Overcoming Fear: Embracing Courage Through God's Truth

### Summary

Welcome, everyone. Today, I am excited to share some important updates and a powerful message about battling fear. First, I want to remind you about "Be the Body Sunday" on June 30th. On that day, we will not have our regular service. Instead, we encourage you to go out and be the body of Christ. Whether that means worshiping at another church, taking a family member or a non-believer to lunch, or engaging in any other activity that embodies the love of Christ, we want you to be active in your faith outside these walls.

Our vision is to see lives changed, to witness baptisms, and to see miracles happen right here in our church. But we also believe in the importance of stepping out and being the body of Christ in our communities. Last week, we had an amazing service where we prayed and signed on the two-by-fours of our new building, declaring that we will see and believe in God's vision for us. We will build in Jesus' name.

I am thrilled to announce the launch of our middle school ministry. If you have middle schoolers, please sign them up using the QR code or speak to Miss Dina and Elton for more information. Additionally, our men's ministry is starting a new session this Thursday. Men, make sure you join us for a time of fellowship, learning, and growth.

Now, let's dive into today's word. Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence here today. We come to you with open hearts, ready to be filled with your word. Some of us have had challenging weeks, and we need your anointing to receive what you have for us. Speak to us, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen.

Today, we are starting a new series called "Battling the Enemy," focusing on overcoming life's toughest battles. The first battle we will address is the battle against fear. Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat or danger, triggering physiological and psychological reactions. It can be related to anxiety, dread, or terror about potential dangers and uncertainties.

I shared a story about my son, Caius, who had a fear of cracks in the ground. This fear paralyzed him, making it impossible for him to move forward. Similarly, fear can paralyze us, amplifying perceived threats and making them seem insurmountable. But we are called to fight fear with the truth of God's word.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We fight the fear of failure, inadequacy, and rejection with the truth of God's word. Romans 8:38 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We stand against fear with faith, knowing that God loves us, equips us, and empowers us to overcome.

Fear is a formidable adversary, but it is not insurmountable. God's word tells us that He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. We must immerse ourselves in the truth of God's word, allowing it to dismantle the lies of fear and restore our peace. John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you."

We must be courageous, not because we are without fear, but because we trust in God. Courage is fear that has said its prayers and decided to move forward anyway. We lean into God's truth, let His peace guard our hearts, and stand firm in the knowledge that He is with us.

Identify the fear that has been holding you back, write it down, pray over it, and replace it with the truth found in God's word. Choose courage over fear and faith over doubt. Share your journey and support one another because we all face fear, but we also have access to victory.

Father, thank you for your word today. We choose to be courageous and walk in truth. Today is a day of freedom from fear. In Jesus' name, amen.

### Key Takeaways

1. **Be the Body of Christ**: On June 30th, we will not have our regular service. Instead, we encourage you to go out and be the body of Christ. Whether that means worshiping at another church, taking a family member or a non-believer to lunch, or engaging in any other activity that embodies the love of Christ, we want you to be active in your faith outside these walls. [04:06]

2. **Vision and Belief**: Our vision is to see lives changed, to witness baptisms, and to see miracles happen right here in our church. Last week, we prayed and signed on the two-by-fours of our new building, declaring that we will see and believe in God's vision for us. We will build in Jesus' name. [39:32]

3. **Battling Fear**: Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat or danger, triggering physiological and psychological reactions. It can paralyze us, amplifying perceived threats and making them seem insurmountable. But we are called to fight fear with the truth of God's word. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." [46:03]

4. **Immersing in Truth**: To combat fear, we must immerse ourselves in the truth of God's word. John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." We must let God's peace guard our hearts and stand firm in the knowledge that He is with us. [01:03:55]

5. **Choosing Courage**: Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it. We must identify the fear that has been holding us back, pray over it, and replace it with the truth found in God's word. Choose courage over fear and faith over doubt. Share your journey and support one another because we all face fear, but we also have access to victory. [01:25:03]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[04:06] - Be the Body Sunday
[39:32] - Vision and Belief
[40:40] - Middle School Ministry Launch
[41:11] - Men's Ministry Announcement
[42:05] - Prayer and Worship
[44:26] - Battling the Enemy Series Introduction
[46:03] - Understanding Fear
[01:03:55] - Immersing in Truth
[01:25:03] - Choosing Courage
[01:26:44] - Transition to Giving
[01:42:48] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Philippians 4:13** - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
2. **Romans 8:38** - "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers."
3. **John 14:27** - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

#### Observation Questions
1. What activities are encouraged for "Be the Body Sunday" on June 30th? ([04:06])
2. How did the pastor describe his son's fear of cracks in the ground? ([47:09])
3. According to the sermon, what is the definition of fear? ([46:03])
4. What does John 14:27 say about the peace that Jesus gives? ([01:07:34])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Philippians 4:13 help us combat the fear of failure and inadequacy? ([01:18:58])
2. In what ways does Romans 8:38 assure us of God's love and presence in our lives? ([01:20:50])
3. How can immersing ourselves in the truth of God's word help us overcome fear? ([01:03:55])
4. What does it mean to choose courage over fear according to the sermon? ([01:22:54])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when fear paralyzed you. How can you apply Philippians 4:13 to that situation? ([01:18:58])
2. Identify a specific fear that has been holding you back. Write it down and find a Bible verse that speaks truth against that fear. How can you use this verse in your daily life? ([01:22:54])
3. How can you actively immerse yourself in the truth of God's word this week? What specific steps will you take? ([01:03:55])
4. Think of a situation where you need to choose courage over fear. What practical steps can you take to move forward despite your fear? ([01:22:54])
5. How can you support someone else in your small group who is struggling with fear? What specific actions can you take to encourage them? ([01:22:54])
6. Reflect on the peace that Jesus offers in John 14:27. How can you seek and maintain this peace in your daily life? ([01:07:34])
7. Share a personal story of overcoming fear with the group. How did your faith play a role in that journey? ([01:22:54])

Day 1: Embodying Christ's Love Outside the Church
On June 30th, the church will not hold its regular service. Instead, the congregation is encouraged to go out and be the body of Christ in their communities. This could mean worshiping at another church, taking a family member or a non-believer to lunch, or engaging in any other activity that embodies the love of Christ. The goal is to be active in faith outside the church walls, demonstrating Christ's love in practical ways. This initiative is a reminder that the church is not just a building but a community of believers called to live out their faith in everyday life. [04:06]

Matthew 5:16 (ESV): "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: How can you intentionally show Christ's love to someone outside your church community this week? What specific action can you take to be the body of Christ in your daily life?


