Reflections on Sunday’s Message

This past Sunday, June 29th, our Evangelist delivered a challenging message on overcoming fear. As I sat listening, I was struck by how directly it spoke to struggles we all face—not just in evangelism, but in every area where fear holds us back.

When Even Jesus Felt Fear

A challenging moment for me was learning about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as described in Luke 22. Our Evangelist pointed out that Jesus experienced such intense fear that His sweat became like drops of blood. This wasn’t just mild anxiety—the Greek word used in Luke 22:44 describes severe mental anguish.

As I’ve studied this Greek word in the past, my personal study had not brought out this nuance. Our Evangelist shared the fruit of his study:

The idea of anguish and agony were familiar to me. “Great fear” was something I had not previously considered.

Jesus was fully human as well as fully God. He subjected Himself to our experiences so He could truly sympathize with our weaknesses. When I’m afraid, Jesus understands because He’s been there.

The Prayer Connection

“If you don’t have a prayer life, you don’t have a spiritual life.” That line has been echoing in my mind all week. Our Evangelist challenged us to be brutally honest in prayer: “God, I’m fearful right now. I don’t want to do this. Give me the courage to do it.”

The example from Acts 4 was particularly encouraging—even the Spirit-filled apostles needed to pray for boldness when faced with threats. Their response? The place shook, and they were filled with fresh courage. Prayer shouldn’t be our last resort; it ought to be our first response.

Looking Beyond Ourselves

Perhaps the most convicting part of the message was about Jesus’ focus during His arrest. Knowing the torture He was about to endure, He was still concerned about protecting His disciples. Our Evangelist applied this powerfully to evangelism: when we focus on the eternal destiny of the lost, our personal fears should pale in comparison. What they may do or say to us is small when compared to what awaits them if they don’t trust in Christ for their salvation.

The statistic he shared was sobering—98% of Christians don’t share their faith. As our Evangelist noted, if we don’t share the gospel with someone, chances are nobody will. While we may not all proclaim the gospel in exactly the same way (we’re not all going to be street preachers, etc.), every Christian should be able to tell others the message which we ourselves have believed so that they, too, may have opportunity to turn to Christ and believe in Him.

Expecting Afflictions

A challenging but important point was made from 1 Thessalonians 3:3—Christians are “destined” for afflictions. This does not mean that God causes all our suffering, but that following Christ will bring opposition. Our Evangelist wisely noted that when we expect difficulties rather than being surprised by them, we’re less likely to be overwhelmed by fear.

The Bottom Line

What stayed with me most was this: courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s having fear and obeying God anyway. Whether it’s sharing our faith, facing a difficult situation, or stepping out in obedience, we don’t need to be fearless. We just need to pray, trust, and act.

As I reflect on this message, I’m challenged to examine where fear has been holding me back. Maybe you are too. The good news is we serve a God who understands our fears and stands ready to give us the courage we need—we just need to ask.

What fears are you facing today? How might God be calling you to act despite them?