Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who is causing it to grow”
1 Corinthians 3:7

Someone with a ‘green thumb’ is considered to be someone good at gardening. That they have the innate ability to nurture, understand, and help plants to thrive. That they excel at plant growth. One theory of this phrase’s origin is that King Edward I of England really enjoyed green peas and would give an award to the serf who shelled the most over the season. The serf with the greenest thumb. There are other theories just as good. I kind of like this one. Our Father in Heaven certainly likes the fruit of the vine. And Ruach HaKodesh is the sap that brings nutrients to our branches so that we can have fruit. He certainly has the greenest of thumbs. Jesus is the vine that we’re attached to. Ruach HaKodesh understands our role as branches and has the innate ability to nurture us in order to help us grow. He is the power flowing from the Father, through Jesus, and into us for that single purpose: growth. He is an AMAZING gardener.

Ruach HaKodesh makes sure our roots are firmly in our trust in Jesus, because that is how our new life works. “and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). If we’re trusting in Jesus, then Ruach HaKodesh is within us, residing in us and keeping us as His Temple. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). So we live by our trust in Jesus because our spirits have been replaced with His and sealed against all sin. We’re copies of Jesus in the spirit realm. That means a full one third of us is Ruach HaKodesh. That’s a LOT of life rolling about in there. Ministering to us, giving us life, just by being there and tending to us (Romans 8:11).

Ruach HaKodesh corrects us with the Word. “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). He prunes us. He bends our branch and secures us with the Word, training us to grow in the way that is most beneficial to us – whether we feel it in the moment or not. Ruach HaKodesh has compassion because Elohim is Love, but He is also concerned with Righteousness and how we need to be in order to grow in it. It does no good to grab ahold of salvation, but never climb into the boat. It takes effort, it takes strength, and you need to know how to do it without capsizing the boat. Ruach HaKodesh helps us do that. He gets us into the boat and uses the word to steer our course (Psalm 119:105), correcting it as needed as we go.

Ruach HaKodesh is so concerned about our growth and right standing before Elohim that He lends us His words. He is inside us. He knows us inside out. He is intimately familiar with our wants and our needs – especially the ones we don’t see. He works with us (Matthew 19:26), hand in hand, giving us what we lack so that we can effectively communicate with Elohim. Like a stake put beside a plant stalk to sustain its growth until it’s strong enough to stand on its own. “And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings” (Romans 8:26). Even Jesus utilised this aspect of prayer through Ruach HaKodesh (John 11:33). As a man, Jesus needed help just as we do and Ruach HaKodesh was there to nurture and comfort Him until the completion of His assignment. He’ll do the same for us (Acts 10:34). He has a VERY green thumb and His JOY is to see up grow into the righteousness that’s been set aside for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).


Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Matthew 7:11

“Therefore if you, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” I can see it now. Jesus explaining this to the disciples and all the others hanging around. Asking them if they get it. If they knew Elohim was good. Them agreeing that yeah, Elohim is good of course He is. Jesus asking them if they knew that Elohim would meet their needs? And that’s when the disciples shuffle their feet. Well, yeah… eventually… like after we ask Him for stuff… How frustrating it must have been for Jesus. Trying to get across this simple point: Elohim is good and He knows how to meet our needs. Jesus was – and still is – challenging believers to cross the line of need. If you have a need, a real NEED then you already have it if you trust in Jesus. It’s already on the way. If we are focusing our hearts and minds on loving Elohim – just because we love Him – then all those needs (food, shelter, and clothing) are going to be taken care of. Period. We don’t even need to THINK about them. We’ll have the money we need to get them. We’ll have the ability to earn. We’ll be productive. Regardless of our natural abilities or opportunities, it will all come to pass. Our trust in Elohim assures us of that as we love Him – remembering that love equals obedience, so we won’t be going against His will but seeking to be in harmony with it. We don’t seek to punish our children when they need something. We aren’t bitter or frustrated or unwilling. Not for a NEED. Our Father in Heaven is the same way, but better. That’s why Jesus used it to really nail up the idea before their eyes. Elohim is GOOD and takes CARE of us. Our NEEDS are met. Always. He’s a GOOD Father.

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8