Fear No Fear

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

Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1(emphasis added)

Nowhere in the Word does the Lord promise smooth sailing. In fact, it is quite the opposite. He knows that the enemy of spiritual freedom will come against us. The enemy wants to sink us and to prevent us from freeing others. The Lord knows that those who are in bondage to the world will kick up their heels, be offended, and lash out at us. Ignorance hates knowledge, and fears it. Those who love darkness hate the light and the light is in us (Luke 11:33-37). Troubles will come. Attacks will come. Persecution for following Jesus will come. But we do NOT need to be afraid. Why? Because the Lord is with us, that’s why. Place a dot on a piece of paper. Now place an unbroken circle around that dot. This is a faith picture. We’re the dot, the Lord is the circle. Now colour in the circle. We are completely surrounded by the Lord. No matter where we stand, we are covered.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were being blamed for something, but you knew that you didn’t do it? Perhaps a sibling was throwing you under the bus (unless you were the one throwing them under… in that case, pick a different memory). There you are, blamed but innocent. More than that, you knew you could prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Were you scared or worried? Probably not. When you are innocent and can prove to even the most biased mind that you are innocent, you’re not worried. Inconvenienced, maybe. Unhappy, maybe. Irritated at having to deal with it, maybe. But not afraid. Why? Because you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are in the right.

I could fill up half the Internet with quote after quote, word after word, explanation after explanation of how God has our back. How He will keep us safe in Him. We’ll be on the boat napping while the storm is going on (Mark 4:37-41). We’ll be smiling as the army surrounds our house because we KNOW there is a greater army surrounding them (2 Kings 6:8-23). We know the end of the story – Jesus peeked and told it to us (Revelations). We have no doubt – or we shouldn’t. IF the Lord made the heavens and the earth and if He made all the creatures and beings that inhabit it; why is it that we think He will be fazed by anything that develops in it?

Faith is more than saying and knowing you believe. It is being fully persuaded. Every time something comes up, you’re not wailing about it. You’re not worried about it. You see it, make sure you understand it, and then you’re going to the Lord with it. With praise (Philippians 4:5-7). Thanking Him for being Him. Acknowledging who He is and what He is (Psalm 100:4). Are there scriptures about what you’re dealing with? Read them out. Claim them. His whole Word is for us. Thousands of promises. Thousands of things the Lord has said He will do, does do, or can do if we ask Him. So ask. Give that care over to Him. Then praise some more (Psalm 95:2). Thanking Him for His promise. Thanking Him for being God. For being Truth. For being Him. For what He is and what He can do (Jeremiah 33:11). Listen to His voice. Are you being told to do anything? As you go about your day and in the days to come, keep praising. Every time the situation comes up, remember your verses. Remember that you’ve given it to God. Thank Him that He has the situation. Listen to Him. If you’re told to do something, do it. If you’re not, don’t. Praise Him either way (Psalm 96:2).

When we give gifts to people, it doesn’t really count as a gift if we are always going to them and taking the item back to use. It only counts as a gift if we give it and then don’t go to use it again. It only counts as a heartfelt gift if we give it and then don’t spend all of our time talking about how nice it was when we had it. How great it was and how we wish we still had it. That’s sour grapes. Works the same way with the Lord. Don’t give him a worry, issue, or problem, and then try and take it back. Don’t ask Him to take care of it and then moan about it. Instead, stand on what you’ve asked and declared. Let God deal with it. Does it mean it will all go away right away? Nope. But it DOES mean that God will take care of it. There is example after example — Old Testament and New — where followers of the Lord asked for help and got it right away. There are just as many examples where they got it but not right away. That they went through some trouble first. Those that kept the faith and praised, however, were always saved. Look at Paul and Silas. They were beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:16-40). God COULD have saved them at any point along the way. But He chose to save them while they were praising. He saved them AND someone got saved AND they were an incredible witness of the power of the Lord. God is a multitasker. It is NEVER about us. It’s ALWAYS about the Kingdom of God. The Lord doesn’t let us hang, but He’s big picture and we are called to be big picture too.

That’s why we are given armour (Ephesians 6:10-18). When you have to stand, you need to be equipped to survive standing. We can’t stand up to attacks with a pointed stick and a smile. We also have Holy Spirit to help us use it, to train us up in His faith that He gives us, and every good thing of the Spirit (Romans 8:18-25). Jesus did a wondrous thing for us on the cross. We can take all of our cares and worries and leave them there. Nailed as securely as He was. We can stand on the promises and freedoms of the Word. Secure in our armour. Secure in our training. But He doesn’t stop there. God doesn’t leave us alone. We are not solo in the battlefield with the Spirit whispering orders and encouragement. He is with us always and in all things. Toe to toe, back to back. He intercedes for us at all times. He speaks to us and lives with us and lights our way. He is our fortress, our refuge, our strength, our salvation, and our deliverer (Psalm 91).

Do you have a problem? He has a solution. You have an issue? He has a solution. You’re being attacked? He has protection. You’re feeling depression, anxiety, fear? His love is the answer. He is there to anoint you with His peace. You’re sick? He healed you (1 Peter 2:24). You feel lost? He is our shepherd and the guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). You need to endure? He has strength for you. Every trap, He has an out. Every corner, He has a path. Every question, an answer. Every temptation, a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Everything you have, He has one better! Don’t accept anything less! Accept ALL He has for you. ALL that He has for ALL of us! Every word, phrase, dot, and tiddle of the Word is YOURS. It isn’t a musty tome. It’s a living love letter of promise and deliverance. He loves you. He’s there for you. Embrace Him, abide in Him, and start living it! Walk His walk, and ignore the devil’s talk.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Proverbs 3:11-35

God might correct us when we step wrong. There’s a lot at stake. Our peace of mind. Our ability to keep our mind on Him. Our emotional life. Our understanding. Our understanding of the tools He gives us so that we can live a proper, prosperous life. And that doesn’t even deal with our interactions with other people or our role and place in the world. There is a LOT at stake. We have been given simple instructions, but let’s face it. Sometimes we miss it. But God is there to help us. To correct our course. It is NOT because He is upset, angry, or vengeful. He does it because He loves us. Listen to His voice. Accept His correction with humility. Adjust your course, and continue on in victory. It will ALWAYS be worth it.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.