Open your Bibles if you would to 2 Timothy 1, verse 7. The name of the message is do not fear. Do not fear. Now, beloved God, we live in a world, we live in a world where fear has become big business. Big business. Lots of money being made on people's fear. On people's fear. You turn on the news and it's all a fear. It's all the worst things that are happening. All fear, and people start to fear the things that are going on. You know, the scripture says there's nothing new under the sun. There's nothing new under the sun. So anything that's happening today has already happened before, just in a different age. Oh my.

But these companies, whether it be news companies or apocalyptic guys selling books or selling food and selling all this stuff, all these things, you have to be ready for all the things that are going to happen. They're making merchandise out of people. And they thrive, these companies thrive on fear. Unfortunately, this world is very fear-based in the sense that even when we're born into this world, we have a fear of death.

We have a fear, as we grow older, we fear death if we do not know Christ. Now if we know Christ, the sting of death's been taken away, which is wonderful. But I want to bring something out here in 1 Timothy, I mean 2 Timothy chapter one. 2 Timothy chapter one.

Now again, there's thousands of companies in this world that make money on people's fears. whether it's end times books or apocalyptic people, again, selling food supplies to survive the disaster of their choice, right? A sunspot thing or something else. There's always something. There's always something. Always something. But our great God, beloved of God, proclaims in the scripture that God has not given us a spirit of fear. He's not giving us a spirit of fear, but a power and of love and of a sound mind. Look at this in 2 Timothy 1, verse 7.

And I need to remind myself this, because we're all fearful. I was talking to Brother Chris in Exodus and Zane last night, and we were talking about how fear, it strikes both the saved and the unsaved. But I was talking to Vicki this week, and we were talking about if we really understood the sovereignty of God and who He really is, And now, because of our flesh, we can't. But if we really understood who he is and how powerful he is, we wouldn't fear anything.

But see, unbelief. And that's why Peter said, Lord, help my unbelief, right? Is it the same for you? Is it the same for me? Lord, help my unbelief. But this scripture was written because we do fear. Listen to this. For God has not given us the spirit of fear. So, we can be fearful. But that's not from God. That's from our flesh, beloved. Oh, yeah. People say, oh, no, that's the devil making you fear. No, that's our flesh making us fear.

2 Timothy 1, 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear. We have the Holy Spirit in us, but a power and of love and of a sound mind. And don't forget that the flesh battles the spirit. Oh, my. Now, again, I don't know any believer who doesn't struggle with fear sometimes. Why? Because we're a bunch of sinners. We're born into this world dead in trespasses and sins.

And I remember before the Lord saved me, I had such a fear of death. Now I know it's just a doorway. The sting of death is gone because Christ has redeemed my soul with his precious, precious blood. Isn't that wonderful? And if you're a believer, it's so for you. It's wonderful. My, and we battle the flesh all the time, don't we?

Let we who are the redeemed of God take heart. We do not need to fear man. We do not need to fear persecution. We do not need to fear failure. And we do not need to fear the devil and his minions. We are saved by God himself. The Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, shed his blood to ransom our souls, beloved. And now we're clothed in his perfect righteousness. Now, the Lord said, don't fear a man who can destroy the body, but fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. See, but the problem is nowadays people don't fear God, and we don't naturally fear God. But when we're born again, now we have a reverent fear for our God, don't we? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But fools despise wisdom and instruction, beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

And we were there. We were there, beloved. So let us remember where we were, and let us, when fear comes into our lives, because it will, Let us remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Now, what do we love now? Well, we love the Lord Jesus Christ. We love his gospel. We love God the Father. And you know who else we love? We love people. I love preaching, but you know what I love? I love preaching, but you know what I love just as much as preaching?

People. Because I'm preaching to people, souls. People. And this is what the gospel preachers sent to do, to preach to people. It's not a game. We're gonna see the next message is so sobering. For certain things. My goodness, so sobering. It's death, judgment, hell or heaven. Certain, certain things.

Rejoice, beloved God, our Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, has given his people his spirit. He's not given us, he's given us the Holy Spirit, which it says here, for God has not given us the spirit of fear. No, that comes from our flesh, beloved. So whenever we fear, let us know it's our flesh. He's given us the spirit, the Holy Spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.

My. And what is this love? Well, it's love for God, it's love for Christ, it's love for his church, it's love for the gospel. He's given us a sound mind or self-discipline, that's self-control, which results in careful conduct, right? We desire to live a life pleasing to our God now, and behavior under all circumstances.

Now, I've already told you guys my struggles. Something will happen and I just get, wah! And then I have to remember, Lord, practice what you preach. Wayne, God's in control, okay? Get myself centered again. I'm learning. I'm learning. Are you learning with me? I'm learning to go right to Christ now.

When that fear starts in my heart, oh, Lord, please take this away. Take this away. My, oh my. And being of a sound mind and conviction and principles, the believer will stand fast in the fact that Jesus Christ has saved our eternal souls. He saved us. Through his blood and righteousness, beloved.

Listen, turn if you would to Isaiah 43, or write this down for reference. Isaiah 43 verses, verses, 1 to 3. Now, why should we not fear? Well, here it is. Look at this. Look at this. This is mountaintop, man. This is mountaintop scripture right here. Look at this. But now, verse 1, Isaiah 43, 1. But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee. Okay. The Lord is going to speak. O Jacob, And he that formed thee, O Israel. Who is the Israel of God? All the elect of all the ages. What's he say to us? What's the first thing he says to us?

Fear not. Oh, Lord, let me live right there. Fear not. Why? For I have redeemed thee. So why shouldn't I fear? Because Christ redeemed me. And I've called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. Why should I not fear what man can do to me? Because Christ redeemed me. He called me by my name. And he says, you're mine, Wayne. Put your name in there, beloved. Thou art mine, he says. Put your name in there if you're a born-again, blood-washed believer.

