Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 12:22 (emphasis added)

What is it that moves us so much when people understand us? Our favourite teachers and leaders are those who see us as individuals, who understand where we are coming from. We make friends with people based on this very thing. People ‘seeing’ us is VERY important to our psyche. When we get dashed the complaint that comes to our lips so frequently is that they ‘don’t understand me’. In fact, we are willing to put up with so many terrible behaviours from others simply because we feel that they accept us or see us for who we really are. We have a need for sympathy built into us.

Since Yahweh decided on the plan of salvation when everything was still a thought in His head (John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8), it is possible that He put this need for sympathy inside us so that we will recognise His love for us. So that we will understand His Word when it tells us how much He understands us. Such as: “O Lord, you examine me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it” (Psalm 139:1-6 but also the whole Psalm). It confuses us so, doesn’t it?

Jesus came because of sympathy. Jesus came because of love. Yahweh wanted us to see that, to understand it, and to feel it inside ourselves. To truly RECOGNISE that He had come. For us. To save us. Yahweh doesn’t want us to feel He is judging us. He doesn’t want to be what the world sees as a god. He is not vengeful. He is not petulant. He is not wishy-washy. He is not HUMAN. He does not have HUMAN emotions – we have HEAVENLY ones. Everything WE are meant to experience are a reflection of HIM. “Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27). We are a picture of Him.

But we fell. We fell from the place we should have occupied right below Him and above the angels (Psalm 8:4; Hebrews 1:14). How would we know what we could be? We needed an example. First the Law to show how desperately we needed Him. Second was Jesus. The ultimate act of sympathy. “but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone. For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:9-10). Jesus was the pioneer that we were meant to follow. To follow from where we fell to where Yahweh meant us to be. Jesus is the door. He is the WAY IN. The ONLY way. Don’t be fooled. Don’t go after a substitute. Don’t go after a false door. It won’t get you in. It will only get you stuck.

It’s easy to pout. To look at Jesus standing there in His glory and majesty and wonder and think ‘how’. How can we make it? How can we reach that height? How can He understand how things are in this modern world? The TRUTH is that WE don’t have to reach it. WE don’t have to make it. HE makes the way (John 14:6). HE lifts us up (John 12:32). It is in HIM we accomplish what HE calls us to (Acts 17:28). It is all about Jesus and our willingness to remain in Him, seek His face, and stay right where He places us (John 15).

How can we be assured of all that? Because the WORD does not lie. “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help” (Hebrews 4:14-16). This right here is the real deal. HE became US so that WE can become HIM. He went through what we did, but did not fall. Therefore, in HIM we can also enjoy the fruits of His obedience. In HIM we are able to get before the Throne. How crazy if that from our point of view? What deity in any religion anywhere in this world does it all for us and doesn’t make US work for it? None. That’s how many. NOT EVEN ONE.

He came to become the answer for all our problems. We can gussy things up with bells, whistles, lights, and other aspects of technology. We can look at modern things, modern dress, modern thought, and modern culture and say how different things are. But at the CORE of everything, nothing is new. Everything can be boiled down to the same root causes of everything that has ever been anywhere on this planet in all of its history – no longer how long you believe that is (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Since that is true, Jesus can truly be said to have experienced ALL of our issues, problems, joys, and relationships in one way or another. Yes, there were things He did not do. But the same core feelings were present. The same core dynamics were present. He went through what WE went through. He looked at everything so that He in turn could be tempted by every category of test that we go through. Everything the enemy tosses at us, they tossed at Jesus. Jesus did NOT fall.

Jesus was an overcomer. He won every fight, every battle, and every test that He ever experienced. From obeying His parents to going to the cross. He NEVER lost. In Him, WE cannot lose. Because He sympathises. Because He understands. And He tells US what to do. If we obey and go where He says, say what He says, and do what He tells us to, we too will be victors. “You are from God, little children, and have conquered them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). He overcame (John 16:33). In HIM we can too.

The Holy Spirit is there as a pipeline to Jesus. The Word is there to outline Jesus. We need to use them both so that we understand what it is that Jesus is saying to us. He sympathises with us. Why aren’t we listening to Him? He has our best in mind even as He understands we might find some of it hard to do. There is NOTHING complex about ANYTHING we are asked to do. But it is not always EASY. We must focus. We must decide. We must strengthen our faith. We must put down our unbelief. It is not easy. But He is there. He understands. Holy Spirit comforts us. Guides us. Holds us to Himself. In HIM we succeed. All it takes is trust and action. Trust JESUS. And do it.

He won’t leave you in a bad place. He wants you WHOLE. Spirit-Soul-Body. Shalom in every way. He has compassion. He understands. He redeems. He renews. He remakes. He is Righteous and He wants US righteous. He healed then. He heals now. Take it. Take the wholeness that He offers, that He desires for us, and that He gives to us by GRACE and not by our own efforts. Worship Him. Love Him. Obey Him. Accept Him. He understands you. He sees you. Let yourself see yourself AS He sees you: healed. Inside AND out.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 2:12

“Give sincere homage. Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!” Messiah is a bringer of LIFE. He is a bringer of FAITH. We can take shelter in Messiah. We are blessed in Messiah. “Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). Jesus brings LIFE. Jesus brings FAITH. Life comes through faith in Jesus. Jesus IS Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b