Overcoming Fear and Inadequacy to Obey God

As some of you know, Carole Lewis died early Friday morning. Carole battled cancer for the past two years or so. Pastor Kirby and I got to see her a week or so ago, and then Bobby asked me to come up to the hospital on Friday.

As we were talking, and I have asked Bobby if I can share this, and he has told me I can, I asked him: “Bobby, aren’t you glad you took retirement so you could be with Carole on this journey?”

He replied, “You know, it was a spiritual prompting. I had looked at my career through two different lenses, and this prompting was different. So, I stepped back, took a look, and took the leap. And I am so glad that I did so that I could be with her on this journey.”
 
As we talk about experiencing God, for some of you, the Lord’s call is about a major shift…maybe it is like Bobby…stepping away from something because of what is before you…

Or for others of you…it could be a stepping into a season…a calling…standing firm on deep convictions that are leading to action…

Whatever the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life, you will come to a Crisis Point…a Point of Decision.

Let me ask you a question here: (The Crisis Point)

Have you ever come to a moment where you knew what God was asking for you to take a step toward something — but you didn’t want to do it?
 

• You could sense His leading.
• You knew it was His voice.
• But inside, something said, “Not me. Not now. Not this.”

That’s what we call a crisis of belief — a defining moment when faith is tested.

When we face a crisis of belief, we have some choices:

• We can lean into the Lord, or we can leave His will.
• We can trust God, or we can turn away from Him.
• We can obey God, or we can oppose Him.
• We can follow the Lord, or we can forsake His leading.

 Let’s look together at Exodus 4:10–17.

Exodus 4:10–17 (ESV)
But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.

He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.

And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”
 
Moses’ Journey So Far 

• God pursues us.
• God speaks to us.
• God invites us.
• God calls us.
• God reveals Himself to us.

 But even after God has done all of that, there comes a moment — like Moses at the burning bush — where we face the weight of obedience.

 Last week, we talked about the “What if?” questions that paralyze us. And the call to our lives was to EXPUNGE THE EXCUSES.
 
This week, we move to the place that we all must recognize – it’s the:

• Crossroads
• Fork in the Road
• Moment of Truth

 This crisis of belief is the moment of indecision while wrestling with the decision.

If you saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, you probably recall the moment where Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, is about to step out on an invisible bridge.

 Here he stands…looking out across a cavern, and his mind has figured out that there is a path across that is invisible…he just can’t see it.

 But his eyes tell him something entirely different.

 And the footbridge isn’t revealed until he actually takes the step and puts his foot on it.

That’s how many of us feel when God calls us into what He is doing. Now, let’s keep in mind this truth: The God of the universe invites us into what He is doing. And when he does, we have a decision to make. So, let’s understand this Crisis of Belief together.

 I. Understanding a Crisis of Belief
 A crisis of belief is not necessarily a bad thing.

It’s the crossroads where our theology becomes reality — where faith must move from our lips to our lives.

Henry Blackaby and Claude King state: “The word crisis is the Greek word “decision,” which is a turning point or a fork in the road that calls for a decision. You must decide what you believe about God.”

 They state: “How you respond is the fork in the road: It determines whether or not to proceed with God in something only He can do, or whether you continue on your own way and miss what God has purposed for your life.”

Hebrews 11:6
 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

 A crisis of belief forces us to decide:

• Will we believe what we know to be true about God,
• or will we believe what we feel about ourselves, this moment, and what my eyes tell me?

II. Examples of Crises of Belief in Scripture
 1. Thomas — the Crisis Between Doubt and Trust

 Why he fits: Thomas is honest. He wants evidence before surrender.

John 20:25
 “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails… I will never believe.”

 When Jesus meets him in grace and says, “Put your finger here,” Thomas’s confession — “My Lord and my God!” — becomes one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s deity in the Gospels.

 Why he’s powerful: Thomas personifies the modern skeptic who wants to believe but can’t see how.

Jesus meets him not with condemnation but revelation.

  2. Abraham — the Crisis Between Promise and Provision
 Why he fits: Abraham’s entire life is a long obedience through unanswered questions.

The crisis peaks in Genesis 22 when God says, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love… and offer him there.”

 Crisis moment:

Genesis 22:9-13
 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

  And notice what Hebrews 11 says of this…

Hebrews 11:17–19
 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
 
 Why he’s powerful: He demonstrates that true faith trusts God’s character even when His command doesn’t make sense.
 
He walked up the mountain with the knife and came down with the promise fulfilled.

Now, let me show you the POSTER BOY of the Crisis of Belief

Why he fits: Peter believed in Jesus more loudly than anyone — “Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:35) — yet within hours, fear dismantled his faith.

Crisis moment:

Luke 22:60–62
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
 
Why he’s powerful:

• He shows that passion without perseverance can crumble.
• He reminds us that failure isn’t final.
• His story shows redemption: the same Peter who denied Jesus three times later preaches Christ boldly in Acts 2 and leads 3,000 people to salvation.

 
Here’s why he’s the poster boy:

• He knew Jesus personally. He believed with passion.
• Yet he failed spectacularly under pressure.
• Jesus restored him personally and publicly (“Feed my sheep”).
• His story captures the full arc: calling → crisis → collapse → comeback.

