Overcoming Fear - Conquering Chaos: 10 Tips for Turbulent Times — Shane Idleman

I told God many years ago that I would preach whether there's 5 ,000 or no one and I didn't think he'd ever take me up on that offer. So I'm gonna get right into the message overcoming fear conquering chaos 10 tips for turbulent times.

But let me tell you this up front. My office manager and the staff here decorated the sanctuary with pictures of the members all over the place. So if you catch me looking here looking there not always looking there have a little bit of grace.

Your pastors have never been through anything like this. Fortunately have a little experience talking through a camera. But it is challenging because you don't see the audience you don't get to go off of that.

That can actually be a good thing because you don't see the sour faces either. And we just we just have to plow through. So let me just say a few things that I saw on Facebook that might encourage you because I think it's okay to have a little bit of humor but you're seeing those things out there just like that something happened.

Well just like that spanking and prayer are brought back into the schools and just like that no one asked what a stay-at-home mom does anymore there they have a clear idea of what what happens when all of us are forced to stay at home and we're gonna work through this.

We're gonna get through this. But I here's my challenge. I wanted to just do a short message but God really put on my heart to speak maybe longer. And it's not like we have anything to do right. There's time to sit.

We can go back over this message. You can share this message with others and we just want to focus on what God's Word says. But I do want to tell our immediate family here in Los Angeles County that this just came out last night the headline says breaking all indoor and outdoor gatherings in Los Angeles County are prohibited now.

I want to just all the a lot of questions are coming in. This is not martial law. We know the marshal who is in charge of the law. So this is not there. We're not there at any stage of that right now.

What this is. It's an order because a lot of people aren't respecting the ten-person rule and and they're just they don't care about it. So the county had to take a little bit more drastic measures. You can read all about that on the county website.

But I just want to clarify that there are essential places going to be open. There are businesses that are essential. They're gonna still be operating. And before I get into the message I want to do four things.

First I want to thank those all of those people who are serving firemen nurses health care practitioners who would ever think that a grocery store clerk would be more important than a basketball star.

So we want to thank all of those people. We also want to remind you to download our app for the radio station. We actually have a radio station. It's called Westside Christian Fellowship or WCF radio network so you can go to WCF radio dot org.

That's WCF radio dot org and it's 24 hours a day seven days a week heartfelt worship and sermons. People like Alistair Begg David Jeremiah many solid teachers are on there and you can listen anywhere with your app.

So I want to encourage you to do that because we're need encouragement in the days going forward. Also I wanted to let you know that our prayer team is available. So if you're on Facebook you can do comment section there.

Our prayer team will respond to your comments. They can respond to you individually as well if you have questions about God. If you're anxious if you just don't know what's going on you need someone to pray with you reach out to you.

They are available also that's on YouTube as well. You can see the comment thread on YouTube. I just went on briefly. It looks like we have people from Holland and different countries already tuning in to listen and be encouraged.

So again prayer team is available. If you need that just reach out. And I want to want to remind you also especially mainly our local body here and again I might look at these pictures to remind myself who they are.

Fasting, Humility, and the Church’s Mission During Crisis

We are starting our fast today. We believe that God looks at the heart of the person and fasting is really a step of humility. If my people who humble themselves pray turn from their sin and seek me is fasting is in all four of those areas.

It's a it's it's a form of of repentance and humility saying God my hunger for you outweighs this hunger. Every time that hunger comes on I'm going to seek you with all of my heart my strength. I'm gonna pray and we're gonna contend for our nation.

We're gonna contend that you get these churches open. You can close the church doors but you can't silence the truth and that is the truth. Well I know nobody's clapping. It's difficult but I'm gonna I'm gonna just get back on track here for a minute.

Also want to let you know I you know I've been going back and forth on this but I will just tell you this people want to know about giving at our church. We don't promote giving a lot. We actually don't pass a plate.

People just give willingly. It's not part of really what we do or who we are but we do want to let people know that during this season your local church the churches those out there ministering will need people to continue to give so you can do that on our Facebook pages there the link goes all to our website back to Westside Christian Fellowship org and you can give there if God leads you in that direction.

