Real People Real Talk
Real People Real Talk
Faith Over Fear: Embracing Courage and Trust in God’s Guidance
What if fear is just false evidence appearing real? Join me in this transformative episode of Real People, Real Talk, where we uncover the profound contrast between faith and fear. I'll share compelling personal experiences, like my journey of moving to a new city and battling imposter syndrome, to showcase how faith can be a powerful force propelling us forward. Through God's word, prayer, worship, and scripture, we learn how faith reassures us of our success and strength, empowering us to tackle life's challenges with confidence. Embrace courage and trust in God’s guidance to fulfill your calling, and discover how to cultivate a faith that extinguishes fear.
We also dive into the stories of biblical giants like David, Esther, and Moses, who exemplified faith over fear to fulfill God's will. Learn how David's early victories prepared him for greater battles and how Peter's attempt to walk on water illustrates the importance of maintaining our focus on God. With references to scripture and the encouraging message of Jesus' prayer for Peter, this episode inspires you to walk in faith, purpose, and boldness. Reject fear and embrace your God-given potential, trusting that a faithful God works all things for our good. Amen.
Welcome and thanks for tuning in to Real People, real Talk, relevant conversations that take you from surviving to thriving. This is the podcast that goes there. My name is Paul Calco and I'm your host. Now let's talk. Well, hello, my friend. I appreciate you so much for pressing play and listening in. I'm going to keep this one short and sweet and I'm going to get right to the content at hand, as I have a solo sermonic episode for you.
Speaker 1:It's all about faith and fear. More so, faith versus fear, going to compare and contrast, and we're going to see what the Lord has to say on today. So fear is always waiting for a chance to enter into our lives, to ruin it. Fear has the potential to hold you captive and to stop you from living your life to the fullest and being all that God has called you to be. Listen up God does not want you to live a life of fear, but rather a life of faith. But you may say, paul, what exactly is fear? Fear is that sensation, that feeling, that inner knowing that anything that could happen and the result of what happens would not be good. If we're being honest here and we're going to be honest fear is one of the greatest roadblocks that will keep you from being all that God has called you to be and will keep you from doing all that God has called you to do. If fear goes unchecked in your life, it can trap you and prevent you from growing.
Speaker 1:Now, faith versus fear. Let's do some comparisons and contrasting. There are some similarities. Both fear and faith acts us to believe that something is going to happen. Fear says that won't work, I might fail, I might lose. Says that won't work, I might fail, I might lose, but faith, on the other hand, says this will succeed, this will work, I will win. Faith is the antidote to fear, meaning that you can overcome your fear with your faith. Fear will try to hold you back, but faith will move you forward. Amen you back, but faith will move you forward Amen. Fear will try to paralyze you, while faith will propel you.
Speaker 1:One acronym that I saw for fear F-E-A-R is false evidence appearing real. And with that acronym in mind, I would encourage you to not to believe the fake news that the devil will try to bring your way. When he says that you're not going to succeed, you respond with God's word and says I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. When the enemy comes with this false evidence appearing real and he comes with this fake news and saying you are a nobody, you respond with the word and say I have been made in the image of God, I am loved and I am forgiven. When fear knocks on the door of your mind, you should answer and respond with faith and with God's word.
Speaker 1:It's through hearing God's word, reading God's word and meditating on God's word that we can begin to experience a strong, confident faith that distinguishes worry and fear. It puts it out. See. It's through hearing God's word, it's through reading God's word, it's through meditating and obeying God's word that we can begin to experience a strong and confident faith that will put out worry and put out fear. Spending time with the Lord, spending time in prayer, spending time in worship, will develop a relationship with our heavenly father that sees us through even the darkest of nights. You also overcome fear as you seek after God.
Speaker 1:The Bible says in Psalms 34, 4, I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Joshua 1, 9 says have I not commanded you to be strong, to be courageous, do not be frightened, do not be dismayed, for the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go, and I just want to remind you that, the same words that were spoken to Joshua, I want to speak that over your life, do not fear, do not be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go. Be strong, my brother, and be courageous, my sister. Moving to the New Testament, 2 Timothy 1.7 says For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but it's a bit of power, love and self-control. And since God didn't give me that spirit of fear, I'm not going to receive that spirit of fear.
