Fear No Fear

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

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will tell the north, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.”
Isaiah 43:5-7 (emphasis added)

What a great promise. God assures us that we will be gathered together by Him — regardless of direction, location, or the powers in place. This can — and I am sure does — refer to the Nation of Israel. Jews will return home from their places across the globe, regardless of what political mumbo-jumbo is going on. But as with many scriptures — if not all of them — there is more than one meaning here.

Who is to be gathered? Everyone called by His name. Everyone who is part of the people of the Lord. In the natural, the Jewish people. In the spiritual, everyone IN Jesus as sons and daughters of the kingdom – believers that Jesus is Messiah, whether Jew or Gentile. How do we know? Because God here says all who He has created for His glory, whom He has formed. Formed. Made. Fixed with everything that is necessary for him to live. The Lord has prepared everything. We may experience trouble, but the Lord has prepared for us all the necessities of our redemption. We as believers are living proof of and a demonstration of His glory, which is the ultimate goal of our salvation: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).

One of the ways we are gathered is at the bridge of the communion table. Communion is the bridge between us and the Father through the sacrifice at Calvary. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing”” (Isaiah 29:14). “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God; because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

The cross is the power of God. The cross is the wisdom of God. Where? In Jesus, who is the Anointed One, who is those things. Communion is not a ritual. It is not an empty gesture. It is exactly what Jesus told us it should be: a reminder. Communion is to be done remembering, not just thinking of Jesus, but in remembrance of everything Jesus has done. It is a spotlight shone on the acts of Calvary. Communion reminds us of the power we already have. Something that is already done for us. Through the body of Jesus, we walk into the gates of heaven. We walk there in a simple revelation question: not what can God do for me, but what can I do for the Lord (Matthew 20:26). NOT through the law, NOT through works, NOT through our strength, but through obedience as we abide and rely in and on Jesus. Through servanthood. Through following God’s ways, God’s way. Not looking for a handout, looking for the opportunity to be broken, to be humble, to be reliant on Him. Seeking God first, and letting God bring everything to our spirit and then our mind/soul/emotional self and then our bodies and physical reality. Prospering in the spirit by doing what He says — and it isn’t a burden, it’s a blessing and a very great reward (Matthew 11:28-30).

The cross of Christ is the reason for communion and the fulfilment of all our covenant rights. Through communion, which is all about the cross, Jesus fulfilled every sacrifice of the Old Covenant. Communion is a celebration, not a mournful reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. It is celebrating redemption, righteousness, wisdom, and sanctification. Celebrating because of what Jesus did in making the resurrection (John 11:25-26), ascension (John 3:13), seated position (1 Peter 3:22), and the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) possible in our lives at all times. The communion table is a prophetic table. It’s prophecy is fulfilled for us. Through it, we get to return to Eden. Eden, the garden of the Lord, hasn’t changed its position. It was always the point where heaven met earth. Our unrighteousness separated us from heaven. In Jesus, we get His righteousness. He gives us His righteousness through Grace so that we can enter into Eden — which is where heaven and earth meet — the point inside all of us where we exist as altars to the Lord God (Hebrews 13:10-16). “Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a great priest over God’s house, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water, let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Communion is our connection to the Throne. But it is a connection through Jesus, which means it is governed by the Word of God. This isn’t a back channel to do deals. This isn’t leverage to do things our own way or make God do something we want. It is a Word connection to the kingdom. As we abide in Jesus, living in that connection, we need to align our minds and will to the Will of the Father which is revealed in the Word. In every situation we face, there is an aspect of God waiting to be revealed. God has many facets. Each one is a name. Each name is distinct from the others and functions in a different way. Jehovah Rapha (God our Healer) works differently than Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider) which works differently than Jehovah Mekoddishkem [mecha-dish-kah] (The Lord who Sanctifies You). These aren’t different personalities, but aspects of the same personality. Facets of the Lord which He uses to do what He does. Facets He presents to us so that we can — just a little — glimpse and understand something of who the Lord is.

Just as the God you know is the God you reveal to the world, the God you know — the Name or Names you have fellowship with — is the God who can rule over your situation. If you don’t know Him as healer, you can’t receive His healing. If you don’t know Him as a provider, you can’t accept your needs met. We desperately need an encounter with the Lord. Deep, meaningful encounter. It’s why Jesus came. It’s why we are directed to the Word to strengthen our faith and hear the Word as well as hear His voice (Romans 10:17). To let the Word reveal what God can do through who God is. To renew our minds to the reality of life beyond the life we see.