So again I might go long because I want you to go back and listen to this when you have time. Anyone there with little kiddos at home. It's difficult. I've got quite a few myself and it makes it difficult.

So this message is designed not only to encourage you right now but also to go back and listen to. So I had a message designed it was all based on Joel 2nd Chronicles and it was done until Wednesday morning.

I started to read Psalm 19. I'm sorry Psalm 119. I want to encourage you read that today read Psalm 119 and God just started to pour all of this into my heart and I said you know this would be this would be something really good to share with the people that God has put on my heart.

So I switched messages switch titles of the message everything to right now begin on Thursday morning. I finished it up early this morning. But I before I get into the message I want to just remind us of a few things.

Taking Turbulent Times Seriously Without Surrendering to Fear

This is serious that what's going on is serious. It's affecting many people and God wants us. I believe to take things seriously but not lose perspective. So in other words I'm supposed to take this seriously but not lose perspective.

We are going to struggle with fear but fear is not supposed to dominate. I don't think God wants us to walk around flippantly and upsetting people and and doing and acting like we have a spirit of rebellion and not being considerate for those.

In other words I cannot have a spirit of fear. I can I can go the grocery store I can hug someone I can shake their hand I can be within a foot personally but we want to honor the governing authorities and we want to honor those who maybe do not know God and they're watching how we act.

So it is very important I think to take this seriously especially if you look at what just happened in Italy recently over the last I think 24 30 hours that the death rate has skyrocketed in that area mainly elderly mainly those with with chronic illness or or immune system types deficiencies.

But this is something that is serious that I think we need to look at. It's not uncommon you know the bubonic plague it was in Constantinople. I think it was in the fourth fifth century and then in I believe it was London in the 1400s and of course Australia probably 1800s or so and it hit different areas.

This is something a bit different but I believe it needs to be taken seriously. Especially how it's affecting our families. One sad report I saw yesterday it said North Texas Hospital reports spike in severe child abuse cases and you're gonna see that in the hospitals child abuse cases are starting to to increase.

They said what they saw in just one week is what they normally see all month because parents don't know what to do they lash out and usually here's the sad part. It's usually kids four and under that the story was reporting on.

So this not only affects us physically it affects us spiritually it affects us emotionally and it affects us in so many different ways. So we have to be able to offer people hope it's not that you and I never fear.

But fear won't take you down. That's the key if you say well Shane do you ever struggle with fear. Of course I read the media I struggle with fear if I look to God's Word. I don't. It's a choice to take our thoughts captive as well.

And there are many questions. Aren't there many questions out there. China's involvement. Interestingly enough I'm trying to research this a little bit more but it looks like China is purchasing a lot of companies in Italy that are going under.

They're looking so. Is it just a coincidence and many different conspiracy theories. Is it just a virus that hit and we're dealing with it as a as as as the world. I don't know there are many questions but there is one answer.

Turning Back to God as the Nation’s Only Hope

So I don't know if you've never heard me before. I don't know if you're just tuning in. I don't know if a friend sent you this. But there is only one answer and one answer alone. It is time for the nation and you to turn back to God.

That's our only hope. If my people cry out to me call out to me I can heal their land. I can I can listen in one week God crushed all of our idols and he wants us to turn back to him. The mission is not cancelled.

Okay. Westside Christian Fellowship. Those who maybe call call us your your family as well. In different states wherever you're at the mission is not cancelled. We are still on the mission field. But the battle plan has changed.

The battle plan has changed and that's why we need prayer and encouragement as well. This is a very challenging time for me and my family and others and but this is a time where we look. I will tell you this God has become more real to me now than ever before.

He's became that rock that I've always I've always clung to. But now it seems like there's a deeper type of relationship a deeper foundation because of this. So I don't want to downplay what is happening.

I don't want to downplay what is happening. But I also don't want to amplify fear. And that's the struggle. So here's point number one. You're saying Shane you finally got to it. It took you 10 minutes to get to the sermon.