Speaker 1:So I've dealt with fear a couple of times throughout my life and one of the biggest jumps, one of the biggest leaps of faith, where I had to overcome fear, was when I was asked to work at this church in Houston, texas. I'm originally from Mississippi. I spent about a year in New Orleans when I was going to grad school and then here I am I get my first big boy job in Houston, texas, the fourth largest city in the United States, one of the bigger states. The fourth largest city in the United States, one of the bigger states, and at a mega church and just all things. The city, the state, the church was bigger than things that I have seen in my life.
Speaker 1:And originally I was kind of afraid. I had a little imposter syndrome, like am I good enough, will I be able to do this? And had to press past that fear. And let me tell you something about fear like more so than tell you something about something about courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but courage is saying, even if fear is here, I'm still going to move forward. I'm going to press forward, I'm going to progress and do what god is calling me to do. I made that leap of faith and, man, I have really enjoyed my time in houston, texas. I've enjoyed serving at this church. Um, I don't think I wish, I mean if, if my family was a little bit close.
Speaker 1:But outside of that, I really believe that this was the right move and had to press past that fear. So I would tell you, if you're dealing with fear in regards to what God is calling you to do, I mean, take that to the Lord in prayer. He cares, he wants to hear from you. But I also would encourage you to take that step of faith Don't let the devil steal your destiny, don't let him prevent you from moving forward because you are afraid. I mean even related to this podcast.
Speaker 1:I remember May 24th 2020, during the pandemic, when I pressed record and did my first episode in my closet. I'm gonna give you a secret I was afraid, even though it was just me and my laptop and had no audience that's looking at me and hearing me or whatever. It was just me and my guests on Zoom. I was afraid. I was like what are people going to say? Is it going to succeed? Et cetera, et cetera. But once again, I have to have courage and move past that fear to do all that God is calling me to do, and I'm so glad that I did, because at the time of this recording, we are about 175 or so episodes in, 50,000 downloads in, and to God be the glory for that. So sometimes you just got to have courage, have faith and move forward in spite of fear.
Speaker 1:Now, what is faith? An acronym for faith is this F-A-I-T-H full assurance in trusting him. Full assurance in trusting him talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. The most famous verse about faith is found in hebrews, chapter 11, verse 1, where it says that now, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And verse 6 goes on to say and without faith, it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Speaker 1:Faith is the absolute belief in God. It's believing that he is constantly working behind the scenes in every area of your life. Even when there is no tangible evidence to support that fact, you still believe God and you still believe in God. Faith is this belief in and this confident attitude towards God that involves a commitment to his will for one's life. Now, the Christian faith. It's a confident assurance in a God who loves you, who knows your thoughts and cares about your deepest need.
Speaker 1:Our faith continues to grow when we study God's word, when we spend time with him and specifically studying the Bible, so we can learn about his attributes, learn about his characteristics, learn about the mighty and wonderful deeds that he has already done, that he's still powerful enough, sovereign enough to do those things. Today you feed your fear when you allow negative thoughts and all the what ifs in life to flood your mind and just stay there. The Bible says we got to cast out every thought and every imagination and try to exalt yourself against the will of God. We got to put those thoughts aside, don't dwell on them, but then we feed our faith by way of God's word. Being in God's word will remind you of his power. Being in God's word will remind you of his wisdom, and being in God's word will remind you of his faithfulness demonstrated to the characters of the Bible.
Speaker 1:Now, david defeated Goliath, daniel survived the lion's den, and the three Hebrew boys, as they would call it. They came out of that fire. They was thrown in with no smoke and no burns, but with the victory. Just a few brief examples of the things that God did for his people that have faith in him David, daniel and the three Hebrew boys, just to name a few. Faith says this the same God that worked things out for them is the very same God that is working things out for me. That is a attitude of faith and confidence.
Speaker 1:I want you to take a few seconds to reflect and look back over your life and just remember God's faithfulness in your life time and time again. The time where you was able to pay that bill and it looked like you wasn't going to be able to pay it there was mortgage, there was tuition or whatever. Or the time that God healed you, or the time that God made a way out of no way, or the time that God opened up a new door that was beneficial to you, or the time when God closed a door that was detrimental to you. Look back over your life and just be reminded of God's faithfulness, and I want to encourage you that he is the same God yesterday, today and forevermore. If he did it before, he can do it again. He's the same God, so keep hope alive. Choose faith over fear.
