--- title: "Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Walking in Faith Over Fear | The Branch | The Tree Church" url: https://thetree.church/blog/2026/10/01/empowered-by-the-holy-spirit-walking-in-faith-over-fear-the-branch description: "Pastor Matthew Johnson, Pastor Chris Reed, and Pastor Anthony Lombardi talk about fear, faith, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit." lang: en --- 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130✦ Main Service: Sunday 9 & 11am✦ Movement Youth Sunday 5:30pm✦ Lancaster & Logan, Ohio✦ 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130✦ Main Service: Sunday 9 & 11am✦ Movement Youth Sunday 5:30pm✦ Lancaster & Logan, Ohio✦ Blog (https://thetree.church/blog) The Branch Podcast: https://thetree.church/blog/category/the-branch-podcast # Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Walking in Faith Over Fear | The Branch October 1st, 2026 by The Tree Church “true faith is obedience even in the place of fear, even while fear is going on.” Pastor Matthew Johnson What do you do when you feel afraid but you know God is calling you to do something? That question sits at the center of this episode of The Branch. Pastor Matthew Johnson is joined by Pastor Chris Reed and Pastor Anthony Lombardi for an honest conversation about what it means to be truly empowered by the Holy Spirit. ## What Comes Easy and What Comes Hard The conversation opens with a lighthearted icebreaker. Each pastor names something most people find easy that is hard for them. Pastor Chris does not like being on a ladder. Pastor Anthony finds it hard to pick a place to eat, maybe because he likes most food. Pastor Matthew says small talk is his struggle, even though he can engage a serious question right away. ## The Holy Spirit Fills the Gap Pastor Matthew sets up the main topic. On Sunday the church ended its series on the Holy Spirit with the idea that the Holy Spirit fills the gap. God calls us to do things, and he gives us our own talents and abilities. Wherever there is a gap between what he has called us to do and our ability to do it, the Holy Spirit steps in and does the supernatural. ## Willpower or the Spirit's Power Pastor Matthew begins with Peter, who went from denying Jesus to preaching to thousands on the day of Pentecost. Peter loved Jesus, but he could not simply pull courage from deep inside himself. So what does his story teach about willpower and the Holy Spirit's power? ### God Uses Our Natural Gifts Pastor Chris believes God uses our natural gifts, even in his supernatural moves. Peter likely had good communication skills before Pentecost. What changed was that his gifting was given boldness and pointed in the right direction. Pastor Chris explains that willpower is the attitude that says I can do this on my own. A person might even pull it off, but it would lack the power and effectiveness that come from the Holy Spirit. He adds that much of Peter's change came through character more than skill. ### When Pressure Comes Pastor Anthony points out that Peter genuinely loved Jesus and even claimed he would die for him. Yet in the moment of pressure, he denied Jesus three times. After Pentecost, the same man was arrested, threatened, and beaten, and he kept walking in the power of the Spirit. Pastor Anthony says the difference is not whether someone loves God. Sometimes we try to do God's will our way instead of God's way, and we try to white knuckle it with our own strength.He points to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, telling his disciples to watch and pray because "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Human willpower only gets us so far. The Holy Spirit's power enables us to do what is not natural to us. ### The Right Thing in the Wrong Way Pastor Matthew adds that even when we accomplish something in our own strength, it is often not done the way God wants. There have been seasons when he felt spiritually dry because he was not taking intentional time in God's presence. He could still get the leadership work done, but he might run over people to do it. That has become a warning sign for him to ask if he is doing the right thing in the wrong way.Pastor Chris says the power comes from doing what God asks, in the way God asks. ## When Past Failures Feel Disqualifying Pastor Chris asks what they would say to someone who feels their past failures have disqualified them from being used by God. Pastor Matthew answers with good news. Nearly every character in the Bible failed in some way. Jonah delivered God's message while hating the people of Nineveh. The list goes on with murderers, adulterers, and cowards. Read the Scriptures, he says, and you will see that every person was disqualified by human standards. It was the calling of God that began the process of qualification. ### Failure Can Become a Connection Point Pastor Matthew also says the blood of Jesus covers everything and is more powerful than the past. Sometimes the very thing that looks like a disqualification becomes an opportunity for ministry. A past failure can connect you with someone walking through the same thing, and it can create humility that helps you relate to people more deeply.Pastor Anthony agrees that no one God has ever used deserved it. Jesus is the main hero of the story, and all of Scripture points to our need for a Savior. He points to Paul, who once persecuted Christians and later wrote that God saved him and used him as an example. God loves to