Fear No Fear

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

Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6 (emphasis added)

This is not only truth, but a blessed assurance. Don’t read it and think of it as ‘yeah, yeah, He’s on my side, yay’. Don’t be dismissive. This is real. This is truth. These words are a promise. I have been in a lot of situations in life, but whenever I was abiding in the Lord they never made me scared. There were things that I felt fearful of until I reminded myself who was on my side. Situations when I felt the thrill of fear and stood my ground. Told it no. And trusted. It is something that I don’t like to test (who would), but that I am assured about. The Lord HAS me.

Temptation can rear its head. It can be new, something you’ve seen/read and thought about. It can be old, the memory of how it was/felt. Temptation can make it so easy. Do it this way, no one knows about it. Do it this way, no one will care about it. It is hard. Anyone who has ever been on a diet or had to make a paycheque stretch knows that it isn’t easy. It IS easy to buy the crap you don’t need, do the thing you shouldn’t, and mess up. But you do not have to. Jesus is right there inside you. By the Lord’s supernatural power you can overcome them all. You can push those thoughts, feelings, and cravings away by consciously giving them to Jesus or by entering into praise.

There are those who get taught that we have to do something to earn our salvation. That we have to struggle and fight and by our own effort keep from sin or anything the Lord doesn’t like. We can’t hope to achieve that and we shouldn’t be trying. Jesus went to the cross before we were saved. We didn’t earn it then. We can’t strive to earn it now. The way to keep from feeling that we’re always failing is abiding in Jesus. In making Him part of every part of our life. Have you ever tried to do wrong while you’re literally singing about the Lord’s goodness, righteousness, and mercy? Try committing adultery by praising God and asking Jesus to be with you. It works. Trust me.

What’s that saying? Life is what happens when you’re making other plans? Very true from a human point of view. Workplaces, banking institutions, insurance companies, policemen on the street, credit card companies, landlords, and a dozen other such places seem to inflict undue stress on our lives. So many things can happen that can stop the trajectory we are on and threaten to crash us. How will the bill be paid? What if I lose my job? Can they make me less effective? What is this disciplinary action out of nowhere for some nothing thing I did that hangs on a technicality? These are things outside our control and certifiably life altering in their implications. I mean, you can end up on the street. Unemployed. Starving. Bankrupt. These are big things that can cause our blood pressure to rise and our ability to breathe to sink. But it works the same way. We can stop. Say NO and give the thoughts to God. Tell Him we’re concerned, but we’re going to trust Him and then praise Him. Try being anxious for long when you’re singing a song of praise and gladness starts to bubble up inside you. It works. Trust me.

There is no situation — including being shot at, nuclear war, stock market crashes, lack of toilet paper, and gas costing nine billion dollars — that God doesn’t have a solution for. The only question mark is you. Are you going to trust Him? Is Jesus going to be part of every part of your day and night? No, it is not easy. Yes, it is simple. Just do it. We trust people every day for no good reason at all. The bus drivers to get us there, the electric company people keeping the plant running, Internet providers, bank tellers, etc etc. We trust that the people coming through the door aren’t going to spit on us or open fire with weaponry (I admit some days that’s a close call). We trust people won’t push us down in line for the last loaf of bread or baby formula. We trust our neighbours not to steal our flowers. We trust every day. People. Fallible people. Usually because they got some training.

This can be intimidating. There are aspects of life that we don’t think of associating with the Lord. But that is just because of religious training. It isn’t because of anything the Lord said or wrote. Nothing is impossible when you do it with God (Matthew 19:26). We can do all things in Jesus (Philippians 4:13). If it’s in the Word and you can believe it, you can experience it (Mark 9:23). If you can pray it according to the Word and believe that it is happening as you pray it, you can have it (Mark 11:24). The Lord is with us to strengthen us, all the time not some of the time (Isaiah 41:10). The Lord is rooting for us (Romans 8:31). Nothing is too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14). He is the Lord of all flesh (Jeremiah 32:27). He wants us to acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). He loves all of us (John 3:16). He is aware of all of our doings and still loves us enough to help us through it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Does this sound like a Sunday only God? Is reading the bible only God? This is a God who is with you when you are doing chores, talking, watching, reading, walking, sleeping, and schooling. He is there on your dates and is beside you in bed. He is there when you wake up and when you go to sleep. He is there when you’re on your knees and when you’re in the voting booth. He is there when you’re stuffing your face with treats and there when you’re abstaining from food. He is there when you’re driving and when you’re in line at the bank. God is there all the time. Jesus is there all the time. He’s been there since the beginning of time. He sat there before anything was anything and smiled because of that cute thing you did two days from now. We trust people with our lives who took three weekend seminars or a few years of graduate school. But we baulk at talking to and sharing every single physical, emotional, or mental experience that we can experience? Why??

If you can trust a people, you can trust our God. People get trained, still make mistakes, and can be mean-spirited. God made the universe and everything in it (Colossians 1:16). He loves you with a love that lasts forever (Psalm 136). He is merciful forever (Ephesians 2:4). Jesus is always ready to smile on you (New Covenant, so the price of sin is paid and it doesn’t enter the picture – Zephaniah 3:17). God is trustworthy (Psalm 33:4). God doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19). The Heavenly Father is perfect, righteous, doesn’t lie, is always available, and loves you. Jesus is perfect, righteous, doesn’t lie, is always available, paid the price for your sin, was raised from the dead to life, and loves you. Holy Spirit is perfect, righteous, doesn’t lie, is always available because He lives inside you, always speaks to you about everything, and loves you. How can you go wrong with this God who is three but Who Is One (Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Corinthians 12:13)? You can’t go wrong with Him. Not in anything. Trust me. He works.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Psalm 118

God’s love lasts forever. In Him you triumph over every enemy. It is better to put your trust in Him than in anyone or anything. His right hand conquers valiantly. His right hand never fails. Ever. This day is the very day of the Lord that brings gladness and joy, filling our hearts with glee. It can eliminate your need for medications to manage your depression, anxiety, and most other disorders of mood and mind. Start praising Him and see if your doctor doesn’t take you off them. It works. Trust me. Trust Him. He doesn’t lie. He IS victorious.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.