Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
2 Kings 6:16 (emphasis added)

Math is great when it works. Mathematics is a beautiful language. It has simple rules that combine to produce the most or explain the most complicated things. Some of the most brilliant minds that have walked this earth have been mathematical minds. But they’ve been natural minds. Mathematics is a universal language, but it is a natural language. A carnal – that means physical with no spiritual element – language. We’ve used mathematics to build fantastic machines, technology, buildings, we’ve flown, and we have travelled to the moon and back safely. Math is awesome. Math is humbling. And mathematics is nothing compared to the spiritual.

There has been some traction lately in the intellectual community about artificial intelligence. One thinker has even gone so far as to posit that AI could give us the first true bible of original thought. The whole thing hinges on his belief – widely held – that God is a creation of mankind and therefore all thoughts in all ‘sacred writings’ are really just humans writing stuff. Instead of being ideas from outside the experience of humanity. The kind of thinkers who subscribe to this are the ones who believe that God needs us to exist. He does not. God does not rely on our belief, our worship, our existence, or anything of us to exist Himself. But if these thinkers get their way, there will soon come a bible written by a computer. What will it be? Cold like math, and just about as applicable to our spiritual lives. The things of the spirit do not depend on the things of the flesh. Sometimes, we even need help to comprehend them in any useful way.

In the setting around our verse, the king of Syria was unhappy with Elijah. He sent “horses and chariots and a great army there” (vs 14). He sent so many men that they surrounded the city. Granted, this wasn’t a thriving, bustling, metropolis with millions of people. But there were a fair few. What about yourself? How many people come against you? How many people are bullying you? Tormenting you? Calling names, talking behind your back, making your work life or school life miserable? The people who scorn you or mock you or make you feel like you don’t fit in? The ones that kick up your anxiety. The ones that abuse you. The ones who bully you online. The ones that make you feel less. Is there one? A dozen? More? Less? In truth, if there is only one it’s still a fair few. Just as you can be lonely in a crowd, you can also be attacked by an army of one.

The Syrian king did not like that Elisha was connected to the Lord. That he had info that only God would know. Well, really the king disliked that Elisha shared that info with the Israelite king and spoiled all the well-laid plans of the Syrian king. So he did something about it. He sent an army to wipe out one man. Does this seem familiar? Saul did the same thing. At one point Saul mustered four thousand men to chase David (1 Samuel 24:2). People invested in this world who find themselves up against spiritual reality overcompensate and try to wipe it out. They send their biggest, baddest, most reliable people to go whoop some tooshie.

The real question is what do you do? What is your decision? Do you let anxiety take you? Depression? Sadness? Defeat? Or will you choose not to fear? It’s a choice, my friend. A choice. That’s not a popular truth. But truth isn’t popular. There is no my truth your truth here. Just the truth. You can choose to not fear. Choose to kick anxiety back down. Show depression the door. Be happier. Embrace victory. It’s not complicated, but it can be hard. The initial thing occurring isn’t you. No one wakes up and chooses to be fearful, anxious, depressed, or mentally hyperactive. That’s a ridiculous idea. If THAT was true, you could wave your hand and it would all disappear. That doesn’t happen.

Here’s the deal. This isn’t an ‘only you’ thing. This isn’t a ‘just be happy’ thing. No magic words. No magic formula. No way to think happy joy-joy feelings and make everything sweeter. This is a biblical principle of thought. Jesus used it: Mark 13:7 and John 14:1 for example. In Mark, we’re told not to be troubled when we hear of disasters and wars in the world. In John He is exhorting His disciples not to let the horrors of the crucifixion overwhelm them. He repeats it in John 14:27 (adding neither let it be fearful). Paul uses it in Acts 20:10 when he tells them the boy who fell out the window has life in him. Peter uses it in 1 Peter 3:14 when he quotes Isaiah 8:12 where it says “Don’t call a conspiracy all that this people call a conspiracy. Don’t fear their threats or be terrorized.” All of these instances are bad circumstances being faced. In every single reference the people facing the circumstances are exhorted NOT to grab fear. NOT to grab anxiety. NOT to be troubled. It is a CHOICE.

But what about mental illness? What about my condition? What about this and the other? All that is in the natural. All that is part of the human body. The fallen flesh. Which means, IF we re-train our minds in the Word (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23), we can change how we perceive things around us. Colossians 3:1-2 says “If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.” When we think on heavenly things, on the Word, on the things of the Lord God Almighty, the things of this world lose their lustre. Their fascination. Their ability to prick us. Peter picks up the idea (but in relation to salvation and how to conduct ourselves, not mental attitudes or stress) in 1 Peter 1:13-16 when he says “Therefore prepare your minds for action (literally “put on the belt of the waist of your mind” – which Paul reminds us is the Belt of Truth). Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ – as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your behaviour, because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45).