Day 2: Believing in God's Vision
The church has a vision to see lives changed, witness baptisms, and see miracles happen within the community. Recently, the congregation prayed and signed on the two-by-fours of the new building, declaring their belief in God's vision for them. This act symbolizes their commitment to building in Jesus' name and trusting in His plans. Believing in God's vision requires faith and action, trusting that He will bring about transformation and miracles as they step out in obedience. [39:32]

Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: What vision has God placed on your heart? How can you actively participate in bringing that vision to life, trusting in God's timing and provision?


Day 3: Overcoming Fear with God's Truth
Fear is an emotional response to perceived threats or dangers, often paralyzing individuals and amplifying perceived threats. However, believers are called to fight fear with the truth of God's word. Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. By standing on God's promises, we can combat the fear of failure, inadequacy, and rejection. Romans 8:38 assures us that nothing can separate us from God's love, empowering us to overcome fear with faith. [46:03]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: Identify a specific fear that has been holding you back. How can you replace that fear with the truth of God's word today?


Day 4: Immersing in God's Peace
To combat fear, believers must immerse themselves in the truth of God's word. John 14:27 speaks of the peace that Jesus gives, which is different from the peace the world offers. This divine peace guards our hearts and minds, allowing us to stand firm in the knowledge that God is with us. By continually immersing ourselves in God's truth, we can dismantle the lies of fear and experience His peace that surpasses all understanding. [01:03:55]

Colossians 3:15 (ESV): "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Reflection: How can you create a daily habit of immersing yourself in God's word to experience His peace? What specific steps will you take to let His peace rule in your heart?


Day 5: Choosing Courage Over Fear
Courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to move forward despite it. Believers are encouraged to identify the fears holding them back, pray over them, and replace them with the truth found in God's word. By choosing courage over fear and faith over doubt, they can experience victory. Sharing their journey and supporting one another is crucial, as everyone faces fear but also has access to victory through Christ. [01:25:03]

Joshua 1:9 (ESV): "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Reflection: What is one fear you need to confront today? How can you choose courage and take a step of faith, trusting that God is with you?

Say, "Love covers a multitude of sins."

So I'm here to put some love in the wind. Tell a friend.

Hey Limitless, I'm excited to tell you about Be the Body Sunday. The last Sunday of this month, June 30th, we will not have service. Why? Because we're going to be out being the body. Whether that means you're worshiping at another church or maybe you're going to a church that you've been invited to, we encourage you to go out and be the body of Christ.

Maybe for you, that's taking a family member or a non-believer to lunch. Whatever that looks like, I want to encourage you to go out and not just be here. You're in a silo, but actually go out and be the body of Christ. So please don't be here Sunday, June the 30th. Don't knock on the door because we won't be here because we're going to go out and be the body.

This is our vision. Our vision is to be in here every Sunday, to see lives changed, have baptisms, to see miracles happen right here in these very seats. But whatever it is that God has given you, choose to believe in. Things may happen. Opposition may come. People may not believe. But if God be for you, who could be against you?

I'm just gonna tell you, if you missed last week, you missed an amazing service. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We got the opportunity to sit in vision last week. We went next door to our building and prayed, and we got to sign on the two by fours and just really see what God is doing and have the opportunity to be a part of it.

We talked about the children of Israel and how they allowed fear and unbelief to stop them from seeing it. And we declared that we will not be like them, that we will see it, we will believe it, and we will build in Jesus' name. So I'm excited about that and excited to move forward, starting a new series.

But before we dive into that, I do have two things for you. The first thing that I have is our middle school ministry is launching. And so if you have middle schoolers, please make sure you sign them up. It is imperative that we get them signed up. We want them to be a part of what we have for them. You can do so on the QR code. If you have any questions about that, please go see Miss Dina and Elton, and they'll be happy to give you and answer any questions for you about our middle school ministry.

And the second thing that we have is our men's ministry. Yes, men's ministry! Men, make some noise! The guys were... The ladies are clapping because they're like, "Yeah, y'all leaving again! Yes! The house to myself!"

All right, men, men, men, men. We had an amazing time our last session, our last few weeks that we spent together talking, just being men, learning how God has called us to be protectors, called us to be promoters, called us to be priests of our house. And so we are starting another session, and it begins this Thursday.

So please make sure that you get... You should be on the text message thread if you were part of it last time. If you would like to come and join us on these Thursdays, Dad, would you stand up? Pastor Johnson, please, please, please, please go see him, and he can answer any questions for you, get you signed up, make sure you're a part of that. We want you to be a part of it.

And we had food last time. I'm not saying that we have to have food this time. I'm just saying it would be disappointing if we didn't. So we want to do that.

So those are our two things. Let's dive into this word.

Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. God, already we know that your presence is here. God, we are here today because we want to hear from you. We need to hear from you. Some of us have had some weeks. God, the past week has been draining. It's been a lot, Lord, for some of us. And God, we're here, ready to be filled again.

