When The Dashboard Says "Engine Trouble"

I wanted to imagine yourself driving your car on the highway and you just happened to look in the dashboard and he saw that the red lights flashing engine trouble engine trouble you been there a few times. The car keeps on going. It never really comes to a complete stop.

You don't see smoke coming out of the engine are or any sounding of noise, no visible sign whatsoever that the car is in trouble, except for the dreaded red light. It just keeps flashing you and imitating you now if you not mechanical like the rest of us. Obviously, the first reaction is to go and find the first garage is nearby and you go out and let them take a look at it, why because at least you know enough to realize that this red light is connected to the engine somehow rightness of the symptom connection to that engine in the same way when fear begins to raise its ugly head in your life that fear is connected with a wire right to your face now. What faith am I talking about I am not talking about your saving faith and talking about your daily face the faith by which you walk every single day. Decisions you make relationships you form this is a daily faith that I'm talking about and the reason I want to make sure that I'm distinguishing between your saving faith in your daily faith is because a lot of people confuse the two. I remember one time many years ago I was talking to a dear brother who was going through a very fearful time and I happen to share with him from my personal experience I said your fear is directly connected to your faith while he lost. He raised his voice and he said there is nothing wrong with my faith while he was right. There is nothing wrong with his saving faith. If he dies that moment he will be in heaven with Jesus. There is no doubt in my mind that he loved the Lord and that taught me a lesson that I always want to make sure that when I'm talking about the kind of faith that I'm talking about that I'm distinguishing between saving faith and daily faith. When you as a a Christian person a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ active in the churchgoing field Bible study and going to smugglers doing all the kind of things that all the Christian people do in your life seem to be just coming along and then all of a sudden low and behold there is that flashing light in the dashboard of your life that says fear fear fear. In other words engine trouble engine trouble what you do you stop and you check the engine of your faith. That's what you need to do now. This is the third in the series of messages that all coming literally from one verse in the Bible and that is Matthew 826 there were been seeing Jesus was on the Lake of Galilee, and there was a severe strong unprecedented storm that scared the disciples and they thought there about to die and so they wake Jesus up who was asleep in the boat and they said don't you care if we perish in there, the Lord Jesus Christ will been seeing this, it's because it's very important, he rebukes them for the lack of faith first and then he calms the storm. He said he of little faith, why are you so afraid when there is little faith there is much fear, but today I want to talk to you about what to do when the red light of fear begins to flash in your life.

You see it in the dashboard of your life. It's there and there's no denying it. When fear begins to raise its ugly head. When fear begins to be your daily companion, a what you do when you business is experiencing signs of trouble. What you do when your marriage is experiencing signs of turmoil. What you do when your job is been threatened or eliminated. What you do when your family is falling apart.

What you do.

There are somehow trying to drown their fear with alcohol.

There are some were trying to tranquilize their fear. There are some who are trying all forms of escapism to escape the reality of their fear and the problem is that all of these temporary measures compound the problem, they never solve it will be like me driving along the highway and I see that engine light flashing engine trouble and I do what I'm inclined to do and that is bang on the dashboard to help one bed makes me feel a little better, but the agent still in trouble or that I would attempt to fall on the side there is a good dreaded light is just bothering me is worrying me is troubling me. So I try to regenerate disconnected making a difference because the trouble still in the same way human right. Please. This is important, trying to know your fear, trying to tranquilize your fear, trying to drink away your fear will only extinguish the warning lights betting on the solve the problem. Not only that, but it has been proven over and over and over again from secular as well as the Christian circles and studies that alcohol only causes great anxiety.

It only causes greater depression never solve a problem compound the problem instead of solving it in the answer to. Fear is to come correct, not tranquilize it. The answer to our fear is faith, not freaking out the answer to our fear is the promises of God and the word of God, not sedatives. The answer to our fear is the conquering power of Jesus Christ not temporary escaping. Remember that fear is neutral. It can muster you or you can master it. You can defeat it.

In Jesus name or it can defeat you.

You contemporary tranquilize it or conquer it. And remember this because Jesus primary concern for all his disciples is what the there's a story that Jesus tells in Matthew 25. Many of you are familiar with it, but bear with me because don't allow your familiar to rob you of a new inside that God is going to give you today, most people miss the point of this parable. They really do.

In the parable is this there was a an investor who chose free money managers to the first one he gives five talents and this man goes out in faith and courage and with diligence and invest the five talents and he doubles the talents and comes back with them to the master and the master commends him.

The second one gets to talents and he goes out in faith and encourage and he would do work diligently and he will double the two talents and he comes back to the master and the master commends him exactly the same way he commands the one who had the five he never said to him, as it it wouldn't bring more Adorno had the two never looked nice of you will be given five.

Don't get me to I don't have as many talents as this guy know they got exactly the same reward then there was 1/3 one he got one talent and he went out of and hit it let you know that much. You know why he had the talent fear fear. Let me give you his own words so that you think I'm making this stuff up. Matthew 2525. Easy to remember.

