Day 2161– The Gospel of John – 29 –Overcoming Fear – Daily Wisdom

Welcome to Day 2161 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 29 – Overcoming Fear – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/04/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Overcoming Fear   Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last time we saw how Jesus gently consoled and encouraged the remaining eleven disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Today we continue the lesson as Jesus teaches the disciples and us, that the way to overcome fear is to allow the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to fill us and bring peace to our hearts. Our scripture for today is John 14:25-31, starting on page 1676 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave. While fear is a primal response, it is entirely unnatural to humanity as God first created us. The first emotion recorded in the Bible is Genesis 2:25. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect intimacy with God and one another, uninhibited by sin or the shame it brings. The second emotion named explicitly in Scripture is fear. After trying to conceal his shame, Adam confessed that fear drove him into hiding when his Creator came to confront him in Genesis. 3:10. He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Fear is a product of the Fall, and we have been trying to cope with it ever since. Fear of heights. Fear of crowds. Fear of being alone. Fear of open spaces. Fear of closed spaces. Fear of germs. Fear of death. I have even read about people having a fear of fear!   Fear can be debilitating. Fear strips the athlete of his prowess, drains creativity from the artist, muddies the leader’s clarity, and drives the soldier deeper into his foxhole. I have seen people literally paralyzed with fear, unable to move a muscle in their grip. More commonly, fear keeps people from becoming everything God created them to be and prevents them from loving one another fully.   Jesus’ announcement of His departure sent the disciples into an emotional tailspin. They couldn’t imagine their future without Jesus, and the prospect of going on alone terrified them … and rightfully so! Likewise, I cannot imagine having to