Faith

Fear

Vs

Have not I commanded you? Be not

afraid.

Jos 1:9

Contents

Letter 1

Week 1 3

Week 2 8

Week 3 11

Week 4 1 5

Toolkit 18

Impact,

The month of October is historically two things. One, its faith month, during which we have

our annual ‘Camp Meeting’ or ‘Faith Conference’ at church. Secondly, it’s the month that the

world celebrates Halloween. The combination of these two factors allows us the perfect

opportunity to deal with this topic:

Faith vs. Fear

Something I’ve dwelled on for a long time as it pertains to our young people.

After this month, the kids should know what to do when up against some of life’s most

common fears. This will help them become more confident young people, who freely pursue

Gods best for them, without fear of setback or defeat! Each instructor should show the

courage to be vulnerable about their own personal fears and how they’ve used Gods Word

to overcome it! Finally, I included a toolkit at the end of this report for your convenience.

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Remember, you can always contact me with any problem, comments, or questions you may

have at 804-833-7628 or email JamielCotman@gmail.com.

Thanks!

P.S., Consider sharing this link with some of the parents so they can go over the lessons at

home.

-Jamiel

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Introduction: Fear vs. Faith

The best fighters always study their opponent in advance. Likewise, if our students are going to

defeat the fears in their life, they must first understand what the bible says it is, what it does, and

how it works.

The week 1 instructor will do the following:

A) Build anticipation in the kids for this month’s lesson

B) Establish a biblical definition for fear

Week 1

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C) Review facts about fear

D) Review scriptures that show fear in operation

A) Build anticipation in the kids for this month’s lesson

Develop a teaser for this month’s lesson. You may want to say, “What if I told you that you

could have better grades, better friends, more money …” and then bring up conquering fear,

and how it has kept them from it. Whatever you do, be sure you open up with a promo of

sorts to get the kids excited not only about your lesson, but the entire month’s series. Use

the points in the above outline [A-D] and the other week’s outlines as well to tell them what

they can expect. This portion is not the ‘why’ part of the lesson. Simply put, emphasis the

importance of confidence, courage and most of all, fearlessness as they grow up.

B) Establish a biblical definition of fear

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The reason people the world over can’t conquer fear is because they don’t know what it is.

Fear is not an emotion. The bible makes it clear that fear is a spirit [1 Timothy 1:7]. It merely

influences our thoughts, will and emotions. If our kids continue to think that fear is just a

bad feeling, they won’t use spiritual weapons to combat it. Thus, a workable definition for

fear is:

A spirit that influences you to think contrary to Gods Word

Though you can make your own definition, I challenge you to not fray too far from this one

as it is biblical. A working example of this definition is a child who doesn’t believe they can

succeed in Math. This is contrary to Gods Word. Why? God’s Word says that we can do all

things through Christ [Philippians 4:13]. This child is being attacked by fear. As a result, he

or she will begin to act in a way that brings that failure to pass.

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C) Review facts about fear

See chart in ‘Toolikit’ section. Use them as discussion points but stay on topic.

D) See ‘Scripture References’ below

Suggested Activity

Put the kids into groups. Get glasses of clean water and hand one to each. Get one

representative from each group to stand up front and have a drinking contest, whoever finishes

first wins! [Include a prize at your discretion].Next, ask the class for other volunteers from each

group. When they get up, let them see you put a drop of black paint, dirt, or mud into each glass.

Finally ask them if they’d still like to participate. The goal is to show the kids that one drop of

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contamination ruins something that is good. In the same way, tolerating fear in their life, can ruin

everything! That is why the bible says, “Fear not. Believe only” [Luke 8:9]. In other words, fear

tolerated is faith contaminated.

Scripture references

Joshua 1

Mark 11:23

Luke 8

2 Timothy 1:7

2 Corinthians 4:13

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Fighting Fear

The week 2 instructor must get into the details of casting out fear. He or she must do the

following:

A) Review what fear is based on last week’s introduction [see page]

B) Deal with how to biblically fight fear

A) Review what fear is based on last week’s introduction [see page]

Week 2

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Do a thorough review of last week’s lesson.

B) Deal with how to biblically fight fear

Here the instructor must discuss that in order to have faith, one must first remove fear.