glorify himself in the most unlikely characters. If you feel like the most unlikely person, God can use your life as long as you are willing to surrender. ### God Has Not Given Up Pastor Chris shares that this is what surprises him most about God. He has walked through seasons of rebellion, yet every time he wants to disqualify himself, the Spirit reminds him that God has not given up on him. He also finds freedom in knowing he is not the most important piece. God is already at work in the world, and we are called to partner with him. In his words, "we can take the pressure off of ourselves because God is already at work doing it."Pastor Matthew adds that you are not the hero of the story, but God can do something supernatural through you that draws people to him. ## Following Jesus While Still Afraid Pastor Anthony asks a question many listeners wrestle with. How can we follow Jesus and trust him while still feeling afraid? ### Fear Is Not the Opposite of Faith Pastor Matthew says he dislikes the phrase that fear is the opposite of faith. He believes disobedience is the opposite of faith. Fear is an emotion, and it naturally happens. True faith is choosing to obey while fear is still present. As we walk through this consistently with God, he can retrain our minds, our hearts, and even our bodies, and the next time we may not fear in the same way.Pastor Anthony agrees. Many people assume that feeling afraid means they do not really trust Jesus. The practical question is what you allow to drive your decisions. Fear becomes sinful when it turns into disobedience. He adds that faith in the middle of fear can glorify God even more, because stepping forward when you normally would not is evidence that God is working in you. ### A Different Spirit Pastor Chris thinks of Caleb and Joshua among the twelve spies. They all saw the same land and likely felt the same feelings, yet Caleb and Joshua responded differently because they had a different spirit within them. When fear comes, Pastor Chris says, give it space so the Spirit can speak. Bring other people in and tell them what you feel God has called you to do and that you are terrified of it. The Spirit will use those people to speak into it. ## How to Know God Is Calling You Pastor Matthew steps back to a question that comes before the scary step. How does someone know it is really God calling and not just them? ### Reluctance and Alignment Pastor Anthony admits there is no easy answer. One sign for him is reluctance. When his first response to a stirring is hesitation, the chance that he came up with it on his own is small. He explains that when we pursue God through Scripture, church, Christian community, and prayer, our desires begin to look more like his. He mentions Romans 8, where Paul says God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit. It is often an impression on our spirit that grows as we mature in faith.He suggests a few honest questions. Is this for God's glory? Is it for the benefit of other people? Or does it simply line up with everything I already want? ### Bring In Other Voices Pastor Chris says that for simple things, like doing something good for someone, the Spirit is almost always leading you. If it is sensitive, he recommends outside counsel from the right people, including spiritual authority, without letting it turn into gossip. That builds confidence in hearing from God and helps us humbly see when we did not hear right. For the simple things, he puts it plainly. "for the glory of God, for the good of other people, it's a safe bet. Like, go for it." ## The Spirit's Power in Everyday Life Pastor Chris asks what the Holy Spirit's power looks like in everyday situations, not just in Bible times. ### Fruit and Transformation Pastor Matthew says the most consistent way the Spirit works is by producing fruit. We become more like Jesus in our character, our responses, and even our desires. The Spirit places us in situations where love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness are not easy, so those things can become normal in our lives. ### Wherever He Places Your Feet The Spirit also empowers us for ministry. On Sunday Pastor Matthew said that God places our feet and then empowers us. He believes that "wherever God places your feet, he now has ministry for you." That can be as simple as asking the Holy Spirit at work for an opportunity to minister, or for sensitive eyes to see someone who is hurting. He also encourages openness to bigger things, like praying for a struggling marriage, for someone who is sick, or for a miracle.Pastor Anthony says the Spirit helps us do what we could not or would not do on our own, where we live and work and even at our kids' sports games. We should not be closed off to miracles, but the Spirit's role is to make us more like Jesus, including the less spectacular things God cares about, like our character and the ability to forgive more quickly. He points to Acts 4, where the Holy Spirit gave the believers boldness in the face of fear and pressure. ### Philip and the Ordinary Moments Pastor Matthew shares the story of Philip in Acts. God called Philip to a specific place without telling him what would happen there. When he arrived, he heard an Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah 53, explained it to him, and led him to the Lord. Then, as the pastors point out with a laugh, Philip teleports. Pastor Matthew says the person who stays open every day, even in the mundane, will eventually