Fear No Fear

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

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Matthew 12:28 (emphasis added)

This was a woman who was NOT a Jew. In fact, she was a Canaanite. An enemy. One of the people who were cast out of the Promised Land by the LAND itself (Leviticus 18:28). She was in a desperate place. Her daughter was “horribly-demon possessed” (Matthew 12:22). She had heard rumours about Jesus. She had decided to trust them. She came for help and would not let go of what she trusted He was offering. She was successful. Her daughter was healed. Because of her TRUST.

Everything is about trust. Do we trust Him enough to obey? In small. In large. In ordinary. In extraordinary. Immediately and without delay. Do we TRUST? It’s what it is ALL about. “From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1-6). The obedience of faith is trust-grounded obedience. And it is a HUGE deal.

Sickness is the easiest example, but this is a principle that extends to EVERY area of our lives. Inside and out. When we are sick, we show symptoms. Small ones or big ones, we show them. What is it that we BELIEVE? Do we believe the pains? Do we start to see symptoms that we know and are familiar with the decide ‘I have this’? Or are we able to believe in the trust that develops when we read the Word? It is a simple thing, but not an easy thing. Do you believe the words on the printed page or do you believe what your body is reporting to you?

We would all like to believe the bible. To take what it says and believe it. Often, we say that we believe it. But do we TRUST what we believe? Are we willing to prove it? It’s like putting something to the test but not to see if IT is true, rather to see if YOU believe it is true. The thing is, if Jesus heals then it would be as easy to heal a headache as stage four cancer. Just as quickly too. The metric by which we measure isn’t Jesus, but us. It isn’t ‘does He heal’ or ‘will He heal in this instance’. It is ALWAYS ‘do I TRUST that He heals’.

You have heard rumours before, I’m sure. You had a choice when you heard them. Whether they were about you, a friend, a co-worker, a partner, a teacher, a pastor, or a celebrity. You could believe them or not. You could choose either way. It was in your power. Maybe you picked it at random. Maybe you disregarded the rumour because you weren’t involved. Maybe you believed the rumour because you felt the source was reliable. You either TRUSTED the rumour or you did not. When it comes to the things you read in the bible, you have the same choice. What should sway you is what you believe about the bible.

Is the bible a printed book, a series of words on a page placed there by human minds and fingers, expounding philosophical and mystical teachings created by our fertile minds? Many believe that. They put the bible down as a ‘religious’ book. Antiquated. Interesting. A story of a people (the Jews) and their interactions with the world around them. If it IS just a religion, then there is some merit to that. But there is a verse that destroys that idea. John 1:14 says “Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.” We know the ‘flesh’ that was tabernacling with them was Jesus of Nazareth. Which means He was the physical manifestation of the Word. That changes things.

If the bible is the Word and the Word is Jesus and Jesus is the Word, then that bible there beside you is a physical manifestation of Jesus. It is a living book. A record of His thoughts and ideals. If THAT is true, we REALLY need to trust it. Jesus never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus never lies (Hebrews 6:18). Jesus can be trusted (Proverbs 3:5-6). The Word says we are healed body, soul, and spirit (1 Peter 2:24). The Word says that our physical, financial, and mental health is tied to our spiritual health (3 John 1:2). So. Those are five things the Word clearly says and are echoed by other passages of scripture throughout the bible to corroborate them as things Adonai truly does say to us.

Do you TRUST them? Are you willing to BELIEVE them? Are you willing to work and bring your doubts to the cross and leave them there (2 Corinthians 10:5)? Will you walk in trust-grounded obedience to what you find in the Word? Since the Word IS the will of the Father? Since it is more than just pigments on pages? Deciding to trust it can be the first step to realising it is a diary of sorts. It is Adonai’s diary explaining to us who He is, how He is, and what His emotions are concerning us. It is a love letter that cuts no corners, demands personal responsibility, but is honest and true. It is an ADULT love letter. One of LOVE, not empty passion or mushy feelings. TRUE love. HIS love.

Do you trust it? If you can, nothing can stop you from taking from His hand what He is offering you. He will respond to your trusting obedience. He will let you take what He is freely offering. It is ALL about trust and belief. If you trust in your love, you will be obedient. You will be humble. You will submit. He responds to that love exactly as the Word says. Being all you cannot. Giving all you don’t have. Correcting what you get wrong. Redeeming you for better things, better moments, wrapped in a better Covenant.

Do you trust? The answer to that question can be the beginning of your healing. Inside and out.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 8:2

“From the mouths of children and nursing babies you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy.” Messiah is honest and true. Messiah is pure. Babies respond to people at a level adults do not. They trust completely and love totally. There is an innocent acceptance that puts away judgment and unbelief. Messiah inspires that level of trust. “But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?”” (Matthew 21:15-16). Children responded to Jesus that way. They recognised His spirit. They recognised His kingship. They recognised Jesus IS Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

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

Matthew 16:16b