Podcast Summary

Lakepointe Church with Josh Howerton

Episode Title: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? | There Is More | Pastor Mike Breaux
Date: October 12, 2025

Main Theme

This episode, led by Pastor Mike Breaux, centers on the powerful and soul-searching question: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" Through the lens of Acts 23 and the Apostle Paul's experiences, Pastor Mike challenges listeners to examine the paralyzing force of fear in their lives and draws encouraging parallels between biblical courage and everyday acts of faith, perseverance, and surrender.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ubiquity and Nature of Fear

[01:50]

• Pastor Mike opens by acknowledging that fear is a universal human experience, often holding us back from pursuing God's calling or living fully.
• He lists common fears: being alone, not fitting in, failure, success, stagnation.
  • Quote: "There are fears that reside within all of us, right? Fears that keep us from doing what we know we ought to do... Fears that just keep us paralyzed." — Mike Breaux [02:27]

2. Biblical Courage vs. Paralyzing Fear

[03:30]

• Reference to Paul's words to Timothy:

  "For God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)

• Healthy fear is distinguished from a spirit of fear.
• True confidence, from the New Testament Greek, means "that which stands under a foundation."
  • Quote: "A lack of courage doesn’t flow down to us from our Father in heaven. That’s something... we manufacture on our own." — Mike Breaux [03:55]

3. Paul Before the Sanhedrin: Real-Life Courage

[06:00 - 16:00]

• Paul, falsely accused, faces the Sanhedrin (Jewish religious council made up of Pharisees and Sadducees).
• Paul claims a clear conscience, is struck on the mouth, responds in anger but immediately apologizes upon learning it was the high priest.
  • Memorable Moment: Pastor Mike humorously imagines Paul’s pain and apology, making Paul relatable. [07:54]
• Paul's cleverness: he identifies as a Pharisee and mentions "the resurrection of the dead," causing an uproar and redirecting hostility away from himself.

4. Divine Reassurance Amid Failure and Fear

[14:45]

• After the chaotic trial, back in prison, Paul faces disappointment. Jesus appears to him:

  "Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the good news in Rome as well." (Acts 23:11)

• Pastor Mike draws from personal experience: times of discouragement following God’s call from Las Vegas to Kentucky.
  • Quote: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid, don’t be discouraged—for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." — Mike Breaux, quoting Joshua 1:9 [17:45]

5. The Real Battlefield of Courage

[20:00]

• True courage is fundamentally an internal battle: ambition vs surrender, pride vs humility, greed vs generosity, apathy vs compassion, fear vs faith.
• "The enemy’s greatest fear is not that you will conquer the world. His greatest fear is that you will first surrender to the power of Jesus Christ and conquer yourself." — Mike Breaux [20:42]

6. God’s Providential Protection

[21:30]

• Story of the assassination plot against Paul: his nephew overhears it and warns authorities.
• Roman officials provide Paul with an escort of 470 soldiers to Caesarea.
  • Memorable Moment: "One guy is protected by 470 heavily armed soldiers. It’s like God is saying, Paul, I told you..." [22:54]

7. What Constitutes a “Legitimate” Fear Object

[24:19]

• Fears must be present and potent to be legitimate.
• With Christ’s resurrection, death is present but no longer potent.
  • Quote: "If you’re not afraid to die, you’re not afraid to live." — Mike Breaux [25:25]

8. The Worship of Safety and the Risk-Free Life

[27:04]

• Quoting Max Lucado: "When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our God… The worship of safety emasculates greatness. No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear."
• Fear never builds or achieves—it only limits.
  • Quote: "Fear never wrote a symphony. Fear never cured a disease... Courage did that." — Mike Breaux [28:17]

9. Healthy Fear of the Lord vs. Fear of People

[29:00 - 32:00]

• Distinguishing godly "fear" (awe, reverence) from paralyzing panic.
• Most frequent command from Jesus: “Do not be afraid.” (21x in the Gospels).
• Warning against being trapped by the opinions of others: "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety." — Proverbs 29:25 [32:09]
• Some religious leaders missed out on Jesus because "they loved the praises of people more than the praises of God." [32:48]

10. Living Courageously: What Would Courage Prompt You To Do?

[34:00]

• Repeated challenge: "What would you do if you weren’t afraid?"
• Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s moving ahead in spite of it.
• Review of Acts: countless examples of ordinary believers stepping out courageously.
• Reflection: Life grows in direct proportion to our courage.

11. Rapid-Fire Reflection on Courage in Daily Life

[37:20]

• Mike shares a heartfelt, comprehensive list of what courage looks like in real life—ranging from church leadership to personal relationships, forgiveness, advocacy, parenting, recovery, and more.
  • Examples: "It takes courage to follow Jesus… admit weakness… forgive… care for a sick child… raise kids… change a diaper… call in hospice… go to counseling… speak before the Sanhedrin… say, ‘for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.’" [37:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "What would you do if you weren’t afraid?" — Mike Breaux [02:16] & repeated throughout episode.

• "I hope you all know that Jesus still does that—shows up in moments like that... He whispers, 'Hey, hey, I’m with you. Take some courage. I am not done with you.'" — Mike Breaux [16:48]

• "True courage isn’t so much about fighting battles out there as it is about fighting battles in here." — Mike Breaux [20:07]

• "If you’re not afraid to die, man, you’re not afraid to live… Oh, death is still present, but gang, it’s been rendered powerless." — Mike Breaux [25:25]

• "When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our god. … The fear-filled life cannot love deeply because love is risky.… The worship of safety emasculates greatness." — Max Lucado (quoted by Mike Breaux) [27:12]

• "Fear never wrote a symphony. Fear never cured a disease… Courage did that, because courage comes from living life in the hands of God." — Mike Breaux [28:17]

• "Fearing people is a dangerous trap. But trusting the Lord means safety." — Mike Breaux [32:09]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:16] — Central Question: What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
• [07:54] — Paul’s outburst before the Sanhedrin, and apology.
• [14:45] — Jesus reassures Paul in prison.
• [17:45] — Pastor Mike’s personal Vegas-to-Kentucky story.
• [20:07] — The real battlefield of courage.
• [22:54] — Paul protected by 470 soldiers.
• [25:25] — The resurrection renders death powerless.
• [27:12] — Max Lucado’s quote on safety-focused living.
• [32:09] — The danger of being trapped by others’ opinions.
• [37:20] — Mike’s rapid-fire meditation on everyday courage.

Tone and Takeaways

Pastor Mike’s language is accessible, encouraging, and full of humor, humility, and honesty. The message is clear: courage flows from trusting God, not from self-will or circumstances. We are regularly invited to examine our hearts, step beyond paralyzing fear, and act boldly for God’s purposes—even (especially!) in small, everyday decisions.

Reflection and Application

• Repeated question for personal reflection: What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
• Listeners are encouraged to pause and allow God to speak to their fears during a time of reflection at the end.
• Closing prayer affirms that God knows our fears and stands ready to fill us with courage through His Spirit.

Final Challenge

"I've been praying that you would kind of experience that verse 11 thing today, where you would feel Jesus draw near to you—go, come on, have some courage. I’m here. You can do this." — Mike Breaux [44:20]

For further resources and connection, visit Lakepointe Church at https://lakepointe.church/digital

This summary captures the heart, humor, and hope of Pastor Mike’s message, giving you the depth, action points, and biblical encouragement that marked the episode—even if you haven’t heard it yourself.