Bill Hanson - The Fear App: Break out of the Cycle of Needless Fears

THE FEAR APP

BREAK OUT OF THE CYCLE
OF NEEDLESS FEARS

Bill Hanson

Copyright 2015 Bill Hanson.

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Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-2250-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-2249-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015920117

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/11/2015

CONTENTS

What I've learned about fear and how fear impacts our decisions about serving Jesus has come from a combination of my own fears, plus allowing those "what if" questions to over power serving decisions and talking to others around the globe who were candid with me who've allowed fear to control decisions as well.

I want to thank all the people that encouraged me about the Fear App book and Study Guide. I taught a number of classes on fear to men's small groups as well as men and ladies Bible studies. Thank you for encouraging me about the various chapters and the Study Guide questions that you felt were so relevant to this topic.

Thank you to Dr. James Wendorf and Christian fiction author Jeff LaFerney for help editing this book.

For five years, my wife Ginny and family have allowed me the time during our evenings and weekends to devote a certain amount of time to this book and study guide. Thank you friends, family and co-ministry partners around the globe.

Bill Hanson

When speaking of fear, the obvious question is "What are you afraid of?" Everyone has some type of a fear answer. The opposite of fear is faith. Where are you at in making critical decisions in life? Do you allow fear to control those decisions?

I was serving in missions at Richards Bay, South Africa, on September 11, 2001. The world watched as two planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in one of the most horrific disasters in American history. In an instant, people all over the world were gripped with fear as they considered the possibility that they could be next. To this day, the government continues to act on this fear while measures are being taken to avoid another such disaster. The attacks of 9/11 and the fear people experienced were real and needed to be dealt with quickly.

This book (along with The Fear App Study Guide ) addresses a much different fear we face as Christians. This book is about the fears that flow through our minds as God moves us in a particular direction. It gives answers on how to overcome these cycles of needless fears and faithfully follow God.

There are many fears that we allow to keep us from following God's will for our lives. When we allow these fears to dictate our thinking, they can easily put us in a quandary. A quandary is "a state of perplexity or uncertainty," especially over what to do in a difficult situation.

I experienced this fear quandary when God called us into missions. In talking to Christians around the globe, they also have experienced the same fear. Many allowed fear to manipulate their decisions instead of following God's leading. The result was that they did not get to experience the peace and blessing God had planned for them. In order to live a life that is completely in step with God, we must transform our minds to no longer follow fear; instead, we must learn to faithfully trust God with our lives and all decisions.

This book will show how fear kept godly people in the Bible from doing what God commanded. It will also show how others faithfully followed Him. Through their examples, we will learn how to break out of the needless cycle of fear and learn how to rely totally on God.

As though it were yesterday, I remember the day I left Detroit, Michigan (by myself) on my first mission trip. I was headed to a mission project in Africa. My wife, family, several pastors, and friends waved goodbye as I boarded the plane. I remember not having the fear I had experienced before because I knew I was right where God wanted me. There was a peace God gave me; the fear that could have or might have overpowered His leading. Now, years later, I can still attest to experiencing God's blessings by removing any fear quandaries.

We would do well to remember the encouragement found in Isaiah 41:10. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Prayer and the Term Chris tian

Please pray the following prayer before reading this book. Or, pray in your own words for God to reveal any fears you have allowed which have caused you not to follow His leading.

Dear Heavenly Father,

It is my desire to serve You and use my gifts and talents you've so blessed me with. I know You have designed a unique plan for my life, and it is truly my desire to follow your leading. I ask, Lord, that You give me wisdom to comprehend this book and to apply the principles, commandments, and Biblical truths. If I have a problem with fear, please show me those areas in which I need improvement so I can faithfully follow You and assist in furthering The Great Commission. It is my desire to serve and discover Your will for my life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

You will be reading the term Christian quite often in this book. I recognize this is a term that is used quite broadly as people make reference to someone who is a Christian . If this is a foreign term to you or you are unsure of its meaning, please go to Chapter Four first and read it thoroughly; then, return to Chapter One.

PART ONE

How Fear Impacts Our Decisions

CHAPTER ONE

THERE'S AN "APP" FOR OUR FEARS!

What does fear really mean? Satan can deceive us and our thinking about fear, so let's look at this word fear and define its meaning. To simplify the definition and not to complicate the meaning, I chose The Laymen's Bible Dictionary to define both types of fear. Our normal fear is "an emotion aroused by danger or risk to one's safety" (see 1 Samuel 21:10). The word is secondly used for "respect or reverence toward God . " Deuteronomy 10:20 says "You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear ."

It is important to establish right away that fear is a natural occurrence in our lives. Different types of fear pop into our minds all day long for various reasons. This first type of fear is very natural and real. God has built fear into our human natures. It is normal to experience fear as we journey through life. For example, God built into our minds the fear of walking along a ridge so we don't fall over the cliff, or to be fearful as we cross the road in heavy traffic.