E7 – Gen 15 – How God Coaches Us Through Fear & Inadequacy

Abram is probably the second most significant person in the Scripture, second to Jesus. Are you like me, do you also find it comforting that Abram needed constant coaching through fear and inadequacy? 


I am glad that God is gracious with his reinforcement of love and encouragement. Notice how God speaks Abram. "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." (Gen 15:1)

"Do not be afraid." Did you know that, that is the most frequent command in Scripture? We keep thinking that God's Will for our lives will steer us away from fear and uncertainty, but it appears that the Will of God will always lead us in that direction. Why? Our God loves to come through for us. He wants us not just have victory but more importantly to experience victory for ourselves? There is only one way to experience something, to go through it. Make no mistake, our Destiny is found in the other side of uncertainty and fear.


In a time of fear, Abram was encouraged and reassured of protection. Fear doesn't ever go away, it needs to be conquered. God doesn't just promise help, He is the Helper of those who believe.


But fear is not our only problem; fear is got a sister named inadequacy and they often travel together. Do you find it interesting that people who often seem the most confident and unafraid are just simply compensating for the feelings of inadequacy that they feel inside? Inadequacy is part of the human condition, it's a direct result of the fall of man. We feel inadequate because we are. Without God we are inadequate. 


Abram (like all of us) struggled with inadequacy. A solemn promise from God was not enough to undo the reality that He and his wife could not have children. Like all us, Abram felt inadequate because we are inadequate.


God one again coaches through. Abram "look up to the heavens and count the stars- if you can indeed count them…"there is your promise. Obviously Abram couldn't count the stars, but the Lord was going to be true. The answer to our inadequacy is not us or in us. God is the only one who makes us adequate, and He is not just the rewarder of the faithful, but He is the Reward Himself.


Afraid? Inadequate? Look up to the skies!