Matthew 2525 is what he said I was afraid I was terrified I wasn't clear and I went out and I had your talent in the ground, not this man's colossal blunder brought from the mouth of the master.

Some of the most incredible of the severest words of condemnation what's happening here this man allowed his fear to distort his judgment.

He allowed his fear to distort his vision. He allowed his fear to question his master's motives. He allowed fear to minister his actions. He allowed fear to dominate all of his decision-making process. He allowed fear to confuse his mind that he allowed fear to catalyze his will is to me. I know pastors and Bible teachers who literally compromise the truth how to feed so much burnout in ministry these days. Once you start compromising. There's no end and that is why in these unprecedented economic recession. I believe that this can lead to the greatest spiritual height that we've ever experienced in modern time within the church of Jesus Christ, or it can take us down to the abyss. It's a great opportunity for us either to soar on the wings of faith or we reverse back to fear not believe the Lord wants us to be on the wings of faith, two things.

Number one, you must learn how to pray your fear out, and how to pray. Faith in you, pray, fear and faith in.

Secondly, learn to claim the power of the Lord Jesus Christ like you have never experienced it before number one. Pray your fear out, and faith in effect I read recently about the sea captain who was an avowed atheist, I mean he is outspoken atheists that did not believe in God at all. And one day there was a severe storm and he got washed overboard.

Well, one of his men heard and praying to God so sure enough they rescued him and when they got him on board and he got refreshed and finally one of the men said them is that I thought you don't believe in God, is it well if there isn't a God there ought to be one in times like this.

The truth is this, please listen God loves to hear the cries of his people think, especially for salvation. God loves to hear the cries of his children who are asking for faith and strength in faith and more faith so they can walk in trusting in him 100% of the time.

In fact, realizing your own inadequacy, and your total dependence on God is your first step in overcoming fear is your first step in building those faith muscles your prayer for faith that conquers fear is a prayer that God not only long to hear but loves to answer but you know what I noticed through the years.

Most of us have enough grace to cry to God in times of trouble, but we don't have grace enough to believe that he's going to answer us as the problem is the problem of the modern church of modern believers disciples were not the only ones who really wondered why God slept while they are perishing what the first ones all look at the Old Testament read how many of the all Saints of Christ to God in the same way. Listen to what Isaiah 51, not just as a sample awake, awake, close yourself with strength or arm of the Lord.

Awake as in the days gone by. As in the generations of all when the disciples panicked in the middle of the storm and walked Jesus up. I am convinced in my mind. They must've wondered why Jesus is not afraid him in his calm must have perplexed them infecting some of the accounts they thought he was insensitive to don't you care if we perish, don't you care what happens to us. Master don't you care about of bleak future. Don't you care about being washed overboard. Pray your fear now and pray faith in acknowledge in prayer. What is frightening. You acknowledge and prayer. What is causing you anxiety and knowledge and prayer. What is distressing. You acknowledge in prayer.

What is worrying you. I know in the Western church and in the American church, particularly we get up on Sunday morning were all put on our spiritual masks and man we all look good. Listen, God wants to hear your heart ache.

Why because he sees through that spiritual mask that you put on anyway and he just wants you to acknowledge what you goes he wants you to call on him, and when your heart is poured out to God as you pray your fear, sometimes you might hear his precious voice with a gentle rebuke for you. Just as he did with the disciples.

Why are you so afraid you'll of little faith, haven't you seen enough of my power in your life having to experience my pass protection.

Having to experience my past healings having to experience my past saving power, haven't you felt secure with me in my hands before, haven't you felt my compassion in the past. Why are you so afraid have not illustrated to you that I have your best interest at heart. Did we not sitting together in the temple, those great words of Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth giveaway and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters foam and roar in the mountain click with their surging verse seven Gallardo my ideas with us.

The God of Jacob is our fortress. What he chose Jacob wanted to say, the God of Jacob. I want to tell you why, because Jacob teaches us how to pray our fears out and faith in Genesis chapter 32 not want to go through the whole story. You know he runs away and he goes into his uncle Lebanon comes a mighty army said with the my staff across the Jordan now become to armies and he comes back with his children and his wives and his concubines and and on all the servants in the in the cattle and everything else and is heading back but all that time he's been terrified of his brother Esau. The funeral result was obviously irritating him that whole time it's always been afraid of a so what am I gonna do. I dread the day that I'm going to face Esau what's gonna happen and so he comes in just before he met the show.

Genesis 32 verse 11 decries his fear out separately. I pray from the hand of my brother Esau for am afraid he will come and attack me and also the mothers and their children.