Why? Because fear tolerated is faith contaminated. The bible commands us to fear not and

only believe. Use the fact chart in this reports ‘Toolkit’ as discussion points.

Suggested Activity

The instructor should bring in a punching bag or make one of their own. Let the kids take turns

hitting and punching the bag with boxing gloves or their regular hands. After they are tired, ask

them, “Why didn’t the bag go down right away?” As they begin to answer, move the conversation

in the direction that neither will fear go away with one punch! They must continually think

according to Gods Word to see it defeated.

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Scripture references

Joshua 1

Mark 11:23

Luke 8

2 Timothy 1:7

2 Corinthians 4:13

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Courage to believe

The week 3 instructor will discuss an often overlooked truth, - it takes courage to believe! The

bible says some AMAZING things about who we are, what we can do, and what we can have as

a result. However, if you’re not bold enough, you won’t believe it. Go over:

A) Last week’s lesson in short

B) How if you’re not courageous you can’t believe

C) What is faith and how to release it

Week 3

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This ties into the fact that fear must be removed before we have faith [Fear tolerated is faith

contaminated].

A) Last week’s lesson in short

See ‘Week 2’ of this report

B) How if you’re not courageous you can’t believe

Luke chapter 8 and Mark 5 are perfect for this. This is where Jesus commands the ruler

of the synagogue to not fear, but only believe, and his daughter would be raised from the

dead.

That formula is one we must all follow if we’re to be successful.

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Fear not + Only Believe = Success!

C) What is faith and how to release

Establish that faith is like fear, only in the opposite direction. Use the facts chart in the

‘Toolkit’ of this report and your scripture references.

Suggested Activity

Ask a student to get in front of the class and select someone he or she does not know. Then, ask

the person selected to come up front and stand behind him or her. Finally, ask the first student up

to fall back while the student they don’t know catches them. Use this to demonstrate that

believing takes courage. And that the bible says love cast out fear. When we believe in and trust

God, we know He loves us and it causes us to fearlessly move forward in life!

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Scripture references

Luke 8

Hebrews 10:35

1 John 4:18

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Sparing Practice

The week 4 instructor will immediately break the kids up into groups and hand out case studies

he or she has made in advance. Each case study will be of a real or imagined scenario about a

young person their age who is dealing with a fear. Make sure it’s a fear the kids can relate to.

Each group must develop the following:

A script to act out in telling that person what to do

Week 4

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A scripture that applies to that situation

Finally, they will act out the script on you the instructor, as though you were the person in the

case study. In essence, they will be coaching you through the fear scenario you gave them to

study.

The week 4 instructor will then review 2 Corinthians 10:1-5 and how we must cast down negative

thinking, or, thinking contrary to Gods Word. This is done by reading, meditating on and

confessing Gods promise in opposition to a particular fear we’re dealing with. An example would

be a kid who is afraid to make new friends. He or she should get Proverbs 18:24 and confess that

“I am friendly and God promises people will want to be my friend accordingly”

Suggested Activity

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N/A

Scripture References

2 Corinthians 10:1-5

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Fear Factors

You can’t have faith and fear at the same time

Fear is not a feeling, it is a spirit that influences your feelings

Fear torments you and takes your peace

Fear hinders you from stepping out

Fear is always based on a lie

Example,

Toolkit

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Someone believes that they can’t do well in ______. As a result, they are AFRAID to

try.

Fear attracts what you’re afraid of [Job 1]

Fear and faith are the same thing only going in different directions

Fear must be uprooted before faith can work

It’s a sin to tolerate fear. God COMMANDS us to be courageous [Joshua 1]

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Fear vs. Faith Chart

Fear Says Faith Says

Nobody likes me! I’m too ugly I have favor with God and people

I’ll never get out of this mess God will deliver me and honor me

This problem will never go away The LORD delivers me from my problems

I could die if I The LORD protects me

I don’t have what it takes The LORD is with me and He is enough!

I’m not enough I’m all God says I am!

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Common Fears our students are dealing with

Fear of being liked

Fear that they don’t have what it takes to succeed in life

Fear that they are not enough to be accepted, loved and appreciated by others

Relevant Scriptures

See ‘Scripture References’

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