Fear Uncertainty Doubt
FUD
Most people don’t have to worry about people spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt about us because we are the worst culprits in our lives when it comes to this. When we live and experience uncertainty we began to doubt who we are, what we believe and even where we are going and when this happens we began to fear everything in-front of us.
Uncertainty is one of the biggest fears that we struggle with because next to rejection uncertainty can paralyze us.
We either make decisions that cause us fear and embarrassment or make decision that hurt others or we make no decisions at all. We live in a world where everything is unpredictable.
Uncertainty is inherent in the nature of things
There will always be uncertainty, when you have to make a major decision you want certainty, predictability you want to know the spouse you are going to marry is the spouse you believe you are going to get, the job that you are struggling about taking is going to all of what they are selling to you, you want to know when you go to the doctor he is going to give you reliable predictable information to make a choice. With your kids you live under the illusions that you have predictability that you will know what they are going to do. The reality is we don’t and yet we act as we do in just about every decision of our lives and it can lead us to absolute paralysis.
Uncertainty Is An Opportunity To Live In The Certainty Of God's Ability
Uncertainty is an opportunity that we take, that we embrace, because we don't have certainty in our lives, if your going to be certain you have to...
- Knowable: You have to have all the information you have first gather the information.
First, The truth is it’s scary how much we even think we know, that we don't know. What is the problem with certainty? In order to make decisions that are certain you have to know all that is knowable and you don’t,
2) Logical: Pulling the information together and I’m determining what are the logical implications of this decision?
Second, the problem with certainty is when it comes to that issue of what is logical we bump into what is sinful because for sinful people what seems logical is not logical at all. If there is anything that is predictable it’s sin, God's glory is unpredictable, God’s holiness, God’s love unpredictable. We live in this fantasy and sanity of how it’s all going to work out until afterward when we realize how in the world did I think that was ever going to work out that way? take a decision add a little greed, lust, pride, selfishness, and you will create a logic that will take you right out of reality.
- Possible: am I capable of this? is this even possible to make happen for me personally in my life?
Third, we are limited. Our ability to engage in all the possibilities are limited and that leaves us in a bad position but it is a position and a void that God fills for us. Why? Because is able, all knowing, all powerful, all present, he is holy, just, loving and in that there is certainty.
Philippians 1
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become
Paul is writing to them and he is giving them what? Knowledge, he wants them to know something because if they have the wrong information they could make bad decisions and what he wants them to know that what has actually happened to him. We can take what we know, our logic, and our abilities and look at something that is good and Godly and think, ‘that’s not going to work or if that happened it must be bad’ we all have this idea that there must be an easy way of getting something we don’t deserve. We all have this idea there must be an easy way to get the new car, or there must be an easy way to be in a relationship without having to put much into it.
What Paul is saying to them despite what has happened to me it has actually worked to advance the gospel.
Paul is writing this letter from a prison, he was on his way to Rome and he was looking to go on his way to Rome to share his gospel as a preacher and he ended up going there as a prisoner. He got arrested on the way with a bunch of events in between and now he is writing this letter to the philippians saying, this all worked out for the good. I was certain in the direction I was going and yet how I got there turned out differently.
clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
What a great testimony, Paul had it in his mind that I believe God is calling me to Rome and I’m not really sure what that looks like, I’m going to head in that direction, these are the messages I’m going to share, this is what I’m going to do and how I’m going to do it, and maybe I’ll meet in the temple first, then I’ll meet out in public... What happens? He gets arrested, they slap chains on him and they chain him to a palace guard each day they change guards and the guards start listening to him and they realize that he is the real deal. It becomes so powerful it runs throughout the palace guards, their families, people actually come to Christ because of Paul being stuck in uncertain circumstances where his only certainty is certainty in Christ.
14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear...
This was not a popular time to call yourself a Christian. As much as we complain about the culture we live in and the hostility to Christianity we truly have no comprehension about what hostility really looks like. You can imagine what people in that day think, if I go out there and I start talking about my faith, if I start living it, this might not end well. They looked at Paul and thought, isn’t it amazing that the only certainty he had is the certainty of the power of God’s ability and he went, acted and trusted. There will be times when we bump up against decisions and we won’t know which way to go and all we can do is go based on the knowledge of what I believe will best serve God and I have no idea how that is going to come together.
I am safer in the certainty of God’s ability than I am in my own judgements, my own desires.
...Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
What is he saying? By your prayers and God’s provision. When you face uncertainty you pray, you have others pray and you trust what God gives you today to live off of and to act off of and you trust in the Spirit. Open your heart to God, and He will speak to you.
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that
hope is, I can't see it but I hope its there, it is not like wishing. When we know that God is on the other side of that and we know that it is Gods will. how can you be ashamed for stepping out for God? Sometimes what could look like a bad decision in your faith, could be a door opening for God’s bigger plan.
now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Certainty is, weather I live or die, it’s all gain for me, no matter what happens to me if I walk close to God I can’t loose. We are not victims we are victors.
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith...
The decisions I make is not about me, it is about God and God’s will and God’s work in this world.
What is the certainty of life? That we walk with God who is eternal, who loves us, and allow nothing to separate us. Who will give us the knowledge and the power and the assurance to do what we can’t do in of own sinful nature and the detail He will work out as we go along. What we have to remember is that big decision in front of you, it doesn’t matter all that matters is that you go into it with an open heart and say, ‘God its yours... and even if I am wrong, I’ll know you will direct me.’‘You and your spirit will check me and allow me to go in the right direction.’
In the uncertainties of this world that is where God shines the most, to live in the certainty of faith and not fear.
Don’t worry about what you don’t see, because God sees everything.
Notes taken by: lorelllawrence@comcast.net
The notes is for you to have for review in the series, also to reflect on during the week.
God Bless,
Sermon by: Pastor Frederick Williams