Oh, my. Let's read this verse when fear grips us. Let's read this. Then he goes on this. Okay, here's comfort for our lives. "'When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.'" It's not maybe. "'I will be with thee.'" Isaiah 43, verse 2. "'And though the rivers,' if you're going through the rivers, "'they shall not overflow thee.'" So these trials and tribulations that come our way will not drown us. Nope. When I walk us through the fire, tribulation, temptation, now shall not be burned, neither shall the fire kindle upon thee.

And look at Isaiah 43, verse three. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior, I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Serbia for thee." Oh my, what comfort this is for God's people. The Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, tells us not to be afraid. Not to be afraid. And we know this is the Lord speaking in the Old Testament because he says, and remember he's God, he's the Word of God, right? So this is the Word of God speaking.

I have redeemed thee. I called thee by name. Thou art mine. How are we His? We're given to Him by the Father in eternity. Oh my! And how did He redeem us? Well, He came into time and space, right? And He shed His blood and redeemed our ransomed our eternal souls with His blood and lived the perfect life as our substitute, died as our substitute that we might live, that we might have eternal life. Oh my!

God himself tells us, do not be afraid. He says right away. He says right away in chapter 43, verse one, fear not for I've redeemed thee. Fear not, I've redeemed thee. That's God telling us that. That's God telling us that, beloved. So when fearful times come, and they will, let us remember that he's with us. He's with us. He's redeemed us. He's wrapped us in our eternal souls. And He knows us by name. He calls us by name. My! And this is amazing. We are His by choice. And we are His by purchase. And He says to us, fear not, for I've redeemed thee. Oh my!

What comfort for the soul of the believer. And when fearful times come, When persecution comes, when trials come, when difficult times come, He'll never leave us nor forsake us. For when we are persecuted for our faith, He is our shield and our protector. When trials come our way, they will not destroy us. He's ever upholding us with His omnipotent hands, His eternal arms. And we are not to fear because This is what our Lord tells us.

For I am the Lord, your God, or the Lord, the God, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. That's Isaiah 43, 3. Let's read that again. For I am the Lord, that's Jehovah, your God, that's Elohim, the strong and mighty one, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Who's our Savior? God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ. It's wonderful. And you know what? Every sinner who comes to him shall be saved. Has he turned away one sinner that comes to him? By faith? By God-given faith? Nope. He never will either. Never will. It's wondrous. He says, don't be afraid. I've ransomed you. Fear not. I've ransomed you. Now often fear grips our hearts. We can face uncertain times. We can face suffering. We can go through trials. But God speaks directly to his people. Look at this in Isaiah 43, 1.

Oh, look at this. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. By choice and by purchase, beloved. My. Now, the fact when God says, do not be afraid for I have ransomed thee, this is this is not a mere suggestion. No, this this is this is a fact. This is a fact. My, oh, my. My, oh, my. And we are to look to our sovereign king, keep our eyes upon him. It's a fact that the Word of God became a man and that he purchased his people with his precious blood. It's a fact. And 1 Peter 1, 18 to 20 says this, and here's the fact stated. Listen to this.

For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things. Now, Peter's not writing to the whole world. He's writing to the saints scattered, the elect ones scattered through Cappadocia, all over. He says, for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Jesus, oh, the blessed blood of Christ, is of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Oh, my, who verily was, what, foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, for me, as a believer and for you as a believer. Isn't that wonderful? And for all, oh my, it's just, this is the Messiah. This is the Messiah. This is the sent one of God. So marvel at the personal love of God toward each of his redeemed people. He knows each of us intimately and claims us as his own.

He says, thou art mine. Thou art mine, Isaiah 43, one. Thou art mine. It's beautiful. And so let we who are the redeemed of the Lord hang on to this God-honoring, unchanging truth. This is truth. Oh, it's wonderful. Our trials may seem to overwhelm us, but they can never undo what Christ has secured for us. Never. We belong to Him. We belong to him. We're bought with a price. We're not our own, right? Oh. And you know what? Nothing and no one in no circumstance can snatch us from his hand. Oh my. Oh my. The Christian life is not free from suffering. No, we suffer just like everyone else. but it is never without God's presence.

When we suffer, God is with us. God is with us. When we go through deep waters, God is with us. This world is filled with trials, tribulations, but this promise is sure. Here's a promise for us from God himself. I will be with you. Oh my. Deep waters will not drown us when trouble comes like a flood. God holds us fast. The waves of life may crash against us, but they cannot pull us from his omnipotent grip. Rivers of difficulty will not sweep us away, beloved. Temptations and sorrows and hardships may rise. But our foundation in Christ remains forever firm as he says, I've ransomed you and thou art mine.

Oh, it's wonderful. Fires of oppression may come against us, but they will not consume us. God, think of this, God preserved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in that fiery furnace, didn't he? Oh, there's a fourth person in that, oh, it's God himself in that fire. And they came out of there without a singe on them.

My, here's sustaining his people through every trial that comes our way. And beloved God, let we who are the redeemed of the Lord take heart as we do not walk through this world alone. Our sovereign God promises that He is with us. Even when we don't feel like He is, He's with us. Isn't that glorious? Oh, it's so glorious. My, trials are used often to purify our faith, deepen our dependence upon Him. That's what trials really do, don't they? They deepen our dependence on our King. It's amazing.

One may never measure the love of Christ for his people as it is eternal love, it is debtless love, it's unmeasurable love. Listen to this, we'll close with this, Romans 8, 38 and 39. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything at all in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And what do we say? Amen and amen.