God, your word is already anointed, so we ask that you would anoint our hearts to be able to receive what you're saying and our ears to be able to hear what you're saying. We honor you in this place, God. Speak to us. In Jesus' name, amen.

I want to do one quick shout-out. Our worship leader, Adriana, she graduated this past Saturday from college. Shout-out!

She... I don't know if people are speaking, but these guys...

Cruelty to God. Uh-oh. Oh boy. You know, we are allowing us to have her in all that she is, and so we honor you today. Amen?

All right. So we are diving into a brand new series. Over the next few weeks, we're going to dive into how to overcome some of life's toughest battles. And we're not talking about the battle that you have with your kids every morning to get them to school. We're not talking about a battle you may have with a coworker at work or your family or your friends. We are talking about battling your strongest enemy, the inner me.

Battling the forces, not that we deal with outwardly, but inwardly, because we deal with things. We deal with things internally, and it is important that we look at what the Word of God has to say about how we walk through these battles in life.

And so our sermon series is called Battling the Enemy, okay? All right, so we're starting that. The first battle that we want to wage this week is we're going to battle, wage the war, or fight the battle against fear, okay? Fighting the battle against fear.

Now, fear is defined as an emotional response to a perceived threat or danger, and it triggers a series of physiological and psychological reactions, okay? The second definition is relating to anxiety, dread, or terror about potential dangers, uncertainties.

So I wanted to make sure that we're all on the same page. An emotional response to a perceived threat, okay? Relating to anxiety, dread, or terror about potential dangers, uncertainties, or threats in life.

My son, Caius, is an amazing young boy. He wasn't always that way. He's three. He's still got a lot of work to do. Uh, but, uh, about a year, uh, right around the time that he started walking, um, uh, he had a fear, um, a fear that he was dealing with, uh, that was very annoying, an annoying fear he had.

Um, Caius, uh, would not... he had a fear of cracks in the ground, okay? So on a sidewalk, you know, there's a lot of these little lines as they... yeah, he was not having it. Um, he... he was, uh, he was, uh, he was, uh, he was, uh, he was, uh, he was, uh, he did not like the cracks in the ground or thresholds.

So this was a problem anytime we wanted to go somewhere, let alone walk somewhere because he just couldn't get over the fact of walking his feet, um, five centimeters over a crack to the next piece of the sidewalk.

And what would happen is if you put him down and he wasn't on a carpet or on a ground, when he came to a threshold or a crack, he would lose it. He would just begin crying. He would not know what to do. He would sit down and whine, and he would just lift his hands up. If you were over the crack, never mind that you're practically standing in the same place, he would lift his hands up because he just... and you... if you tried to push him, his feet would not go any further. His body would just move.

He was fearful. He was fearful. Fear had gotten him to a point to where he felt that he was physically unable to move across this crack that was less than one inch wide and one inch deep because what fear had told him is not that he was moving across a tiny threshold, but that he was tightroping across Mount Everest with no safety line.

That's what he thought. You laugh because it's a baby, but fear does the same thing to us because that's what fear does. Fear unchecked takes what you may perceive to be as a threat and it amplifies it through a series of thoughts that, if not handled soon, will have you paralyzed.

This is fear. This is what fear does. Now I'm not talking about a healthy fear that prevents you from hurting yourself, like, you know, not putting your hand on the stove or looking both ways before you cross the street. That type of fear is meant to protect us. It is a natural part of life. That is not what I'm talking about.

What I'm talking about today is the kind of fear that sits in your mind that feeds on doubt and its main intention is to rob you of life, of confidence, of your dreams, and the faith. That is the type of fear that we're talking about today.

And so today I want to address some questions we've already started on the first question. What is fear? We talked about the definition of it. We're walking through what it is, but what is fear? Fear is a self-imposed prison that will do its best to keep you from becoming what you were created to be.

But as believers, we have a responsibility to fight fear. We have a responsibility to battle against fear with the weapons that the Lord has given us. We cannot allow fear to rob us any longer. We have to battle this in a me and fight fear because Satan knows all too well how to use this fear against us.

He's done it for a very long time, but God, in his mercy, in his loving kindness, he acknowledges our struggle. He reminds us of his faithfulness, and then he gives us truth. He gives us truth and wisdom to fight our fears.

Isaiah 41:10 says, "Do not fear anything, for I am with you. Do not be afraid. Why? For I am your God. I will strengthen you. Be assured. I will help you. I will certainly take a hold of you with my righteous right hand, the hand of justice, of power, of victory, and of salvation."

He says, "Don't fear anything. Why? Because of me. That's why." He said, "Don't be afraid of anything. Why? Because of me. I am your God." He says, "I will certainly take a hold of you." He says, "That's why we don't have to be afraid."

2 Timothy 1 says, "God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but he has given us a spirit of power, of love, of sound judgment, of personal discipline."

Why? Why? Why does it matter that he gave us those things? Because those abilities result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control. He says, "Those abilities result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control."

Why? Because fear is not calm. Fear is not well-balanced. It is the opposite of well-balanced. And fear doesn't regard self-control. When you're afraid, you are not thinking about self-control. No, safe control. Get me somewhere where I don't got to deal with this fear anymore.

But he says, "I didn't give you a spirit of timidity or cowardice or self-control. I gave you a spirit of fear. I gave you the exact opposite. I gave you a spirit of power when you feel weak. I gave you a spirit of love. I gave you a spirit of sound judgment and personal discipline."

Joshua 1. Joshua has every reason to be afraid, to be terrified. He has every reason. And Joshua says, "I'm the lowest of the low." He said, "I ain't even the first low. I'm the second low. I'm the lowest of all the clans." And then out of the lowest of all, out of the clans, I'm the lowest of them. It's bad, bad, Lord. It's bad.

Then he says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified or dismayed or intimidated." Why? "For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Deuteronomy chapter 31, he says it again. He says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid." He says, "Don't be afraid or tremble before them." Why? "For it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you."

