Friends, fear is a terrible thing.
One way to conquer our fears is to “anchor down in the word.” For anything that is anchored cannot be moved. People who anchor down in the word are survivors, they keep their heads above water, they still stand when everybody around them is falling. They keep it together when others lose it; they stay in the race while others drop out; they endure when others fall by the wayside; they have joy while others are defeated; they can praise God no matter what while others sit around in self-pity and won’t open their mouth. They are not controlled by fear, while others jump at shadows; the word this morning is get anchored in the word. That’s the only sure way to survive.
We all in our lifetime have been caught up in the warnings from meteorologists about impending hurricanes that was headed our way. We here in the Carolinas remember Hurricanes Florence and Matthew. The warning came to some areas, mainly the beaches to evacuate in some areas, In other areas they were told to anchor down, to prepare for the worst! Those that take the warning serious will get plywood, sandbags a hammer and nails and anchor down. They do it because they know that this is their best chance of surviving. Friends, people that survive don’t survive because they are mentally or physically strong; they don’t survive because they have it altogether; they survive because they anchor down.
Community there is an enemy out there named Mr. Satan, and he’s our adversary if we didn’t know. He’s the master of using fear as a means to cripple us and when people are crippled, they can’t walk; and when they can’t walk they become stagnant; and when they become stagnant, they become unproductive. And when they become unproductive, they become unfruitful; and when they become unfruitful they become idle; and when they become idle they become lazy, gossipers, and busybodies in other people’s matters, which is exactly where Satan wants us. When the hurricanes come they are the ones whose houses get blown down.
Every one of us reading that are of age knows the fairytale story of the three pigs, don’t we? Only the one who built the brick house survived when the big bad wolf came and tried to blow his house down; because he anchored down!
My community friends, there are a lot of things that can make us fearful; things that can take us out of ourselves; because that’s what fear does; it causes you to do things, say things and act in ways that you normally would not do. Fear is a terrible thing — it can cause you to lie, cheat, steal, compromise your principles.
A person who is afraid doesn’t think clearly; they don’t think long term; remember Peter? The one who boldly said to our Lord “I will never deny you…though all should forsake you I never will forsake you!” but when he warmed himself by the devil’s fire, and the FEAR of being identified with Christ gripped his heart, he not only denied him, but he began to curse and swear that he did not know the man.
When a person is afraid, when he is moved by fear, he’ll say and do almost anything. Everything that they do is motivated by fear.
Christians can’t afford to let fear control us! Satan will use fear against us; some parents are afraid of their children; don’t want to make them angry; afraid to tell them that they are not coming in and out of their home all night long; but that’s why we need an anchor.
A small remaining number of Israelites in Babylon in captivity prayed…they prayed because being in captivity they were afraid of what their captors might do unto them (Isa. 51:12-14). And they prayed as though God were asleep and needed to be awakened. They said “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord (vs 9)”…They forgot that God never sleeps.
Friends, it doesn’t make sense to fear frail humans rather than the Lord our helper. Why should we fear man? Man is going to lay down and die like the grass that is cut off ( 12). Man can do no more than God allows him to do; sure, they were in captivity, but God was in control of the whole situation!
The problem with these people was that they needed to be anchored in the word. Community, we all need an anchor. Something to hold us together when the worst of the worse happens. In the times we’re living in now we need an anchor. Because sometimes we act like we forget who God is; when we look at the world and all that is going on; the trouble, the killings, the immorality, the moral decline, bad news on top of bad news; it can cause fear to grip our hearts; and according to the bible fear has torment (1 John 4:18); but when you have an anchor; something that grips around the rock; that keeps you from being moved and being afraid you can make it. That’s why in the local church Sunday School is so important. That’s why Bible Study, Missionary Ministry, preaching and anywhere the word is, is so important; the word is what anchors us; it’s what keeps us from being moved. Friends, get anchored in the word.