1. The Bible Downplays Worry and Offers Hope

Well here's 10 tips for turbulent times. I'm not gonna say that very many times because it's a tongue twister. 10 tips for turbulent times again. I don't want to belabor things. But I also don't want to just hurry up and get through this.

Because I think people are hungry for truth right now. They have they have a they have time to listen. So number one the Bible. The Bible does downplay worry. The Bible will downplay worry it. The Bible doesn't get.

It doesn't promote being worried and being anxious. The Bible actually downplays worry. But then it offers hope. So God will say here's the conditions here's what's happening. But here's the hope. Here's what you're going through.

Here's the challenges. But here's the hope. So we must do the same thing especially from the pulpits. And as Christians we don't downplay this. We don't minimize it. We don't poke fun at people. They might be very fearful at this time.

Oh come on. It's no big deal. And and actually in my case I might I might need to acknowledge this at a week or two ago I downplayed it a little bit more than I do now now I I don't know if the right what the right word is but many of us didn't take it quite as serious a couple weeks ago.

It's just like the flu. It's no big deal. It will blow over. And clearly we see that the enemy is working overtime. Clearly we see that okay this this might not be everything we thought it would be. And I think that's a good thing in that this sense God's got to get us to a place of complete brokenness where we cry out to God.

And I actually erase this from the sermon this morning but I'm adding it back right now because it's on my heart strongly. I don't think we're there yet. I don't think our nation is crying out to God.

I don't think we're that worried. Just yeah I still got this. I I think and I pray it's not the case. But I don't see our nation crying out to God yet. I see them. I see them crying out to Costco. I see them crying out for this or that.

But but I don't see that that that deep repentance taking place. It's getting there. Don't get me wrong. There's more prayer going up than ever before. There's more people seeking God than ever before.

But there has to be a cry a call of desperation. And my prayer is that God do not get us to that point. Let us cry out to you before we get to that point. So number one. How the Bible downplays worry.

The Bible does downplay worry and offers hope. But here's what I'm trying to say. How people are responding to this clearly reveals where their heart is now. I'm not gonna wait till the end of the message.

I'm gonna tell you this right now that I want to tell you about God right now before I go any further. Here's why I've noticed at funerals many people during especially during funerals and I'll read say Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. And it's just beautiful. People say oh praise God. I needed that right now. But they don't know the shepherd. You can quote scripture right now and not know the God of the Bible. This is a time of self-examination.

Have you humbled yourself. So this is. I guess this is all created for this. One question I should say two or three questions. Have you humbled yourself repented of your sin and asked God to save you.

Is he your shepherd. Are you trusting in him or are you trusting in religion. Are you trusting in who Christ is. Or are you trusting in good works. Listen. I sent this out to hundreds and hundreds thousands of people.

Actually I sent this link out for this message to different religions. Hindu Jehovah Witness Mormon. I sent this out to unbelievers. I set this out because this is the main question. Do you truly know God.

Is he your shepherd. Is he the good shepherd. Have you repented of your sins and believed in the gospel. And I see so many people saying well I'm trying to be a good person or I'm a good Baptist. I'm a good Lutheran.

I'm a good. No no no it's what Christ has done on the cross. This is. It's a time for self-examination. There is no peace. Let me tell you this as God is my witness there is no peace zero peace until you are right with God.

Because then you trust in an all sufficient Savior. You trust in the God who actually holds holds time and eternity in his hands. He controls God controls the destiny of nations. It's amazing. So turn it's a beautiful word.

It's a word that many pulpits are afraid of. But I guarantee they're gonna start resurrecting that word again. It's called repentance. I repent of my sin. I repent of my selfishness. I repent of my pride.

Oh God would you save me. And that is the answer for America. That's why we have times like this. And then number two number two embrace God's wake-up call. Embrace God's wake-up call. And here's where I'm going to Psalm 111 19.

2. Embracing God’s Wake-Up Call Through Affliction

Now I'm not gonna say the verses because I want you to read through the whole Psalm 119. Now the psalmist said this before I was afflicted I went astray. But now I keep your word before I was afflicted.