He will not fail you or abandon you. Courageous. He keeps talking about this word courageous. When we choose to not allow fear to paralyze us and we move forward anyway, that is being courageous.

Being courageous isn't the absence of fear. In fact, Joyce Meyer says, "Courage or being courageous is fear that has said its prayers and decided to go forward anyway."

We're to be courageous in the face of fear. Courage is fear that said its prayers and decided to go forward anyway. This is what we're called to do.

Now, pastor, you said there's good fears, there's bad fears. And how do I discern or how do I identify unhealthy fears? And I felt that this is important because depending on your upbringing, depending on where you grew up, depending on your social circumstance, or maybe some things that might have happened to you, it may be hard to discern what is a healthy fear and what is an unhealthy fear.

And I realized that that is a thing. So I want to break it down because it is crucial. It is crucial that we understand how to spot unhealthy fear. Because if we don't discern the difference, it can destroy our lives.

How do we discern healthy and unhealthy fear? We start by asking ourselves, "What is this fear rooted in?" What is this fear rooted in? If it's a healthy kind of fear, if it's a healthy kind, it's the kind that God created to protect us. If it's about preservation of life, if it's rational, then we understand that that fear is healthy.

But if it's rooted in something else, if it's something that makes you doubt God's goodness, that makes you forget his promises, that makes you feel unworthy, that makes you feel unloved, then that is an unhealthy fear. It is not from God. And it is designed to be unhealthy. It is designed to stop your faith right in its tracks.

What is the root of your fear? Where did it come from? Dr. Tony Evans says, "Fear is a reflection of the fact that faith has been interrupted." Because faith and fear cannot occupy the same space. It cannot occupy the same space. Faith has stopped, fear has taken its place.

And so where is the fear coming from? How do I identify this unhealthy fear? We ask ourselves, "Where is it coming from? Is it making you doubt who you are in Christ? Is it making you feel like you're not good enough or that you won't measure up?"

That is not God speaking. That is the enemy trying to steal your joy, trying to steal your peace, and trying to steal your purpose.

Dr. Well, Pastor, how do you feel about that? How do you know that? How do you know that it's the enemy? Well, John 10:10 says, "The thief cometh, what? To steal, kill, and destroy." He says, "But I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly."

Another version says, "Have it to the full." Jesus came to set you free from those fears and to give you an abundant life full of his love and full of his power.

And when we correctly identify the unhealthy fear in our life, we strip it from its power and we reclaim the peace and the sound mind that God has in store for us. That is what we do.

Fear is a tool that the enemy uses. And at times, that tool and that fear can seem overwhelming. If it's not paralyzing us to inaction, then we're not going to be able to do anything. And because of it, we're making decisions that are based on lies, all because of fear.

It's a multifaceted tool that the enemy uses. But once we identify that the fear is unhealthy, it is important that we now know that not only can we overcome it, but how do we overcome it?

Because fear will have you in a place that the enemy will be like, "Hey, everybody's dealing with fear. Everybody's... why not do nothing about it? Maybe, you know, maybe you just have a problem. No, no need for you to do anything. Why don't you just, you know, go tell somebody or go talk about it and, and, and, hey, you know, just go to the doctor."

And nothing against doctors or medicine. Just go to... it's fine. You don't need to seek the Lord. Just, let's go do the things. No, no, no, no, no, no.

It is important that you understand not only that you can overcome it, but there's a how to overcome it as well. You do not have to be a slave to fear. You do not have to be a slave to fear. You do not have to let fear run your life. You do not have to let fear overcome every area of your life. No, that is a lie from the pit of hell. You can overcome fear.

So what do we do? If you identify that there is an unhealthy fear that's taken root in your life, how do we overcome the constant attacks of fear?

First thing we do is we acknowledge the fear. See, some people will tell you, "No, no, no, you don't do it. Just act like it's not there. You know, just act like it's not there and eventually it'll go away." That is a lie. It's not going to happen. You're going to act like it until it overtakes you. You'll be overwhelmed and you'll be right back where you started, even in a worse place.

No, we don't ignore it. We do not ignore it. We acknowledge that the fear is there. Then once we acknowledge the fear, we recognize what the root of the fear is. We recognize that the fear is based on lies.

Okay? We recognize, second thing, we recognize the fear is based on lies. And then we replace the lies with the truth. We replace the lies with the truth.

And here's something, I gave this the first service for free. So I got to give it to y'all for free too. This one I'm not going to charge you for. Here's the thing. A lot of the fears that we deal with, a lot of the fears that we deal with, is really based in the fear.

So here's the thing. We recognize the fact that we don't trust God. I know, you get mad. I get it. I understand. It's whatever. I get it. A lot of the fears we deal with is based in the fact that we don't trust God.

I don't trust God for my finances. I don't trust God for my life. I don't trust God for my job. I don't trust God for my family. I don't trust God with the plan that he has for my life. I don't trust that he's going to do what he said he's going to do. I don't trust that he is going to come through like he came through before. I don't trust that he loves me that much. I don't trust that he hears me. I don't trust that he cares for me like that.

A lot of the fears that we face are rooted in the fact that we don't trust God. Let me be nice. It's rooted in the fact that we have to trust God more. That's free. Put that one to the side, okay?

We acknowledge the fear. We recognize that the fear is based in lies. And then we replace the lie with the truth. Here's the thing. When we replace that lie with the truth, it is important that we begin to immerse ourselves in truth, okay?

You must immerse yourself in truth. And say it again for the people in the back, okay? Immerse yourself in truth. Why? Because the enemy is doing a great... He's doing a great job of immersing you in lies.

He's doing a great job of constantly doing everything he can to immerse you in lies. There's lies on the television. There's lies on the social media. There's lies in conversation, let alone the lies that he is pouring in your mind.

