This teaching was presented to God’s Girls Ministry Women’s Bible 
study on Monday, August 23, 2010. Personal testimonies are not 
included in these notes. This editor believes personal testimonies 
belong to the person telling it and should not be posted on a public 
forum such as the Internet by anyone except the testifier. Bracketed 
and italicized scripture references supplied in these notes were not 
in the teaching but are here as a study reference for your learning. 
King James Version Bible quoted unless noted otherwise.


Fear always keeps us from freedom. So what do we do about fear? Surrender it to God.

Christian-ese are words and catch phrases that many Christians use when they talk about their faith. Here is an example: "Give it to God." This may sound trite to someone who does not know God very well. What do those terms and phrases mean to someone who is not churched? It is non-sense.

Pray everyday for wisdom.

How do we get away from Christian-ese? What is the real reason we serve Christ? If we all look and sound the same like all the rest of the world, what makes us any different from the world?

Anxiety medication is the number ONE prescribed pharmaceutical in the United States. An unbelievable ratio of Americans take it. About 50% of all Americans have taken anti-anxiety drugs at one time or another or are taking them  now. Many of these are Christians, go to church, and sound like Christians speaking Christian-ese. But they are on anti-anxiety [tranquilizers] medications, which incidentally, can be very addictive.

In the famous 12 step program for recovering alcoholics, there is a," Today I will stay clean," mantra. I can't stay clean for a lifetime but I can stay clean just for today. This is the same way we can handle fear. We overcome fear one day at a time. Remember there is no formula with God. Religious spirits and religions take over churches by pawning formulas for successful Christian living to the masses. For example when I was a new believer I was told I had to read my bible first thing in the morning. Not being a morning person, I struggled to read my Bible in the morning so I ended up not reading it at all. The formula was I had to read the Bible first thing in the morning. I got free the moment someone told me, "If you can't read it in the morning, read it in the afternoon or in the evening." It never occurred to me to read my Bible at any other time of day becaue the religious edict was I had to read it first thing in the morning.

The good news is God is Faithful.

Are you dwelling with the Lord? I got a few  I.M. [instant messages] "are you dwelling?"

Whatever the fear is, whatever thing that keeps you from God, if you dwell on the fear, you are not dwelling with God. Fear is the enemy. 

John 15:1-4

1 ¶ I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide [dwell, stay] in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

To dwell is a verb which requires ACTION. This is not a formula. The Word of the Lord gives us encouragement to live, stay and dwell in a permanent residence.Permanent means forever, lasting, unchanging. If you received Jesus as your Lord he has taken permanent residence in your heart.God will NEVER abandon you.

John 15:5-17

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. {without me: or, severed from me}
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

After a storm you see lots of branches on the ground. Those branches will never produce fruit. Branches will only produce fruit when attached to the vine or the trunk. Key to producing fruit: Abide in Him. Remain in him. Don't abandon him.

If you remain in Christ, you will bear fruit. If you are not yet producing fruit, continue to abide, don't give up and quit. The promise is: Ask whatever you wish [as long as it does not contradict God's Word. He will not make a married man fall out of love with his wife so he can marry you] and it will be given. It is to the Father's glory that we bear much fruit.

REMAIN IN HIM=Be present in a permanent relationship with Him. 

How many times does the word remain show up in these verses? How many times does the word abide appear?

If there was a formula it would simply be: REMAIN.

When you are on top: REMAIN
When you are in the eye of the storm: REMAIN.
When you are hurting: REMAIN.
When you are in a bad storm: REMAIN.

Another key is to LOVE. It is by remaining that we love and love produces fruit. If all people see in us is bitter fruits or fear fruits or anti-anxiety meds or what is going on in our culture is going on in our lives, what distinguishes us from the world?

One way to be less fearful and full of anxiety is to stop looking at the news every night. You can stay informed in a few minutes one a week. What you need to concentrate on is GOD IS FAITHFUL and He ALWAYS takes care of His people who have remained in Him. It does not mean we won't have a bad day or financial issues. Let's glorify God. We will be OK. God is not a God of the times. He won't desert you when your kids are young and your budget is tight or when you are old and feel like you no longer have purpose.

I John 4:7 -17¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 ¶ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 ¶ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

My life should be a testimony of His love by the way I speak, by the way I spend my time, the way I eat, dress, treat people and live my life. 

Wecan be confident before God without shame and guilt knowing you are one with God in purpose. There is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear. Fear has to do with punishment. To dwell in the Lord is to dwell in Love.

When you are with an obnoxious person, walk in love, bite your tongue. Do not respond in like manner as they have treated you. The place to start is to receive what God has given you in Christ so you can love like he loves you. Condemnation is an enemy. When you fall in love with Jesus it won't be all about you anymore. 

CHALLENGE THIS WEEK-- Every time it becomes about you make a note of it. Write it down or keep a tally. Ex. Defensive reaction to comments that offend you...you do not care how other person feels and listen to them, you only care about the way it makes YOU feel so you get defensive.

[Sobriety] We will get free when we focus on God. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and the other stuff becomes less and less important. Put on the Lord Christ and dwell in Him. Pay attention.