In other words God before you spanked me I was out of control. Before you got my attention I was out of control. But now that you've afflicted me and I went astray but now I keep your word. So embrace God's wake-up call.

Yes we don't like it. We can become bitter and angry. But we have to embrace it and say God what are you doing in and through me. Why are you doing this. And like I said in one fell swoop all of our idols have been dethroned.

But from a biblical perspective this could be a wake-up call. Medical staff. I just read this yesterday. They are calling the situation in Italy the apocalypse because of the the the caskets and the death rate and different things.

And I was reminded of Luke 21 11. There will be great earthquakes by the way. I think there wasn't one in Utah. You might read of one last time in Croatia. I think that's there's a shaking going on. There's famines and this is Jesus.

There will be great earthquakes famines and pestilence in various places. And fearful events. And great signs from heaven. So none of us know. Okay is this a sign that Jesus was talking about depending on your eschological view.

If you if you don't know I'm talking about basically people have a different view of when God is coming in. But we do know he's coming again. And people often email me Shane you're just trying to scare me and I say I am I'm trying to sear the hell out of you because there's you've got to have that fear that God says I warn you I give you no that's not cussing.

Don't worry. He wants to bring that out of us. He wants it he wants to change us from the inside out. You have to tell people the truth. And I find this so ironic. This is unbelievable. Listen to this one of the most quoted verses during this time.

Do you know what it is. Right now you can google this. I mean there's there's a couple ones I think Philippians about anxiety. John 3 16 the Great Tribulation. There's but one of the top verses is this one you can probably only see.

You can't see the two here. 2nd Chronicles 714 we many of us know I mean we are sign out front says that if my people who are called by my name will what humble themselves and turn to me. But here's what's interesting.

Here's the context. The verse right before it when I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain. In other words there was no there was no fruit there was no food. And when I command locusts to devour the land or when I send a plague among my people this and this is God's wake-up call.

The context is a disobedient and rebellious purse. People needed to be woken up from their slumber. So God when when I send these things because I love you so much when I send these things to turn you back for me.

If you humble yourself and repent and seek my face and turn from your wicked way I will hear from heaven and I will forgive your sins. And it's interesting provision is being dried up. Locusts is devouring.

If you google this we'll find out what locusts is doing right now in Africa and possibly head heading to the Middle East. And what is a plague doing the pestilence doing now in our nation and across the world.

Now again we don't know if this is what if this is truly an end times type of prophecy. But we do know that this is a wake-up call from God. And like Paul said I'm hard-pressed on every side. A man I'm hard-pressed on every side but I'm not crushed.

I'm perplexed but I'm not in despaired. I'm I'm I'm confused but I'm not without hope. Paul says we look to you and you alone for our guidance and for our strength. So number three don't worry I'll try to get through this quickly.

3. How Difficulty Shapes Christian Character

Number three. Difficulty shape our character. Amen. Difficulty shape our character. Or guess what. They ruin it. Many people are ruining their character right now because they're making very ungodly unwise decisions.

They're possibly running back to an addiction. They're possibly running away from God when they need to be running to him. So never forget this in the psalm. And 119 said teach me good judgment and knowledge.

Well why is that a big deal. Because that's what we need to get through these dire times. Good judgment and knowledge. And the context in Psalm 119 is affliction. We hear this word a lot in 119. Teach me good judgment knowledge Lord through my affliction.

Here's what. Here's what affliction means. It's when God allows something to happen. In Deuteronomy and Chronicles it talks about the bread of affliction. And in the plural many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them from them all.

In other words this is not should not be a surprise. Many Christians are being shaken right now because they believed in a false gospel that tells you that God is a genie in a bottle. You can have whatever you want.

You're gonna be wealthy healthy and live on the have the best house on top of the hill and God's gonna just get you through all challenges. That's not the Christianity of the Bible. The Christianity the Bible says though he slay me yet will I trust him.

