Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Walking in Faith Over Fear | The Branch

"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 podcast from The Tree Church. 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.

The three pastors talk about willpower and the Spirit's power, past failures, fear, and how to know when God is calling. They share personal stories along the way. Pastor Matthew opens by saying he knows the discussion will be an encouragement to everyone listening.

The conversation opens with a lighthearted icebreaker. Pastor Matthew chooses it because the episode is about how the Holy Spirit empowers us. Each pastor names something most people find easy that is hard for them. Then they flip the question.

Pastor Chris admits he does not like being on a ladder, even though high places do not bother him. Pastor Anthony says picking a place to eat is hard for him, maybe because he likes most food. Pastor Matthew says small talk is his struggle. He can engage a serious or controversial question right away, but small talk leaves him uncomfortable.

On the other side, Pastor Chris says technical things come together easily for him. Pastor Anthony says he retains information quickly, something he noticed in the Bible and theology department in college. Pastor Matthew says public speaking has never been a problem for him.

Pastor Matthew then 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 fulfill that calling, the Holy Spirit steps in and does the supernatural.

Pastor Matthew begins with Peter's story, which was the basis of Sunday's message. Peter went from denying Jesus to preaching to thousands on the day of Pentecost. Pastor Matthew is quick to say he is a big fan of Peter. Still, Peter loved Jesus and could not simply pull courage from deep inside himself. So what does his story teach about willpower and the Holy Spirit's power?

Pastor Chris believes God uses our natural gifts, even in His supernatural moves. Peter likely had good communication skills before Pentecost. What changed was an augmentation. His gifting was given boldness and funneled in the right direction.

For Pastor Chris, 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, effectiveness, and thrust that come from being empowered by the Holy Spirit. He works with the interns on calling, and he explains that calling often lives where our gifts, our opportunities, and our passions meet. None of it is effective without the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit. He adds that much of Peter's change came through character more than skill.

Pastor Matthew agrees. He has seen people, even in Christian settings, who operate only on their skills. They are dynamic enough to get things done. But it is never at the level of health or power it would have been with the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Anthony points out that one miracle of salvation is that Jesus changes our affections and desires. Peter genuinely loved Jesus. He even claimed he would be willing to die for Him. Yet in the moment of pressure, right after Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him three times and wept bitterly.

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. We try to white knuckle it with our own strength and wisdom.

He points to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray because "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Human willpower will only get us so far. Because we are human and prone to weakness, the Holy Spirit's power enables us to do what is not natural to us.

Pastor Matthew adds that even when we do accomplish something in our own strength, it is often not done the way God wants. He shares that there have been times he felt spiritually dry because he was not taking intentional time in God's presence. He fell back on his own skills and experience. He could get the leadership work done, but he might run over people to do it. That has become a warning sign for him to step back and ask if he is doing the right thing in the wrong way.

Pastor Chris connects this to Paul's letters to the Corinthians. The church was lifting up certain leaders against others. Paul told them they were doing right things in the wrong way and missing the heart of Christ. The power comes from doing what God asks, in the way God asks.

Pastor Chris asks the next question. What would you 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. Samuel seems to have had no character failure, yet his sons were a wreck. Jonah delivered God's message while hating the people of Nineveh. The list goes on with murderers, adulterers, and cowards. His practical advice is simple. Read the Scriptures and you will see that every single person was disqualified by human standards. It was the calling of God that began the process of qualification.

Pastor Matthew also says the blood of Jesus covers everything and is more powerful than the past. God knows exactly who He is calling, in our successes and our failures. Sometimes the very thing that looks like a disqualification becomes an opportunity for ministry once it is covered by His blood. A past failure can connect you with someone walking through the same thing. It can also create humility and sensitivity that help you relate to people at a deeper level.

Pastor Anthony agrees that every person ever used by God did not deserve it. Jesus is the main hero of the story, and all of Scripture points to our need for a Savior. He explains that other world religions focus on what a person can do. Christianity says no one is saved apart from Jesus entering the picture. Even our brokenness, once redeemed, is meant to point to the goodness and glory of God.