He's doing a great job of immersing you in lies. So to combat that, you need to immerse yourself in truth. You need to immerse yourself in the Word of God. You need to immerse yourself in worship. You need to immerse yourself in prayer. You need to immerse yourself in conversations that build you up with the Word of God.

You need to immerse yourself in truth. John 8:32 says, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." You want to be free from fear, then it's time you immerse yourself in the truth. That is how you get freedom.

Know the truth, and the truth will set you free. When we lean into the truth, the Bible tells us we gain access to the peace that fear is trying to steal. It's in truth. It's in truth. Find the truth.

When the enemy is lying, find the truth. Where's the truth? In the Word of God. And now it's easier than ever for you to gain access to the truth. You can Google, "Hey, what does the Bible say about this?" You get 40 scriptures in less than a second. There is no excuse that you don't have access to the truth.

You got the Bible app that will say it to you. It will read the scripture for you. You say, "You know, reading's not my thing." Okay, cool. Press play and see what happens. Immersing yourself in truth.

Reading's not my thing. Okay, now you can... now you say, "Okay, all right, I got my word. What else do?" Get some worship music. Some of y'all's playlists are horrible. I'm gonna just go ahead and say it. I'm gonna go ahead and put that out there.

Okay, all right. I was already mean once today. I'm trying to be nice. All right. Life and death can't coexist. I can't be pouring death and... and... and... I'll just... just death, death, death, death, death, death, death.

What does that mean? I can't be pouring things because it's only two. It's either life or death. So I can't be immersing myself in things that are death. I can't be watching things that promote death. I can't be listening to things that promote death. I can't be having conversations that promote death and then be like, "God, I need you," because you've immersed yourself in death.

And then you're wondering why the fruit of death has made a harvest in your life and fear.

All right, all right, all right. Okay. All right, cool. That's it. That's it. All right. When we lean into the truth, the Bible tells us we gain access to the peace that fear is trying to steal.

The Bible says, "Guard the doorposts of your heart because out of it flows the issues of life." Guard. John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you. My perfect peace." That word perfect also means whole or complete. "Peace I give to you."

Here we go. "Not as the world gives to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you." Why? Because anything, any peace, it don't matter what it is. Any peace that you find yourself running to that is outside of the Word of God and out of God is counterfeit and it will not sustain any peace.

Even if you think it's okay. Because we'll say, "No, no, no, no, no. It's fine. You know, I just do this because it just gives me peace. I'll be lighting sage because it gives me peace. I got these crystals because it gives me peace. I have this little emblem, this little thing that I keep right here next to my bed because when I lay down, it gives me peace."

It's false. It's false. It's counterfeit. It can only give you temporary. That's why he says, "The peace that the world's giving you, that's not what I give to you. I give you perfect peace, whole peace, complete peace, peace that's not going to go away. Peace that is irregardless of circumstances, of surroundings, of anything."

He says, "That is the peace that I'm giving to you." And he says, "Let my perfect peace, my whole peace, my complete peace, calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge."

Every... that means all. Real simple. He says, "The peace that I'm giving you gives you courage, courage and strength for every challenge."

I got to get out of here. Philippians 4, "Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything, in every circumstance, in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your specific requests known to God."

Why? What will happen once I do that? "And the peace." The peace of God. The peace that reassures your heart. The peace that transcends all understanding. The peace that stands guard over your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus is yours.

You gain access to that peace. He says, "Don't be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything." Why? Because that's how you get access to peace.

I told a story before. I told a story before to my team leads, and I battled with this. So me preaching this is not something I don't know about. I don't get on this stage to talk about anything I haven't walked through.

I battled with anxiety, battled with it heavy. And it was to the point to where I was having thoughts, irrational thoughts that began to deal with me. I was driving home one day, and I'm at the red light, and I call my wife, and she didn't pick up the phone. And you know, she does that quite often. I don't know why she has a phone.

Anyway, I called her. She doesn't pick up the phone. And I immediately had this thought. What if my wife is laying dead on the ground? And I could see a picture of her laying down in a pool of blood in our kitchen? That's how long it took to form that.

Sitting at a red light, waiting for it to turn green. Then I'm walking my kid, walking Cadence. Cadence for a walk, and we're walking around a block, and I had this thought. What if somebody stabs me right now? I wonder if my son would be able to make it home. Would he know to run home? Would he be able to make it? Would he know how to get there? Because if I'm bleeding out, I can't get him home. What am I going to do?

That's how quick that thought came. I began to see just as I'm driving, just what if somebody runs this light right now while I'm going across? Full speed. I need to get life insurance. Who's going to plan my funeral? Is the church going to keep going?

These thoughts begin to wage war on the inside of me, and I began to have a conversation. I took my wife on date night. We go on date nights. I took her on date night. She asked me, "How are you doing?" I said, "I think I'm good. But I keep having these thoughts."

So I begin to share with her the thoughts that I begin to have and how they are. She says, "Whoa, that is really morbid." I said, "I know. I don't know. I don't know where it's coming from. I don't know."

She says, "I think you're dealing with anxiety." She says, "I think you're battling anxiety." I said, "First of all, I don't know what that is, number one. Number two, I'm pretty sure in the African-American community that's not something that we get."

My Caucasian brother, and I'll ask your black friends later, they'll help you out with that. But I'm pretty sure we don't do that. And she said, "No, you can do that." I'm like, "Nah, I'm from the hood. We don't have anxiety. I would know about that if that was a thing."

She says, "No, no, no, no. I think that's what you're dealing with." And so what we do is whenever we have an impasse, we go to somebody who knows more than us. So we went to Google. She said, "I'll look it up. Fine."