And God begins to bring you through the storm not around it. That's the God of the Bible. And that's how we develop trust. That's how character is built and sustained. How many of us need help with joy patience and trust.

This week I'm assuming most of you out there see pictures and out there. How do you develop joy if you're not challenged with sorrow. How do you develop patience if you're not challenged with impatience.

How do you develop trust if you're not challenged with fear. See here how. Here's how God works. I'm fearful. God needs to prune that fear away. I look to his word I look to strength and I begin develop and develop trust.

There's so much impatience right now. I went to the store I just wanted a dozen eggs. That's all. And the line is 45 yards at each register. I put those away and just got in my truck and left very impatient.

But how do I get rid of that impatience. God has to challenge me in that area has to prune it away. And how do I how do I experience joy if I don't first confront sorrow. So remember that this is a wonderful time to shake our care shape our character.

And I'm not minimizing the death mortality rate. I'm not minimizing the pain of families. But I do want to remind you that God can use this to shape who you are. If we become a lazy Christian without difficulties and challenges we will actually our faith will wither.

These are the times where faith is strength. And this is the time where faith is built up. Then we can look back and tell our kids kids this is what God has brought me through and he will bring you through as well.

4. Minimizing Media and Maximizing the Present Moment

And then number four. Oh please hear this. Post it on your refrigerator. Post it wherever. Minimize the media and maximize the moment media. Minimize the media and maximize the moment. What I mean by that I was googling something and it said the top 10 movies right now are about pandemics on Netflix.

My kids who are my kids. Let's watch that I know no we don't need to watch about a pandemic. During a pandemic you need to put on things that build you up spiritually. That's why the psalmist said turn my turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.

Direct my steps back to your word. And there comes a point in your own heart. You have to say turn my turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. If you're gonna sit at home and just get drunk or get medicated and watch things that pull you down spiritually.

You will not get through this without a tremendous amount of pain and fear and anxiety. God says maximize this moment by minimizing the worldly influence. Time in God's Word and prayer changes your heart.

He goes on in Psalm 119. My soul clings to the dust. That sound familiar right now. My soul clings to the dust. Revive me. How. According to your word. My soul melts from heaviness. Strengthen me. How according to your word.

And you might be sitting out there going what in the world does that mean. According to your word. According to your word strengthen me. According to your word revive me. According to your word. Here's what this means in God's Word.

God's Word is absolute truth. God's Word does not change. It's it is. It is. The embodiment of truth is who he is. So when he says something it's going to happen. End a story. So in God's Word he provides promises.

So according to. In other words Lord strength me and revive me. As I look to your promise you your word said seek me and and you will find me. Draw nigh to me. And I will draw near to you. You look to me with all your heart with all your soul with all your strength.

And I will comfort you. I will embrace you. I will be your shelter. I will be a refuge. I will be your strong tower. I will be your king. I will be your conquer. I will be everything to you. If you look to me see I take God at his word.

And I can I can take those promises to the bank. So you have to look to his word. You have to look to his word. Of course really what you're looking to is to his promises. David said I've never seen the righteous famish.

I have never seen. I have never seen the righteous forsaken. Let me tell you this. Those who know God he will never forsake you. Yes there are challenges. Yes people have lost their lost children or loved ones in many calamities.

And it feels like God's not there but he is always there. He's an ever-present help of time and need. He's his word says I will never forsake you. I will never leave you cling to me. Hold on to the cross.

And that word that promise revives me. So here's how it works. I go on the computer. The world is falling apart. All hell is break. You should look at some of these stories. Worst case scenario. I don't want to your worst case scenario.

I want your best case scenario that how many will be affected the mortality rate. The government shutting down military plans. It's all this. And you're feeding and you're feeding and you're feeding. God says look to me and me alone.

Don't be conformed to be be prepared. Know what's going on. But look to me and me alone. Let me be your strength. Conform not to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You have to focus on who God is.

5. Fueling Hope Instead of Fear

And that leads me right into the next point. You have to fuel hope not fear. Now that's. That's not a cliche. That's a reality. Did you know this. Throughout the day you're either fueling fear or you're fueling hope.

