God Did NOT Give You a Spirit of Fear (Stir It Up!) | Sarah Jakes Roberts | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

God Did NOT Give You a Spirit of Fear (Stir It Up!)

Sarah Jakes Roberts

ONE, A Potter's House Church • Feb 17, 2026 • 26 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this sermon, Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts teaches believers how to break free from the spirit of fear by doing the exact opposite of what fear dictates. Many Christians struggle not only with external anxieties, but with internal fears of past failures, character flaws, and deep-seated insecurities. Through God's promise in Ezekiel 36:25–27, God offers to cleanse our past, replace stony hearts, and fill us with a spirit of peace and confidence. By shifting our daily fuel source from fear to God's presence and receiving His perspective through prayer, we can step out of comfortable traps and walk boldly in our anointed calling.

Themes

Overcoming FearDivine TransformationRestoring Self-TrustComfort vs. CallingPrayer and God's Presence

Key Points

1.
To break the spirit of fear, you must intentionally do the exact opposite of what fear dictates, which unlocks God's strategy and positions you to impact others.
2.
While external circumstances can induce anxiety, many believers face a deeper fear of the unresolved trauma, flaws, or sin inside themselves.
3.
Lacking trust in yourself often stems from past failures, but true faith recognizes that trusting God means trusting His power to transform your heart.
4.
Walking in daily obedience restores the self-trust broken by past choices, empowering you to step boldly into God's calling.
5.
In Ezekiel 36:25–27, God promises to clean away past brokenness and replace a bitter, stony heart with a new spirit of peace, focus, and confidence.
6.
Living out of fear can create a comfortable and seemingly good life, but that comfort often becomes a trap that restrains your anointed identity.
7.
To change the outcomes of your life, you must shift your fuel source from fear and self-preservation to the daily presence of God.
8.
True prayer is an ongoing connection where you do not merely vent your own feelings, but remain long enough to receive God's heart and view things through His eyes.

Sermon Moments

“To break the spirit of fear, do the exact opposite of what it tells you to do.”

“Obedience restores the trust that you lost when you became someone you never wanted to be.”

“God doesn't just know what is inside of you; He knows how it got there and how to get it out.”

“God will sprinkle clean water over your past choices and replace your heart of stone with a new spirit of peace and confidence.”

“Comfort is a trap that restrains your identity and your anointed calling.”

“When the life that fear built expires, God will interrupt your comfort to call you into purpose.”

“To change your life's outcome, you have to change your fuel source from fear to the presence of God.”

“Prayer is not just where you pour out your heart, but the place where you stay long enough to receive God's heart.”

This Week

Identify one specific area where fear is telling you to shrink back, and intentionally do the exact opposite this week.

When past mistakes make you doubt your ability to follow God, confess those fears and allow obedience to rebuild your self-trust.

Meditate on Ezekiel 36:25–27, thanking God that He has cleansed your past and granted you a new heart and spirit.

Evaluate comfortable routines in your life to discern whether comfort has become a trap keeping you from your divine purpose.

Shift your daily energy source by starting each morning in God's presence rather than dwelling on anxieties or external pressures.

Spend time in prayer not only sharing your own burdens, but remaining silent long enough to receive God's heart and perspective.

Step out in faith in your local community or workplace, trusting that God's anointing in you will awaken faith in others.

Remember This

To overcome fear and fulfill your purpose, you must do the opposite of what fear dictates and shift your energy source from self-doubt to God's transforming presence.

A Challenge for You

Stop allowing fear to dictate your choices and trap you in comfortable routines. Go into your prayer closet to exchange your energy source for God's presence, receive His perspective, and step boldly into the anointed calling He has prepared for you.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.