Right? So she began to go to Google, and she looked up what anxiety was. And she looked up the definition of anxiety, and it said, "Thoughts of immediate peril between you or someone you love."

Something you love that can oftentimes be overwhelming. And I said, "Oh, I think that's it." But I still didn't believe her, so I began to call my godfather, one of the spiritual authorities in my life. And I called him. I said, "Dad, this is what I'm dealing with. And Sonia said that it was this, but I don't think that that's it. And she looked it up, and it said that that's it. But what do you think?"

This is why God places people around you. This is why community is important. This is why. So that's another sermon.

All right. So he says, "Yeah." And he says, "You know what? What I feel like is happening." He says, "There is a care that you have not casted." I said, "Because it feels like it's coming out of nowhere."

He says, "No, it's not coming out of nowhere. There is a care that you have not casted. Now, whether you recognize it or not is another thing. But what has happened is because you have not casted that care, it is now producing anxiety, worry, and fear on the inside of you. So you need to cast that care."

I said, "Okay." So let me share with you the process, okay? Sharing with you the process. The first thing was I begin to identify that there was an issue, number one. The second thing I did is I put a name to it, put a name to it, because I didn't know what was going on.

Then once I put a name to it, I put a name to it, and then I found out what it was rooted in. And I found out that it was rooted in fear, which means it's rooted in lies.

Yeah, I walked y'all all the way here. It's rooted in lies. And because it's rooted in lies and I have access to the truth, what I begin to do, now that I know what it is, I've identified it, I've identified it as lies, then I begin to immerse myself in the truth.

And when these thoughts would pop up, I would say, "God, I thank you that your word says a thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me. God, I thank you that no hurt, harm, danger, incident, accident, breakdown, fatality, or failure shall come near me. God, I thank you that your angels are encamped around me. I thank you that no weapon that is formed against me shall prosper."

I begin to immerse myself in the truth. Every time the thought would come up, "God, I thank you that my wife is protected. I thank you that she is redeemed from destruction. I thank you that your angels are encamped around her, that she will fall asleep peacefully. She will wake up peacefully. I thank you, Lord, Father God, that no hurt will come to her, God. I thank you that she has a calling on her life and with long life you will satisfy her."

What am I doing? I'm speaking the word of God. I'm immersing myself in the truth to combat the lies. But see, I have to know the word in order anyway.

So when I begin to do that, what happened was as those things were happening, I began to continue to come up. And it took a minute because I had to create a habit. Because the habit before was that it would happen, those thoughts would happen, I would be immersed in those thoughts, fear would happen, I would be immobilized.

I had to create a new habit. Okay? The new habit was those thoughts would happen, I would realize it's happening, I would begin to speak the word over my life. And as I begin to do that, as I begin to speak the word over my life, the peace that was promised to me begins to come to me.

And as I begin to come, and it would happen again, I would speak the word and the peace would come. It would happen again, I would speak the word and the peace would come. And then I started to notice that the thoughts would come a lot less.

Why? Because I don't pay attention when somebody's lying to me. I don't pay attention when I know somebody's lying to me. I don't give them the time of day when I know they're lying.

And since I know that somebody is trying to lie to me, as I begin to speak the word, it became to come a lot less. Why? Because I begin to ignore it. Because fear has no hold on me. Because now I know what's happening.

See, before you got me because I didn't know what was going on. It's not something I'm accustomed to. I didn't know about that. But now I got you. Now I know where you are.

And as I begin to speak those truths, as I begin to speak the word, it started to happen a lot less. And then I begin to notice, man, it's been two weeks since I've had those thoughts. It's been a month since I had those thoughts.

I begin to combat it with the word. And what happened was the fear lost its sting. It didn't sting because I knew the truth. And then my anxiety left.

Fear is a liar. And I don't pay attention to lies. When I begin to fight my anxieties with the word of God, I gain access to the peace of God. And when I made it a habit, anytime fear would come to me, I would say, "Fear begin to arise."

That habit left no room for the lies. That habit left no room for the lies, and the fear lost its power.

And so today, today, today we fight the fears. Today we fight the fears of failure that said that you'll never accomplish anything, that you might as well not start because you won't be successful, that you won't amount to anything, never get it done.

We fight those fears because Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Today we fight the fears of failure, the voice that says you'll never accomplish anything, that when the enemy tells you, you might as well not even start because it won't be successful. It won't work. It won't amount to anything. You'll never get it done.

Today we fight that fear. We fight that fear of inadequacy, the lie that says you're not good enough, you don't know enough, you don't measure up to this imaginary benchmark that you've created.

Because Psalms 139 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Today we fight the fear of rejection, the feeling that you're not wanted. It causes you to preemptively dismiss yourself and sabotage relationships and to avoid being hurt. Why? Because Romans 8:38 says, "Nothing, nothing can separate us from the love of God."

Today we fight fear. We fight it with the truth of the word of God. Together we stand against these fears with faith. We stand against it knowing that God loves us, that he has equipped us, and that he has empowered us to overcome fear.

You no longer have to be a slave to fear. The Bible says, "Who the Son sets free is free indeed." You have access to freedom.

Fear is a formidable adversary, but it is not insurmountable. Just like Caius and his seemingly insurmountable crack, fear magnifies our challenges and makes them appear more daunting than they really are.

But God's word is clear. He has not given us a spirit of fear, but a power of love and a sound mind. In every moment of doubt, in every moment of apprehension, cling to the truth and the promises of scripture.

Let the truth of God's word immerse you, dismantle the lies of fear, and restore your peace. Peace not that the world gives, but that God gives.

Today we decide to be courageous, not because we are without fear, but because we have decided to place our trust in the one who will certainly uphold us with his righteous right hand.

We said courage is fear that has said its prayers and decided to move forward anyway. We lean into God's truth. We let his peace guard our heart, and we stand firm in the knowledge that he is with us, that he is for us.

