God Overcomes our Fears

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Praise be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king sand his advisors and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.” (Exodus 7:27-28)
     Passage: Isaiah 41:8-10

        Henry Blackaby, in his work “Experiencing God”, points out that God’s invitation to join Him in His work brings a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. Ezra experienced that in His call to go to Jerusalem. It would require him to get permission from the king of Persia. It would require him to gather a group of people to go to help. It would require far more finances than he personally had. It would also require traveling many miles through dangerous territory and knowing there would be potential opposition to the work.
        Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the determination to move forward by faith in spite of fear. Ezra took courage for the journey and he moved forward because the hand of God was on him. He had the conviction of God’s call, but he also had the confirmation of favor from the king, the response of people and the provision that he saw. God’s hand will overcome fear when you walk with Him by faith. The journey is not promised to be easy, but it is worth it all when you do it for Him.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)