Speaker 1:Now I want you to be aware that the trials that we face actually strengthen and mature our faith and prepares us for future circumstances. Here's what I mean. Before David ever faced Goliath, he actually encountered and faced and defeated both a lion and a bear. What if God never allowed the lion and the bear to come against David? I don't know, but maybe David would not have been prepared to face and defeat Goliath when the time came. David knew that the same God that sustained him through previous dangerous situations in the past was the same God that would be with him in every trial. He saw and experienced firsthand the power of God and God's protection in his life, and this developed within him a fearless faith. So I said all of that to say this what you're going through right now is actually preparing you for the very things that God wants to accomplish through you.
Speaker 1:Man, imagine what the Bible will look like if the heroes of faith chose fear instead of faith. We think about Esther, but because of her sacrifices and because of her courage and because of her faith, her nation was saved. But if she chose fear, maybe they would have been destroyed. Moses, if he didn't step out on faith, or if he just you cowered back in fear, the Israelites probably would have remained slaves. So I'm so grateful that they chose faith over fear, and I want to encourage you to do the same thing to choose faith over fear and watch how everything will unfold and work out for your favor. Now I want to make it even more personal for you. Imagine all that God can do through you. Imagine all the things that you can do for him, for his kingdom, and all the things that you can achieve in your life if you operate in faith instead of fear.
Speaker 1:What is fear holding you back from? Once you look at your life, examine your life and the different aspects of your life, what is fear holding you back from Once you look at your life, examine your life and the different aspects of your life, what is fear holding you back? What is that thing that God is calling you to do? Is God calling you to go back to school? Is God calling you to go to school? Maybe God is calling you to start a business. Maybe God is calling you to start a podcast or a YouTube channel, or maybe to start a Bible study. Maybe God is calling you to write a podcast or a YouTube channel, or maybe to start a Bible study. Maybe God is calling you to write a book, to write a song and then to publish those things. Maybe God is calling you to open up your heart for love again.
Speaker 1:Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, step out of fear and step out on faith and go after those God given dreams. Don't be that person that says, hey, I'm waiting on God, when in actuality, you're just too scared to make a move. Don't allow fear, don't allow the what ifs in life to cause you to miss out on God's best for you. Let me say that one more time Please do not allow fear and please don't allow doubt and the what ifs of life to cause you to miss out on God's best for you. I dare you to reject fear and to embrace faith. Got some scripture for you Matthew, chapter 14, verses 26 through 31. And here's what it says.
Speaker 1:But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said it is a ghost. And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying take heart, it is, I do not be afraid. And Peter asked him and said Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water. And Jesus said come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on water. That's a miracle, right that he walked on water. And Jesus said come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on water. That's a miracle. Right there, he walked on water. The only other person to walk on water besides Jesus, that was Peter. So he walked on water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and he began to sink and he cried out Lord, save me. And Judas immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Speaker 1:In this text, in these verses, we see that fear distracts. We see that fear will blind us from seeing Jesus. Fear is that unbelief. That's why Jesus said why did you doubt? When you take your eyes off of Jesus, when you take your focus off of Jesus and you give into fear, you will sink. That's why it's imperative that we stay focused on the Lord and we walk in faith. Please do not allow fear to ruin your life, fear to ruin your life. I want you to make the choice to respond with faith and to keep your faith in a faithful father. Keep your faith in a faithful God, a God that is perfect, a God that is sovereign, a God that is wise and a God that is dependable and a God that is currently working all things out for your good. Only believe, hear this. You don't need all the answers. You don't need the what, the when, the how. You just need the who and that. Who is God.
Speaker 1:One more scripture for you Luke, chapter 22, verses 31 through 32, says Simon Simon talking about Peter again. Simon Simon, behold, satan demanded to have you that. It may sift you like wheat, but I pray for you that your faith fail you not. And when you have turned again, the translation says is when you have been converted and strengthen your brother. And that's my prayer and hope for you today that your faith fail you not.
Speaker 1:When Jesus said I pray for Peter, he didn't say you know, I pray that you get some new sandals, I pray that you get the fastest horse, I pray that you don't have to have to pay that much taxes to run. He didn't say I pray that you have a bigger house. He said that I pray that your faith fail you not. And that's my prayer once again for you today that your faith will fail you not and that you would choose faith over fear. So today I just wanted to spend a few moments encouraging you to walk in faith, to walk in purpose and to answer God's call on your life with boldness. And to answer God's call on your life with boldness, confidence and courage, amen. So until next time, go be all that God has called you to be. Reject fear and choose faith. This is your host, paul Calco, signing out you.