So that God we were talking about? The one who exists outside our reality? Not needing us to exist so that He can exist? He wrote that we could and should be holy because He is holy. We – fallen, earthly, made from dirt people – WE can be like Him. He is never fearful. He is never anxious. He is never worried. He is never depressed. He is none of the things we are. He doesn’t even get angry like we do. Everything that God emotes is so different from us our words don’t even cut it to describe them. We try, but we fall horribly short. That is why we are exhorted to keep the Word before us all the time. That is why we are to think on it, discuss it, pray about it, meditate on it, and make it the primo number one activity of our minds. The more you reflect on the Word, the more chance it has to renew your thinking into God’s way of thinking. It’s a process and one that is determined by how much or little you put into it.

We WILL be assaulted with thoughts and feelings. Not only is that how the human mind — in it’s natural state — processes the world around itself, it is the only way the enemy has of attacking you. From the outside in. We are citizens of Righteousness, not citizens of Sin. The things attack us. The words come at us. The strife heads our way. What can we do? Say THAT IS NOT MY THOUGHT. Do NOT accept the reality that is being presented to you. You know all that renewing of your mind? In place of whatever is coming at you, throw back at it the words of the Word. The promises God made to you. The statements He made about you. Even the simple fact that God loves you. Period. Full stop. If you are assailed a thousand times in a row, tell it you are NOT thinking that a thousand times right back. James 4:7 says it clear: “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. The Word is TRUTH. The Lord is LOVE. These are what set us free. These are what give us the confidence to not be troubled. If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) We can choose to not be troubled. We can have that attitude of Word-thought not man-thought. Start with a little. Even a little a day will make a difference.

Elisha had this attitude. He operated on Word-thoughts. He didn’t physically see anything more than his servant. He could see the Syrians. He knew there were a LOT of them. But it did not matter. Why? He knew God had his back. God was with him. God was prepared. He knew that he could rest in God and be safe. Safe from harm. Safe from fear. Safe from anxiety. He could trust God to tell him what to do and if he did it get the victory. The scriptures told him that. Again and again. There were stories, songs, tales of what came before, an entire repository of biblical knowledge. He kept it in mind. It was there ready when he needed it.

His servant did not have it. He saw a real thing. He knew what it meant. He was anxious, depressed, and fearful. He turned to Elisha and said what are we going to do. He did not turn to the Lord. So Elisha prayed. Asked God to show the servant what Elisha knew was there (but didn’t physically see at all. He didn’t need to see. He believed sight unseen.). So God did. And the servant saw chariots of fire and angels all around them. In and all over the hills surrounding the valley. Not the city. The valley. There wasn’t a fair few. There was a fair troop of multitudes. It was that way for them. It can be that way for you. It can be that way for you. It CAN. If you rest IN Him, He will rest ON you. If God is for you, who can be against you? I’m not promising sunshine and rainbows. I’m saying you can stand on no fear. We’re told to take up our cross and follow Jesus. To mindfully and wilfully crucify all that doesn’t jive with the Word. Our thoughts, habits, problems, issues, conditions, disorders, anything and everything that is not of God. To abide not in our own thoughts, but in Jesus. You may be persecuted, but you won’t mind the persecution. Because it won’t touch you. It will simply be around you. You can not be anxious. Not be depressed. You can be at peace. Calm. Whole. Yourself. No matter what is around you. It CAN be. God’s Word says so and He doesn’t lie.

Do not be afraid, anxious, nervous, sad, depressed, despairing, or any other negative thing. Those who are with you are more than who are with them – no matter who the them are. Make a choice to drive out the unprofitable way of thinking. Meditate on the Word and choose to believe what it says.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Colossians 1:9-20

Ever seen an adventure movie? Especially one with a rescue? My goodness, all the shenanigans they have to go through to accomplish it. And no one attempts it unless there is love at the bottom of it. Either the rescuer loves the one needing rescuing or Person A pays someone for the rescue because they love the one needing rescuing. How do we know God loves us? One reason is that He delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love (vs 13). And through that, God reconciled Himself to all creation because the price was paid. That is huge. You struggle with something? You can talk to God about it. Not some bearded dude in a robe. Not some petty, changeable, whimsical, benevolent Santa wannabe. No. This is the One who holds everything together. The One who hung the stars. The One who created the visible as well as invisible things. Every scientific discovery of the last forever? He created them. He did it all and does it all. This is an active, blessing, powerful God. And this is who is at the other end of our spiritual lifeline. He is the one searching for us BEFORE we implode. He is the one who crafts a solution BEFORE we know we have a problem. He has it ready. Will you humble yourself today? Will you thank and praise Him for His help? Will you praise Him for the solution before He gives it. Not begging for help. Not demanding their ‘rights’. Broken. Humble. Submitting to His plan, His way. Letting Him do the work. It is the only way to approach it. Giving honour where it is due. Leaving our nonsense behind us. Embracing what the Lord has for us. What a great adventure. What a beautiful rescue. What love for us. What love.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.