He points to Paul, who once persecuted Christians. Paul himself wrote that God saved him and used him as an example to everyone else. Pastor Anthony says God loves to glorify Himself in the most unlikely characters. If you feel like the most unlikely person, God can certainly use your life as long as you are willing to surrender.

Pastor Chris shares that this is what surprises him most about God. He has failed to obey and 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. God knew all of it before he started. That drives him toward deeper dependence on God.

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.

"We can take the pressure off of ourselves because God is already at work doing it." - Pastor Chris Reed

Pastor Matthew brings it back to Pastor Anthony's point that Jesus is the hero of the story. He has been reading through Nehemiah. When the wall was finished in 52 days, the surrounding nations were afraid because they saw that God had worked for Israel. The enemies had said it could never happen. Then God did the miracle, and attention turned to Him. Pastor Matthew encourages anyone who feels like a failure. You are not the hero of the story, but God can do something supernatural through you that draws people to Him.

Pastor Anthony asks a question many listeners wrestle with. How can we follow Jesus and trust Him while still feeling afraid? We love Him, we want to obey Him, and we are surrendering our lives to Him. Yet we still feel scared.

Pastor Matthew says one phrase he actually dislikes is that fear is the opposite of faith. He believes disobedience is the opposite of faith. Fear is an emotion, and it naturally happens. Our past experiences tell us to be afraid, and our bodies respond before we even think. Like fight or flight, the adrenaline kicks in and the heart rate climbs.

True faith is choosing to obey even while fear is still present. Pastor Matthew explains that if you walk through this consistently with God, you can retrain your mind, your heart, and even your body. You will keep facing new things where God has not yet shown His power in your life. Each time, your past tells you God will be faithful, and it also tells you things could go badly. You can feel the fear and still obey in faith. Then the next time, you may not fear the same way.

Pastor Anthony agrees. Many people assume that feeling afraid means they do not really trust Jesus. He says the practical question is what you allow to drive your decisions. Fear becomes sinful when it turns into disobedience. Faith says that even in the middle of fear and unknowns, you can choose to do what God is asking.

He goes a step further. In some ways, faith in the middle of fear glorifies God even more. If there were no fear and everything were logical and safe, there would be no supernatural element. Stepping forward when you normally would not, simply to honor and follow Him, is one of the evidences that God is working in you.

Pastor Chris thinks of Caleb and Joshua and the twelve spies. They all saw the same land and the same information. Caleb and Joshua likely felt the same feelings as the others. Yet they responded differently because they had a different spirit within them.

Pastor Chris says the Spirit can short circuit the fear process. When fear comes, 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. Caleb and Joshua tried to be that voice for the other ten spies. When we make room for the Spirit to speak, we can walk out in faith the way Caleb and Joshua did.

Pastor Matthew steps back to ask a question that comes before the scary step. How does someone know God is calling them to take a step of faith? Many people wonder if it is them or if it is really God.

Pastor Anthony admits there is no clear-cut, easy answer. One sign for him is reluctance. Sometimes he feels God stirring something in him, and his first response is hesitation. He knows it could honor God or bless someone, but something in him holds back. The chance that he came up with it on his own is small.

He explains that when we are in pursuit of God, reading the Scriptures, plugged into church and Christian community, and praying, our desires begin to look more like God's. He mentions Romans 8, where Paul says God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit. It is often not an audible voice. It is an impression on our spirit that grows as we mature in faith.

Pastor Anthony suggests a few honest questions. Is this for God's glory? Is it for the benefit of other people? Or does it just happen to line up perfectly with everything I already want, and now I am slapping a "God's will" bumper sticker on it? He also says God does not always call us to things that go against our desires. Many times our gifts and passions line up with His leading.