You're either gravitating towards fear or you're gravitating towards hope. Remember Psalm again. Remember the word to your servant upon which you have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction for your word has given me life.

Fear. Did you know. Fear and chaos need a host. The virus needs a host. Meaning it needs a body. Fear and chaos cannot dwell without a host. In other words come on into my house. Let me host you. Let me host you fear and anxiety.

And it needs fuel. So many of you out there let me tell you this. If you don't know who God is that's where it must start. You must turn your life completely over to him and stop watching a bunch of junk that is going to fill your heart with fear.

Get into his word. Get into prayer. Get into worship. Reach out to us. Reach out to us. If you made that commitment today. If you said I need to know God and I need help. Reach out to us. Email Facebook.

It doesn't matter. And we will get people administering to you through the internet. This listen as discouraged as many of us are. We've also all been praying God. I just need more time with my family.

And now look what happens. Lord I need more time with you. Look at this is a wonderful time where we can seek God again. And number six. This is my favorite point. We're number six. We must we must prevail in prayer.

6. Prevailing Prayer Through Dependence, Repentance, Faith, and Perseverance

We must prevail in prayer. What do I mean by that. Well you've heard me say it before. If you've been listening but microwave Christianity. Five-minute devotionals. Quick prayer is not going to cut it.

In these dire times. We need broken people. Get petitioning God. Crying out to God. Spending time in the prayer closet. Well Shane can you prove that from. From Psalm 119. I can he said this. I rise before the dawning of the morning and I cry out for help.

He said I get up early. What does that mean. That's my priority. Sleep is not his priority. The media is not his priority. The Bible says he rises up. He rises up early in the morning and he cries out for help.

And parents. Let me tell you this. Or those maybe who aren't parents. But you're in your home. You set the tone. You set the tone of humility in your home. Men women you set the tone. Be quick to ask for repentance.

Quick to ask for forgiveness. In this season right now the blame game is over. We can no longer say well. You don't know my spouse. You don't know how difficult she is. The Bible never says do this unless you have a difficult spouse.

It always says do this on your part. And I will honor that. So the blame game must and we must get back to prevailing prayer. And by chance or by sovereignty. I'm not sure but I was reading a book on George Mueller.

By the way now is the time to read good books. I all of my books are on our website for free free downloads. And I hate when people say oh you're just promoting him. I am. I'm promoting free books to help people.

Amen. So we want we want to get you into good books. George Mueller. A .W. Tozer Leonard Ravenhill. Well we can recommend books as well. But he said this. And if anybody relied on God it was George Mueller never asked for a dime and funded millions of dollars through his orphanages helping millions of kids in England.

I believe it came out. I don't know that the total number of how many kids he helped. Maybe in the tens of thousands. But he said this. Here's how you have prevailing prayer that is answered. Number one.

You depend on Jesus. Okay. Not your retirement not your 401. Not your not your boss not your job. God can take everything away from you. And he says now will you worship me. I depend on Jesus and Jesus alone.

You are my sustenance. You are my ever-present help in time of need. I'm looking to you. And then he lists number two. Are you ready for this. Forsake all known sin. Forsake sin. God told the Prophet he said I can hear you my ears not my ears not short or my hands not short.

My ears not my. I'm not hard of hearing. But your sins your sins have separated you from me so that I cannot hear. Listen. I'm not talking about a perfect person. I'm talking about a person who comes before God and says God cleanse me of all my known sin.

I repent of you. I repent of these sins God. And I want to get my heart right. I want to look to Christ and depend on Jesus. I'm forsaking the sin. What about the sin of anger and rebellion. What about watching and looking the port the porn industry.

Did you. These things are breaking my heart. The porn industry is growing right now. Porn sites are offering free subscriptions. They're trying to see here when both I said this last week when both God and the devil after your soul.

You know it's important. So the enemy's coming in like a flood. But God is raising up a standard against him through his word. So he said depend on Jesus for forsake all known sin. In other words repent and have a clean heart.