experience the supernatural. ## Saying Yes Before You Know the Details Pastor Anthony asks what it means to say yes to Jesus before knowing all the details, and how to tell the difference between wisdom and excuses. ### A Posture of Yes Pastor Chris shares that this question hit right where the Spirit convicted him during Sunday's message. He is good at working things through in his mind, and sometimes that helps him talk himself out of something God is asking him to do. His answer is to start with trust. God loves him and has never led him somewhere for his harm. So he can say yes while still using wisdom, bringing other people in, and asking them to pray.Pastor Matthew says saying yes does not mean knowing the outcome. It means resolving to say yes to whatever first step God puts in front of you. He returns to Peter. Jesus told Peter that one day someone would lead him where he did not want to go, and then said, "follow me." Peter did not know the details, but he said yes. Many things God calls people to do look unwise by human standards. If others can confirm the calling, it does not matter whether it seems wise by earthly standards. ### God Is More Dynamic Than a Misstep Pastor Anthony explains that much of God's will is already revealed in how Jesus calls us to live. The harder questions are specific, like a job or a call to ministry. God is far more dynamic than the idea that one wrong turn ruins everything. When our hearts are pure and we are pursuing him, he honors that. If we make a misstep, his grace shows up. When we stay surrendered and open-handed, he is gracious to open and close doors. ### When You Obey and Don't See Results Pastor Matthew recalls a story Pastor Chris once told about Brett, who felt prompted to help an older man with his groceries and was basically told to get lost. Was that a misstep or simply obedience without visible results? Pastor Anthony says the first step is to check our motives and whether we are actually seeking God in prayer and the Word. He believes our culture has taught us to expect fruit immediately, but in ministry you do not always see it. No one knows what seed was planted that day.Pastor Matthew says we cannot see from an eternal perspective. If our faith depends on seeing results, we will often be let down. Faith trusts that God is doing something, and if we got it wrong, God will redeem it and we will learn and grow. ## A Practical Step for This Week To close, Pastor Matthew asks what practical step the pastors would give someone who senses God calling them to one specific thing but feels the tension of fear.Pastor Chris says to speak it to somebody or write it down in a journal. Once it is out of your head, it stops being a thought you can easily dismiss, and you have accountability to find out if it is God and take the step.Pastor Anthony adds that you should ask someone for prayer, challenge, and encouragement, and then resolve to take an initial step. Tell God you are taking this step and ask him for strength, confidence, and boldness. Bring that step to him as an offering, an act of worship that says you are afraid but you want to honor him.Pastor Matthew thanks both pastors and shares that the conversation encouraged him as he thinks through what he is facing. If this episode encouraged you, pass it on to your family and friends so they can be encouraged too. Listen to this episode Empowered by the Holy Spirit: Walking in Faith Over Fear 0:00 1:01:24 Subscribe and follow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BWiObfPjKlJR2pB4OWH7o Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tree-church-bible-study/id1557536518 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTreeChurch1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theTree.church/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetree.church/ ## Take your seat at The Tree Church. If you are looking for a church in Lancaster or a church in Logan, we would love to welcome you to The Tree Church. We are one church meeting at two campuses in Ohio. Join us any Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. Lancaster Campus 721 N Memorial Dr, Lancaster, OH 43130: https://maps.google.com/?q=721+N+Memorial+Dr,+Lancaster,+OH+43130 Logan Campus 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138: https://maps.google.com/?q=36+Hocking+Mall,+Logan,+OH+43138 We can't wait to meet you this Sunday! Posted in The Branch Podcast (https://thetree.church/blog/category/the-branch-podcast)Faith (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/faith)Obedience (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/obedience)Fear (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/fear)Willpower (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/willpower)Natural Gifts (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/natural-gifts)God's Presence (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/god-s-presence) ## Structured data ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Walking in Faith Over Fear | The Branch", "description": "Pastor Matthew Johnson, Pastor Chris Reed, and Pastor Anthony Lombardi talk about fear, faith, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit.", "datePublished": "2026-10-01T08:00:00.000Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-22T11:08:20.107000", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "marketing@webconsultants.co.za" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The Tree Church" } } ```