Benaiah: The Fearless Hero

“Fearless: Chase the Dream, Not the Comfort”

Main Text: 2 Samuel 23:20-21, 1 Chronicles 11:22

Fear is a crippling feeling that keeps us from accomplishing the most valuable things in our lives. Fear holds you back from pursuing your dreams, from fulfilling your calling. Fear keeps you from making the choices that you know you need to make.

• Top 10 Fears:
• Arachnophobia: an intense fear of spiders and other arachnids
• Ophidiophobia: an intense fear of snakes
• Acrophobia: an intense fear of heights
• Aerophobia: an intense fear of flying
• Cynophobia: an intense fear of dogs
• Astraphobia: an intense fear of thunder and lightning
• Trypanophobia: an intense fear of injections
• Social phobia: an intense fear of social interactions
• Agoraphobia: an intense fear of places that are difficult to escape, sometimes involving a fear of crowded or open spaces
• Mysophobia: an intense fear of germs, dirt, and other contaminants

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FACING OUR FEARS AND LIVE THE LIFE THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO.

• Facing fears is what moves us to action
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Action regret and inaction regret :

• our calling is from God is rarely ACHIEVED in OUR COMFORT zone
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JOHN 10:10 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Here is our unlikely hero for this week. Benaiah

I Chronicles 11: 2 Samuel23

1 Chron 11: 22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

You don’t get called a mighty man without facing your greatest challenges.

“God is not looking for the most talented or qualified; He’s looking for those who are willing to risk it all in obedience.” – Mark Batterson

When Fear Roars—Face It

Faith demands that you chase after the very thing that you would rather run from. (Stevie Flockhart)

“God is in the business of strategically placing us in situations where we must face our greatest fears.” – Mark Batterson

Fear is the Enemy of God-Given Potential

Fear is a liar. It exaggerates your weaknesses and shrinks God’s promises. Fear would’ve told Benaiah to run from the lion. Faith said jump in.

• 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
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• Joshua 1:9 – “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
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“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” – Karl Barth

Rosa Parks was just one woman. One small act—sitting where she wasn’t supposed to—sparked a movement. She said, “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.”

Challenge:

What’s the lion in your life? Is it fear of rejection? Failure? Inadequacy? Don’t feed your fears—face them with faith.

• Your Dream is on the Other Side of Risk
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• Ecclesiastes 11:4 – “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”

Many are called few are chosen. The called show up to get the work done.

 

“Attempt something so great for God that it’s doomed to fail unless He is in it.” – Hudson Taylor

Challenge:

What dream has God placed in your heart that you’ve buried in fear? Is it time to start the ministry? Launch the business? Share your story? Become a fully devoted follower of Jesus.

Obedience in Fear Leads to Promotion in Purpose

Mark 10:29-30 – “No one who has left home…will fail to receive a hundred times as much…”

King David. 1 Samuel 17:37 – “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion…will rescue me…”

• “Your greatest testimonies will come from your greatest challenges.” Billy Claudio
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Challenge:

What if your greatest fear is the key to your greatest breakthrough? God doesn’t waste your battle. The pit leads to the palace. Joseph.

• Don’t Run from the Lion—Chase It
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Don’t let fear keep you from your future. Don’t let risk stop your dream. Don’t let comfort kill your calling.

Benaiah’s decision wasn’t half-hearted. You don’t kinda kill a lion. And you don’t kinda follow Jesus.

All-In Faith, All-Out Reward

The story of Benaiah challenges us to step out of our safe, sanitized faith and chase the lions God puts in our path. Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could play it safe. He went so we could live bold, sacrificial, lion-chasing lives.

“Playing it safe is risky. The greatest risk is taking no risks at all.” – Mark Batterson

Jesus calls us to an all-or-nothing faith. And He promises a reward worth more than anything this world can offer.

Philippians 3:8 – “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…”

• How to face our fears.
• Stop fear in its tracts: Satan will lie and deceive you to believe the worst. Don’t receive it. STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD.
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• Shift focus. Set your mind on God and his purpose and call.  If has a led you to do something, He is with you to get it done.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE
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• Choose to Trust. This is a life of faith. Trust in the Lord with all your heart…(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL
• Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
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• Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
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Closing Challenge:

Take one risk this week that moves you closer to your God-given dream.
Start the conversation. Live our your faith for others to see it. Apply for the role. Submit the idea. Say yes to the thing that scares you and trust God to meet you in the pit. Join that small group, start a small group.

You are the hero in your story. Noone can do what you are called to do.  Your family needs someone who will go in a pit on a snowy day and take out a lion.

God made you to live out his grand purpose and each of us in our own way are called to be like Benaiah.

What is your lion?

What pit is God asking you to jump into?

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What area of life is He asking for all-in faith?

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Whatever you give up—home, safety, pride, comfort—He promises it won’t be in vain.

So chase the lion.
Even if it’s snowing.
Even if no one’s watching.
Even if it costs you everything.

Because the reward is Jesus Himself. And He is worth it all.