Pastor Chris says that when it comes to simple things, like doing something good for someone, the answer is almost always that the Spirit is leading you. But if it is controversial or sensitive, he recommends getting outside counsel. Bring in other people, and even spiritual authority, to help discern what the Spirit is doing.

He is careful to say this should not turn into gossip. Picking the right people keeps it healthy. As they confirm, question, or challenge you, it builds confidence in hearing from God. It also helps you humbly recognize when you did not hear right. That is safety for you and for the person you feel called to speak to.

"For the glory of God, for the good of other people, it's a safe bet. Like, go for it." - Pastor Chris Reed

Pastor Chris asks what the Holy Spirit's power looks like in everyday situations. Some people think it was great in Bible times when Peter or Paul did miracles. Does it still happen today?

Pastor Matthew says the most consistent way the Spirit works in a person is by producing fruit. You become more like Jesus in your character, your responses, your thinking, and even your desires. The Spirit places you in situations where love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness are not easy, so those things can become normal in your life.

He notes that Paul describes a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. The Spirit is fighting for you, leading you, and guiding you. It is easier to follow the flesh, so being transformed into the image of Christ really is miraculous.

The Spirit also empowers us for ministry. On Sunday Pastor Matthew said that God places our feet and then He empowers us. He shared the same idea with the youth team, who are also in a Holy Spirit series.

"Wherever God places your feet, he now has ministry for you." - Pastor Matthew Johnson

That can be as simple as pausing at work and asking the Holy Spirit for an opportunity to minister that day. Ask for sensitive eyes to see someone who is hurting. It may be a kind word or an invitation to lunch. Pastor Matthew also encourages an openness to bigger things, like praying for a struggling marriage, for someone who is sick, or for a miracle. We might be the instrument God uses in that moment.

Pastor Anthony says the Spirit helps us do what we could not or would not do on our own. That happens where we live and work, and even at our kids' sports games with other parents. He notes that Christians often love the sensational. We should not be closed off to miracles, because God can do them. But the Spirit's role is to bring us back to Jesus and make us more like Him, and that touches every part of life.

That includes the less spectacular things God cares about deeply. Our character. Who we are when no one is watching. The ability to forgive more quickly. He points to Acts 4, where the Holy Spirit gave the believers boldness to keep preaching in the face of fear and pressure.

Pastor Chris adds that when Peter, John, and James stood before the religious leaders, the encouragement was that the Spirit would provide what they needed in that moment. Everyone feels ill-equipped when relying on themselves. But even without the right education or all the answers, the Spirit gives what we need. Those moments become a powerful testimony and fuel our excitement to follow the Lord.

Pastor Matthew shares the story of Philip from the book of Acts. God gave Philip a clear call to go to a specific place but did not tell him what would happen there. When he arrived, he heard an Ethiopian eunuch reading from what we call Isaiah 53. Philip asked if he understood it and then explained it, leading 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. Most of it may feel ordinary. What God does through that person's life is what makes it extraordinary.

Pastor Anthony notes that walking with the Lord each day brings both excitement and some fear of the unknown. He asks a two-part question. What does it mean to say yes to Jesus before knowing all the details? And how can we tell the difference between using wisdom and simply making excuses?

Pastor Chris shares that this question hits right where the Spirit convicted him during Sunday's message. He is very good at working things through in his mind. Sometimes that skill helps him talk himself out of something God is actually asking him to do. He realized his heart posture is not always an automatic yes. When he feels nervous or scared, he can use wisdom to disqualify the step.

His answer is to start with trust. God loves him, and whatever God asks will be good for others and for him. God has never led him somewhere for his harm. So he can say yes while still using the mind God gave him to discern whether it is really God speaking. He is not laying out a fleece. He brings other people in, asks for wisdom, and asks others to pray. If the answer is that God is calling, his heart wants to say absolutely.

Pastor Matthew frames it a little differently. Saying yes does not mean knowing the outcome. It means resolving in your heart to say yes to whatever step God puts in front of you first. He used to feel he needed clarity on everything before he could fully say yes.