So my challenge today is this. It's time for you to be real with yourself. Battling the inner me. You got to be real with yourself. Identify the fear that has been holding you back. Write it down, pray over it, and begin to replace that fear with the truth that's found in God's word.

Whatever the lie is that the enemy is telling you, you need to replace it with the truth. And every time it comes up, begin to speak the truth or sing the truth, whatever it is that you have to do.

Choose courage over fear and faith over doubt. Courage over fear and faith over doubt. And when you get victory over that thing, you make sure you tell somebody. You make the enemy a liar.

And you tell somebody about the victory that you've received. Share your journey and support one another because we all face fear. I am not excluded. We all face it, we all also have access to have victory.

Father, thank you for your word today. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to face our fears because you are with us, because you are for us.

Today, we make a decision to be courageous, to go anyway, just like you told us in the scripture. "Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous."

God, I thank you. You give us the power to do just that. Fear is a liar. And we decide to walk in truth. Thank you. Today is a day of freedom from fear. We win the battle against the enemy.

Jesus' name, amen.

Did we get anything out of that this morning?

In the next couple of weeks, we're going to go through a couple of these, talking about identity. Talking about how to battle your thoughts. My job is to equip you. Equip you with what you need so that you can win in this fight of life.

I would encourage you to be here. To be here so that you can get equipped.

I want to transition to our time of giving, but before I do, I want to show you guys a video. I have a unique opportunity, and I would like your help with this. I don't do this often. I don't know that I've ever done it in the history of this church, but I'm going to do it today.

This Thursday, I'm leaving on my first missions trip. I'm going to Zambia to a mission called I Dream. And it is a mission where they have orphans, and they have a school there. They have a church that they're building. They have a tech center and a farming. They have a community that they're building for the children that are there.

And I've been asked to come, myself and a couple of other pastors, to come and preach and to help out at the mission. So I'll be there for a little over a week.

But as I was having a conversation with the gentleman that's taking us over, I asked, "Hey, what are some of the needs that are there?" And they said the biggest two needs that we have right now is that we would like to finish our school. It's going to cost us a little over $3,000. We're going to finish building the school.

And we have a need to feed the people who are here with us. And you'll see in a second there are kids that are there. And they didn't ask me to do this, but I said, "How wonderful would it be if Limitless had an opportunity to bless these people? That when we land on that plane and we set our foot on that mission field, that we can say, 'Hey, before we do anything, we want to bless you because we believe in what you're doing.'"

God tells us that good religion is to take care of the widows and the orphans. And that is exactly what they're doing. And how wonderful would it be if Limitless had an impact all the way in Africa?

So we're going to transition to a time of giving. Thank you, as always, for your tithes, your offering, but over and above. So on your envelope, as always, if you want to run that to me real quick.

On your envelope, this has always been in there. But really, this is what we're going to do. Right next to tithes, it says missions right there. And the Lord should put it on your heart today, would you help us be generous to this mission field?

Or if you give online, the QR code will be up on the screen. And on the drop down, it'll say tithes, offering, and it will say missions as well. And everything we give is going to go towards seeing this vision happen.

But before you do, I want to show you this video.

We're going to be limitless, let's be limitless. Amen.

I'm going to have our offering ushers come forward at this time.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity you've given us to give. In this moment, God, would you speak to our heart, God, on what to give? We have our tithes and we have our offering, God, but you've called us to be generous.

And Limitless, we don't want to give out of compulsion, God. Not just because someone has asked us to give or we feel we have to give. But we just give what's in our pocket, God.

But in the next few moments, would you speak to us clearly on what you would have us to give? Your word says that you give seed to the sower. So we trust you. Speak to us now, Lord. What would you have us to give?

Thank you, Jesus. Father, we believe that we have heard you and we make a decision to trust you and move out of obedience. Out of a cheerful heart, knowing that you give seed to the sower.

Thank you for an opportunity to sow. In Jesus' name, God bless you as you give.

Do me a favor. Would you, once the bucket goes by, would you stand? And we're going to worship.

Let's stretch our hands towards our giving. Father, we thank you for the opportunity to sow seed. God, we believe that our finances are a seed that you have given us, and we take this opportunity to sow into vision.

The vision that you have for this church, the vision that you have for this community, the vision that you have for our lives, we sow into that, God. We believe that Limitless Church is good ground, and so we sow that seed, and we command it to go and to grow.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen. Amen.

Before you leave, I'm going to have our prayer team come forward at this time. The first way that we get to peace is through Jesus. And so if you have not made Jesus Lord of your life, then that is the only way that you get access to peace.

I'm not talking about making him Sunday of your life or making him emergency of your life or making him Christmas and Easter of your life. I'm talking about making him Lord.

He says if you believe in your heart and confess him as Lord, then you will be saved. This idea that he will be the governor of your life, that you believe that he sent his son to die because he wanted to be in relationship with you.

That's how much he loved you. That he loved you. That he looked down through all of eternity that he saw you and he said, "Yes, yeah, you're worth dying for."

So today, if you have not made Jesus Lord of your life, then we would love to have the opportunity to walk you through that. I guarantee you that it will be the best decision that you have ever made in your life.

I am not promising you that life will be easier, but I am promising that he will be with you. I told my teens when I was in teen ministry, I said, "Life is a test, but how much better is it when the teacher is on your side?"

He wants to be in relationship with you. He says if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, you shall be saved. That's the first step to peace.

A lot of us want to not make him Lord, but we want access to his peace, and it doesn't work like that. We must make him Lord first.

So if you're here today and you say, "Hey, I want to make Jesus Lord," then we want to pray with you and get you from belief to confession.