What is he doing is praising his fear where out verse 12, but Lord you have said the mark that one down my going down is holding onto the promises of God. He prayed his fear out my spring faith in verse 12, but Lord you have said I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendents like the sand of the sea which cannot be counted. What is Jacob doing he is spreading his fear in his praying faith in like Job of old, and I would talk about somebody went from rags to riches. This is one man. He went from riches to rags and set them a pot of dirt, his body stricken with boils is crying to God and yet he prayed with confidence.

Although Satan is accusing me. Although Satan is causing him all sorts of havoc. Although Satan is causing him also to fears and anxiety and terror.

Although Satan is harassing him and oppressing him, but in you that God has allowed his word and he knew that God would bring him to the other side with double blessings. Pray your fear out Troy faith in prayer, fear out, pray the promises of God and secondly pray God's power in your life. Our biggest problem in the West generally is that we really truly and you are you going to examine your heart. I'm not condemning anybody I know I'm talking about personal experience. We really have minimize the power of God in our lives we really have just think a path this with me. I mean there is not a problem we have that science can also write there's no problem we have that we don't throw money I didn't gonna go away is how we think we got so bamboozled by secular thinking about secular culture that even the children of the living God are thinking the same way that is not problem that legislation politicians cannot get us out of it. I got news for you. People still get sick people still suffer. People still worry in times of trouble.

People still die hurricanes and storms and tornadoes still happen and neither science nor money, no legislation, no politicians are able to solve them. As a matter fact have you notice how every time, science seem to solve one problem 10 problems pop up really only just think about this. All in all we got a breakthrough once come up as regards is okay. Good boys and girls to try the only power that is worthy of its name for the children of the living God for the child of God is the power of Jesus.

And that is why what we going through right now. In all honesty I can tell you that it can be a blessing to us and really can it can be a great blessing because gonna take us out of dependence on all these things into dependence on God and see the power of God manifested like we've never seen it in modern time because what we going through right now is revealing the inadequacy of science and I love science. I am not an anti-intellectual you know that but is revealing the inadequacy of money or science or ingenuity or politics and politicians and policies listen to me man may have the power to destroy the world but they have no power to perfect the world. Only Jesus has that power.

And until we bow our knees before God. All of our solutions are only temporary fixes man may have power to destroy a life, but has no power to create it. Only God has that power part of the reason Jesus was manifested as the Messiah, the anointed of God who existed with the father before all worlds. He came to redeem us. He came to die for us and also became to demonstrate his power over all these things hands power to redeem man from sin is the only one who has that power he has power to reverse the curse of sin is the only one who has that power he has the power to hear diseases is the only one who has that power is the power to raise the dead is the only one who has that power he has the power to still the storms in our lives is the only one who has that power is a power over Satan and all of his demons and is the only one who has the power and if we truly believe I was saying we believe and be a statement of faith. I'm talking about, really, really believe it deep in our hearts. It's part of our DNA if we really believe in the power of God, a promise you this place would be packed out on Wednesday nights calling for the power of God. The problem is that not really sure if we just say we believe in the power of Jesus and we want him somehow to use that power to help us get out of a fix. We really believe it that we can walk in it and threw it moment by moment, day by day, and if we are we ready to risk anything to demonstrate and claim the power to see God always waits until we run out of all human solutions before he manifests his power for his children because when our strength replaces his when our ingenuity replaces his when our power replaces his when our own peace of mind affected peace replaces his peace when our own will, replaces his perfect will win our own self-sufficiency replaces his all sufficiency we find ourselves peddling our canoes in the middle of the storm you know is what I've seen through all the years in ministry. I've seen some people who might not have any cause for fear, and yet the fearful and yet I've seen people who have every reason to fear but are not afraid you know what the differences you know the differences. A complete trust in the Lord Jesus just as saving faith is a gift from God that he gives us so that we may believe in him and receive him as Savior and Lord. So is our daily faith is a gift from God. Have you asked for it, or you can start today.

Pray your fears out and pray faith in pray the power of God that power that is sustaining the universe every atom in the universe is sustained by the power of God. Every galaxy and every star in their orbits there sustained by the power of God. And that's a very power that Jesus is offering his children. So brother with me appeal to you sister with me appeal to you, don't tranquilize your fears don't tranquilize your fears don't drown. Try to drown their fears, and alcohol. Don't try to escape from your fears defeated by the power of God in Jesus name of father water honor and a privilege to know you, not just as our Savior, who is going to take us to heaven. But as our sustainer in our daily faith that we can trust in you. We can walk with you and no matter how dark it may get. And no matter how rough it might get that we know you promised us a safe passage that you gonna take us to the other side safely. Though the righteous might suffer but you will give them victory over them all. Father, we thank you Lord Jesus that you sit in the world. You shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world, and father, we rejoice in you know that flavors a single person here who does not know the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ who is not experienced the saving power of God that this day be the day in which he or she will come to you and father for the rest of you children, I write that they will begin by this power, and they know what it is and how the claimant. In Jesus name. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.Ward