Fear not, God is with you - Pastor Nirmal Seemungal

Pastor Nirmal Seemungal, during the 17th-Anniversary celebrations of Lighthouse Empowerment Sanctuary, what we call call "Glory Fest" (a week of celebratory services in the 1st week of December commemorative of the Ministry's anniversary) builds a message around Isaiah 41:10 and the charge: “Fear not, God is with you.” He frames fear as one of the greatest obstacles preventing believers from walking in God’s promises and power, distinguishing between reverential fear of God (which produces trust, peace, and obedience) and the spirit of fear (which tortures, paralyzes faith, and drives people away from purpose). The sermon repeatedly emphasizes that the antidote to fear is faith grounded in God’s Word, calling listeners to resist fear as a spiritual attack, reject fearful thoughts and speech, fix the mind on God, and step forward into ministry, witness, and obedience with boldness. The message closes with a strong prophetic encouragement that “walls of fear” are coming down and that God’s promises for individuals and for Lighthouse will come to pass, urging believers not to disqualify themselves if God has not disqualified them.

Pastor Nirmal draws five clear reasons from the verse: God is with you; God is your God; God will strengthen you; God will help you; God will uphold you with His righteous right hand. These are presented as direct grounds for refusing fear in any season.

• Reverential fear of God: produces trust, confidence, peace, rest, joy, and obedience.
• Spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7): produces anxiety, depression, terror, restlessness, and spiritual/mental bondage, its aim is to torture and immobilize.

He teaches that fear often feels real (“false evidence appearing real”) and must be confronted by actively building faith in Scripture (“feed your faith and starve your doubt”).

Using the spies’ report and Israel’s retreat from the Promised Land, he argues fear and unbelief can keep people wandering and delayed, while Joshua and Caleb model faith (“we are well able… the Lord is with us”).

He lists how fear is used to: immobilize faith, stop believers from possessing promises, prevent witnessing, hinder praying for the sick, and keep people from operating in spiritual gifts and callings.

He calls listeners to identify specific fears by name, rebuke the spirit of fear, and practice biblical resistance (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9): submit to God, resist the devil, and refuse fear any “place” in the mind.

A major strategy emphasized is mind-discipline: reject fearful words, refuse fear-filled focus, and keep thoughts “stayed” on God (Isaiah 26:3) for perfect peace. He illustrates with Jairus, “fear not, believe only.”

He declares that background factors (race, nationality, education, past trouble, etc.) do not disqualify God’s people, and stresses that if God hasn’t disqualified you, you shouldn’t disqualify yourself.

The sermon culminates in a faith declaration: fear is being broken, boldness is released, and believers should “take back” what the enemy has stolen (marriage, children, life, purpose), because God remains faithful and present with His people.

Rec. Date: 11th December, 2024