He returns to Peter. Jesus told Peter that when he was young he dressed himself, but one day someone else would dress him and lead him where he did not want to go. Scripture explains this showed the kind of death Peter would die. Then Jesus said, "follow me." Peter did not know the details between that moment and the end, but he said yes.

Pastor Matthew says the most important thing he wants to be sure of is whether God is calling him. Many things God calls people to do look unwise by human standards. God called people to face larger armies and to leave what was comfortable. So the question he brings to others is whether they can confirm the calling. If the answer is yes, it does not matter if it seems wise by earthly standards.

Pastor Anthony describes God's general will and His specific will. The general will is already revealed in how Jesus calls us to live, like the Sermon on the Mount and the teachings of the New Testament. Much of what we are supposed to do is already clear. The harder questions are more specific, like a job, a call to ministry, or the mission field.

He contrasts this with the world's idea of destiny, where one wrong turn ruins everything. God is far more dynamic than that. When our hearts are pure and we are pursuing Him, He will honor that. If we make a misstep, His grace shows up and His provision is still abundant. Pastor Anthony says many people live paralyzed by analysis, afraid one mistake will derail their lives. When we stay surrendered and open-handed, God is gracious to open and close doors, and He is with us even in the unknown.

Pastor Matthew asks Pastor Anthony a follow-up. How does someone know the difference between a misstep and obeying God without seeing immediate results? He recalls a story Pastor Chris once told about Brett. God prompted Brett to help an older man with his groceries, and the man basically told him to get lost. So was that rejection, a lack of results, or a misheard prompting?

Pastor Anthony says the first step is to filter our motivations. If we are honest, we can usually tell if we are trying to inflate our ego, prove ourselves, or look super spiritual. He also asks whether we are actually pursuing God. We should not expect to be led by God if we are not seeking Him in prayer and in the Word.

He believes Western culture has taught us that we must see fruit immediately for something to be effective. But in ministry, you do not always see the fruit. Brett may never have seen that man again. No one knows what seed was planted or what the man thought about that night. Part of the journey is simply learning to hear and respond to God. Even if a ministry we started does not take off, seeking to follow God and bless others is always commendable, and God can use it.

Pastor Chris agrees that we often cannot judge whether something was right, wrong, or simply delayed until afterward. He has started ministries he felt God led him to begin, and later stopped them when they were not working. Looking back, it is hard to say whether it was God or not. Maybe it was simply part of the process. Often we can look back and see how God was in it.

Pastor Matthew adds that we cannot see from an eternal perspective. Those ministries may have been successful for their season. God may also have been training Pastor Chris for something later. If our faith depends on seeing results, we will often be let down.
Sometimes God lets us see it, but often He does not. That is when faith trusts that God is doing something. If not, He will show us, we will learn and grow, God will redeem it, and we will be okay.

Pastor Matthew closes with one final question. Many listeners genuinely want to honor God, and they sense He is calling them to one specific thing. Yet they feel the tension of fear. What practical step would the pastors give them this week?

Pastor Chris says to speak it to somebody, or write it down in a journal. When you get it out of your head, it stops being a thought you can easily dismiss. It becomes something tangible. Whether it is God calling or not can still be determined. But now you have accountability to find out and to take the step if it is God.

Pastor Anthony agrees and adds that you should ask someone for prayer, challenge, and encouragement. Then make the resolve to take an initial step. Tell God you are taking this step and ask Him for the strength, confidence, and boldness to do what He has been leading you to do. Until you make that resolve, nothing will change.

He encourages listeners to bring that step to God as an offering. It can be an act of worship that says you are afraid and there are many unknowns, but you want to honor Him. Ask Him to help you trust Him in the middle of it.

Pastor Matthew thanks both pastors and shares that the conversation encouraged him as he thinks through the things he is facing. If this episode encouraged you, pass it on and share it with your family and friends so they can be encouraged too.