The second thing I want to offer you today is if you say, "Hey, maybe, you know, at one point in time, I did make Jesus Lord of my life. I haven't been living like it. I haven't been living like that. I haven't been being the example that he's called me to be, but now I'm ready to run for Jesus," and you want to recommit your life to Jesus.

And we want to pray for you today. I was having in my mind the image of the prodigal son, and dad is waiting for him, and dad's right there where he left him, ready, waiting for his son.

When he sees his son, he runs up to him and welcomes him with open arms. This is Jesus. Jesus says, "I haven't gone anywhere. I've been waiting for you, ready to receive you."

So if you would like to recommit your life to Jesus, then we want to offer you that today as well. Amen. Amen.

Lastly, if you say, "Hey, pastor, I just, I need prayer. I need somebody to agree with me in prayer. There's some things I'm believing God for. There's some things that I'm looking for, some things that I need, and I need somebody to agree with me in prayer."

And we want to pray for you today too. I've offered you these three things. Please do not leave here without making one of the most important decisions of your life.

Whatever you're in a rush to get to, I promise you it'll still be there when you get there. But you must. It might be a little bit different.

So if that's you today, the prayer team is over here on the wall to my left, to your right. Please get what you came for.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for all those who are here and those who are watching online. I pray that your word has been planted on good ground and all this week, the word would begin producing harvest in the lives of your people.

God, we are not a slave to fear. We are free. Fear has no place here. We battle the enemy with your word, with your presence.

We thank you for who you are. We thank you for all that you've called us to be. And we choose to step forward out of fear into your marvelous light.

We thank you. We praise you. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless you. Please have a wonderful week. And don't forget, live limitless.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "When we lean into the truth, the Bible tells us we gain access to the peace that fear is trying to steal. Bible says, guard the doorposts of your heart because out of it flows the issues of life. Guard. John 14, 27, peace I leave with you. My perfect peace. That word perfect also means whole or complete peace I give to you. Here we go. Not as the world gives to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Why? Because anything, any peace, it don't matter what it is. Any peace that you find yourself running to that is outside of the word of God and out of God is counterfeit and it will not sustain any peace." [01:07:34](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



2. "Today we fight the fears of failure, the voice that says you'll never accomplish anything, that when the enemy tells you, you might as well not even start because it won't be successful. It won't work. It won't amount to anything. You'll never get it done. Today we fight that fear. We fight that fear of inadequacy, the lie that says you're not good enough, you don't know enough, you don't measure up to this imaginary benchmark that you've created." [01:20:50](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



3. "Fear is a formidable adversary, but it is not insurmountable. Just like Caius and his seemingly insurmountable crack, fear magnifies our challenges and makes them appear more daunting than they really are. But God's word is clear. He has not given us a spirit of fear, but a power of love and a sound mind. In every moment of doubt, in every moment of apprehension, cling to the truth and the promises of scripture. Let the truth of God's word immerse you, dismantle the lies of fear, and restore your peace." [01:22:54](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



4. "You do not have to be a slave to fear. You do not have to let fear run your life. You do not have to let fear overcome every area of your life. No, that is a lie from the pit of hell. You can overcome fear. So what do we do? If you identify that there is an unhealthy fear that's taken root in your life, how do we overcome the constant attacks of fear? First thing we do is we acknowledge the fear." [01:00:18](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



5. "Fear is a self-imposed prison that will do its best to keep you from becoming what you were created to be. But as believers, we have a responsibility to fight fear. We have a responsibility to battle against fear with the weapons that the Lord has given us. We cannot allow fear to rob us any longer. We have to battle this in a me and fight fear because Satan knows all too well how to use this fear against us." [50:13](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



### Quotes for Members

1. "I battled with anxiety, battled with it heavy. And it was to the point to where I was having thoughts, irrational thoughts that begin to deal with me. I was driving home one day and I'm at the red light and I call my wife and she didn't pick up the phone. And you know, she does that quite often. I don't know why she has a phone. Anyway, I called her. She doesn't pick up the phone. And I immediately had this thought. What if my wife is laying dead on the ground and I could see a picture of her laying down in a pool of blood in our kitchen? That's how long it took to form that. Sitting at a red light, waiting for it to turn green." [01:11:21](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



2. "I begin to immerse myself in the truth. Every time the thought will come up, God, I thank you that my wife is protected. I thank you that she is redeemed from destruction. I thank you that your angels are encamped around her, that she will fall asleep peacefully. She will wake up peacefully. I thank you, Lord, Father, God, that no hurt will come to her, God. I thank you that she has a calling on her life and with long life you will satisfy her. What am I doing? I'm speaking the word of God. I'm immersing myself in the truth to combat the lies." [01:16:04](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



3. "When we replace that lie with the truth, it is important that we begin to immerse ourself in truth, okay? You must immerse yourself in truth. And say it again for the people in the back, okay? Immerse yourself in truth. Why? Because the enemy is doing a great... He's doing a great job of immersing you in lies. He's doing a great job of constantly doing everything he can to immerse you in lies. There's lies on the television. There's lies on the social media. There's lies in conversation, let alone the lies that he is pouring in your mind. He's doing a great job of immersing you in lies. So to combat that, you need to immerse yourself in truth." [01:02:20](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



4. "Joshua 1. Joshua has every reason to be afraid, to be terrified. He has every reason. And Joshua says, I'm the lowest of the low. He said, I ain't even the first low. I'm the second low. I'm the lowest of all the clans. And then out of the lowest are all. Out of the clans, I'm the lowest of them." [53:19](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



5. "Fear is a tool that the enemy uses. And at times, that tool and that fear can seem overwhelming. If it's not paralyzing us to inaction, then we're not going to be able to do anything. And because of it, we're making decisions that are based on lies, all because of fear. It's a multifaceted tool that the enemy use. But once we identify that the fear is unhealthy, it is important that we now know that not only that we can overcome it, but how do we overcome it?" [58:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)