a sound mind”? Describe one concrete action step to begin reversing that fear-based outcome. [29:41]
The sermon said blessing others breaks pity parties. Who can you bless this week (practical example: bring a meal, write an encouraging note, give time or a tangible help)? What exactly will you do, and when will you do it? [38:57]
Think of a fear that has stopped you from pursuing something you want (the pastor’s stall in flight training is an example). What is one small, measurable step you can schedule in the next 14 days to face that fear (phone call, short class, talk with a mentor, baby step practice)? [27:58]
The preacher taught a short confession: “I have the power. I have love. I have a sound mind.” Will you choose to speak this aloud when anxiety rises? When during the day will you practice it (morning, before bed, when worry begins)? [41:11]
Identify one person in your circle who feels orphaned, rejected, or isolated. What one tangible thing will you do in the next week to show them Abba’s nearness (call, visit, pray together, invite to a meal)? [17:17]

Sermon Clips

How many know Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father, ever making intercession for us? How many know it also says that we are seated together with Christ in heavenly places? As he is, so are we in this world. In other words, he's saying, we are the intercessors for this world. We are the go-between between those that are lost and God. But we can't be go-betweens if we're not operating in love. And if we're living in fear, we are not living in love. [00:16:35] (38 seconds) #IntercedeInLove

``Jesus is our example. Jesus is the model that we look at. We look at Jesus, and Jesus did nothing as God only. He did everything on this earth as a man filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you remember when that happened? When he was baptized by John in the Jordan River, he came up out of the water, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of the dove and rested on him. And at that point, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness to be tested. And when he came out of that wilderness, he came out in the power of the Holy Spirit. [00:31:13] (44 seconds) #JesusOurExample

You have that same Spirit inside you. If the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you, it will quicken or make alive your mortal body. You have that power to overcome fear. You have it. The enemy wants us to feel powerless. He wants us to feel like we are hopeless. He wants us to feel like we cannot accomplish what we are to accomplish on this earth. But you have the power because you have the Holy Spirit if you are born again. [00:31:58] (35 seconds) #PowerInTheSpirit

So you don't have to worry about fear because you have power and you have love. Galatians 5.22, but the fruit of the Spirit. Remember, we've talked about the fruit. The fruit is a product of an intimate relationship. I am the fruit of Hewlin and Claudia Hooper's intimate relationship. I am the fruit of that relationship. We have fruit if we have this intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. And that fruit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, so on. [00:33:32] (38 seconds) #FruitOfTheSpirit

It's not a spirit of fear. God does not give a...So if you're operating in fear, you know that's not God. If you make decisions in your life out of fear, that's not God directing you. God does not help you make decisions by making you afraid. There is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear. He is a loving Father. He doesn't try to scare us into doing stuff. He tries to guide us because He is our Abba. He is our Daddy. [00:34:29] (35 seconds) #LoveCastsOutFear

So Paul says, listen, you may think I'm crazy, but the wisdom that God has given me is for you. It is for somebody else. God can give you wisdom. And it's, see, God does this crazy thing in that He doesn't just do one thing for one person. When He does one thing for one person, it's actually so it can benefit others. God's good that way. So when He blesses you, we are the seed of Abraham and God told Abraham, you will be blessed so that you can be a blessing. [00:37:44] (40 seconds) #BlessedToBeABlessing

But God's given me revelation. And when he opens my eyes and I see these three elements to overcoming fear, three elements he's given us because Jesus said, I'm going to go away to his disciples. He said, I'm going to go away. But he said, I'm not leaving you alone. He said, I'm going to send someone just like me. I'm going to send him to you. Not many days hence. In other words, not tomorrow, but it's going to be. So go and hang out in Jerusalem for a while. [00:42:10] (40 seconds) #PromiseOfTheSpirit

That's why the enemy attacks you with fear because you are more powerful than you know. And the enemy knows once you get a grasp on the power that God has put inside of you because of the Holy Spirit. This is not a not a self-help thing. That's not. God, I'm telling you, you have the power not on your own, but because you have the Holy Spirit. You have the Holy Spirit, the power that is at your disposal. He created everything you see and he created you. [00:43:37] (30 seconds) #EmpoweredByTheSpirit

So when the enemy tries to attack us, so when the enemy, Scripture says, when he comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him. In other words, he's going to say, oh, no, no, that don't work no more. Because Jesus, he took the keys of death, hell and the grave. He stripped him of that authority that he usurped from Adam and Eve. He took it by deception. Jesus took it by force and by authority. [00:44:15] (35 seconds) #JesusHasTheKeys

Worry is fear. Worry is not accomplishing anything. It's like sitting in a rocking chair expecting to go somewhere. You're just going to wear out, wear yourselves out and not get anywhere. Worry is meditating on the worst possible outcomes. That's fear. And God wants us to meditate on his goodness. He wants us to be grateful and think on good things. We talked about that last week. Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is a good report, think on these things. [00:45:31] (37 seconds) #ThinkOnGoodThings

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