III. The Four Phrases of a Crisis of Belief
1. “No, Lord.”
Moses’ hesitation reveals that he’s still wrestling with whether to embrace Yahweh’s mission.

But “No” and “Lord” don’t belong in the same sentence.

If He is Lord, then the only fitting answer is Yes.

Jonah 1:1–3
“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah… saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it…’ But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”

Saying “No” to God never ends well.

It leads us into storms we were never meant to sail.

2. “Not me, Lord.”

Exodus 4:13
But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

We’ve all felt this.

Inadequacy whispers, “You’re not the right person.”

Jeremiah 1:4–8
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”

When God calls, He equips.

He doesn’t ask for ability — He asks for availability.

Think of the shepherd boy David. No armor. No pedigree. Just faith and a few stones.
And yet, with that faith, giants fell.

3. “Not now, Lord.”

Moses used delay tactics.

He said, in essence, “I’ll get to it… eventually.”

But delayed obedience is disobedience.

Numbers 13:30–31
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”

They procrastinated on God’s promise — and it cost them 40 years.

How often do we say:

• “When things calm down, I’ll serve.
•  When the kids are older, I’ll give. 
• When I have more time, I’ll go.”

Friend, there will never be a perfect time to obey — only the present time to trust.
 
2 Corinthians 6:2
“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

4. “Not this, Lord.”

Sometimes, it’s not that we don’t want to obey — it’s that we don’t want this assignment.

Maybe it’s:

• too painful,
• too humbling,
• too confusing.

Even Jesus faced this.

Luke 22:41–44
41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

What you’re facing might be the very place God plans to display His glory through you.

Don’t say “Not this” — say “Not my will, but your will be done.”

So, how do we move forward in faith when we come to this fork in the road, this crisis of belief? What do we do?

IV. Two Steps…I Am…Therefore, I Will
Step 1 – I AM
Step 2 – Therefore, I Will
 
Step 1 – Remember, I AM…

When Moses wrestled with his calling, God reminded him, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Ex. 3:14)

Exodus 3:13-14
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”

God doesn’t say, “I was,” or “I might be.”

He says, “I AM.” — present, personal, powerful.

In essence, God is saying: “I am the self-existent One — the One who was, who is, and who will always be. My being depends on no one. My promises rely on nothing. I am.”

I Am Means…
1. God Is Self-Existent
 
He depends on nothing outside Himself.

He is existence itself.

Psalm 90:2
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

While everything else in creation becomes, God simply is.

I Am Means…
2. God Is Eternal and Unchanging

“I AM” means He doesn’t evolve, weaken, or expire.

Malachi 3:6
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”

 The God who called Moses still calls us — unaltered in power or purpose.

 I Am Means…
 3. God Is Ever-Present

 “I AM” isn’t just past or future — it’s present tense.

He’s not the “I was,” or “I will be someday,” but I AM — right now.

Psalm 46:1
 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

 When Moses feared what lay ahead, God’s name reminded him that His presence goes before him.

 I Am Means…
 4. God Is Faithful to His Promises

 “I AM” anchors every promise in His unchanging character.

When He says, “I will deliver,” His name guarantees it.

 Numbers 23:19 — “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it?”

 His “I AM” means He’s as reliable in the future as He has been in the past.

 I Am Means…
 5. God Is Personal

 In ancient times, to reveal your name was to reveal your nature.

By telling Moses His name, God invites relationship — not religion.

He’s not a distant deity; He’s the God who is present, personal, and knowable.

 Exodus 3:12 — “But I will be with you.”

 When God says “I AM,” He’s saying to Moses, “I am enough for you — right now.”

When God says, “I AM,” here’s what He means for you:
 

Your Fear	God’s Response
“I am not enough.”	“I AM.”
“I can’t do this.”	“I AM with you.”
“I don’t have what it takes.”	“I AM your provider.”
“I’m lost.”	“I AM your shepherd.”
“I’m broken.”	“I AM your healer.”
“I’m afraid.”	“I AM your refuge.”

   
Every human “I am not” is answered by God’s eternal “I AM.”

  That’s Step 1 – I AM.

 But there is a Step 2 – Therefore, I will… Because of who He is and what He has invited me to, I will…take a first step – Which we will discover next week. For now.

What’s Your Crisis of Belief Today?
 

• Are you saying, “No, Lord” — resisting His call altogether?
• Are you saying, “Not me, Lord” — doubting your worth?
• Are you saying, “Not now, Lord” — delaying obedience?
• Are you saying, “Not this, Lord” — refusing the assignment?

Next week, we’ll talk about taking that first step.

But for now, let’s end here:
A crisis of belief is not a sign of weak faith — it’s the opportunity for stronger faith.

 God is not looking for perfect people.

He’s looking for surrendered ones.

 Whatever your crisis is, remember:
God still pursues. God still speaks. God still invites. God still calls. God still reveals.

And yes — you can still experience God.
 

This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 from our CityRise Church Bellaire campus. Check out the full message below!