The Fear of Exposure

1 Timothy 1:6-7 – 6Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I. Exposure Is the First and Oldest Fear in the Book

‍ Genesis 2:25 – And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

• Man’s first invention was a covering.

Genesis 3:7 – Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

‍Genesis 3:10 – So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

‍ ‍• Your fig leaves are more sophisticated than theirs — but they do the same job.

II. What Concealment Costs You

1. It shrinks your assignment.

Exodus 4:10-12 – 10Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? 12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

‍ ‍2. It consumes you from the inside out.

‍Psalm 32:1-5 – 1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. 4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave THE INIQUITY OF MY SIN. Selah.

‍ ‍3. It hands down a Five Count Sentence.

• COUNT ONE: A Life Alone

‍ ‍Proverbs 5:14 – I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation.

‍ ‍• COUNT TWO: Unshared Intimacy – The closeness God designed you for is sitting inside you, unopened.

‍ ‍• COUNT THREE: Stockpiled Feelings

‍ ‍Proverbs 14:10 – The heart knows its own BITTERNESS, and a stranger does not share its joy.

Proverbs 14:13 – Even in laughter the heart may SORROW, And the end of mirth may be GRIEF.

‍ ‍• COUNT FOUR: You’re Never Known

• COUNT FIVE: A Masquerade

2 Corinthians 3:12-13 – 12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech — 13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

Romans 12:9 – Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

III. Who Told You?

‍ Genesis 3:11 – And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

‍ ‍Hebrews 4:13 – And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

‍ ‍Romans 8:33-34 – Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

IV. Tear the Face Off Your Fear

‍ ‍Luke 8:43-44 – 43Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. 44And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

Luke 8:47-48 – 47Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

‍ ‍• Courage isn’t the absence of trembling — it’s walking forward while you tremble.

1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

‍ ‍1. Name it out loud before God.

2. Tell one safe person.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.

3. Take off the mask.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 – 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.