Nothing can shut the spirit world out. Our faith, fully persuaded and strengthened in the Word, can change anything. Everything that is seen can be changed — from situations to geography. Because of our Communion connection, we don’t operate on normal calculations. We have the power to function in another dimension: the dimension of the Word of God. We find which Name of God presides over our situation (we’re sick? Jehovah Rapha. In debt? Jehovah Jireh). Then we search the Word to find out where that name is introduced. How it interacts with us. What God uses it for. Is there a promise attached to it? As the seed of Abraham we are heirs to all promises of the Word (Galatians 3:29). Is there an ‘If you, then I’ attached to it? An obedience requirement whether of word, deed, or attitude? If we walk in His ways, He moves because we give Him space to move (Zechariah 3:7, 1 Kings 3:14, 2 Timothy 3:10-11). We write out those verses God led us to. We think on them and talk about them with the Holy Spirit — being led by the Spirit and aligning what WE want out of the situation with what GOD wants out of the situation. We pray them, stand on them, and bring them before the Lord. And once we’re in tune with the Lord, once we know what He wants and agree with Him, then we can come to the Communion table and enter into covenant with the Father Almighty through Jesus the Anointed One by the Faith of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus was raised to life on the third day, we can get up out of our situation.

But faith isn’t words. It isn’t belief on its own. Faith is more than your conviction, your complete persuasion, that you have, based on the integrity of God’s Word, fellowship with the integrity of His person as revealed through His Word and His names. Faith is the name given to the obedient action that you take to prove that you believe God. It isn’t about taking action, it is about taking the action He has told you to take. Eager expectation of the fulfilment of that promise. A good first step in that action is communion. It helps get us in line with HIS spirit, HIS mind, and HIS will. That is why we are admonished to search our hearts and make sure that we are approaching Communion in the fullness of our relationship in Jesus: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

If we truly discern the Lord’s body and walk that bridge of connection to the Throne, we are entering into everything Jesus achieved through Calvary. We are remembering His sacrifice, His atonement, His resurrection, His returning to His father, His sitting at the right hand, and His sending the Spirit to us here. We are celebrating our being co-heirs with Jesus. The seed of Abraham. Holders of all the promises of scripture. And the victorious of God. Why can’t we then rise from the Prepared Table in full health? In total victory over our situation, in accordance with the Word of the Lord? We can function with the resurrection power of Jesus if we enter into Communion in remembrance of Him (Romans 6:10-11). This isn’t mental. This isn’t physical. This isn’t natural or hopeful or a universe manifestation. This is spiritual. You need to abide in Jesus. Everything in our lives is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Abiding in Jesus in faith takes more than belief. More than knowledge. It takes confession (Romans 10:9-21). Out of your mouth speak to your situation what Jesus put in your heart and what is clearly in the Word: ‘I take authority over you in the Name of Jesus. I have resurrection power inside me. As Jesus got up on the third day, I can get up out of this situation. At the insistence of the Word, things will begin to change.’ And then decree and declare your scriptures by the leading of the Holy Spirit. If we decree something that is in the Word, in accordance with the Will of the Father, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and in our identity of who we are in Jesus, it will be established to us (Job 22:28). Every single time, this is how Jesus did anything. What does He say about Himself? He didn’t do anything unless the Father showed it to Him and gave Him the words to speak (John 5:19-20 & 12:49).

God’s Word NEVER returns to Him void (Isaiah 55:11), so it has no choice but to come to pass when we have faith in Jesus (Matthew 15:28), stand on the Word (Ephesians 6:11-13), and never, ever waiver from that obedient determination (Matthew 21:22). This is what it means to be gathered to the Kingdom. To be redeemed. To belong to the Lord and be called by His name. We are, through Jesus, God’s children (Galatians 3:26). And the Communion Table reminds us of just that. Take it today. Searching your heart. With the bible in hand. Humble and broken before Him. Ready to receive ALL that He accomplished for us on Calvary. Because He loves us. Because He is a GOOD GOD. Because He is Merciful. Because He is a good Father. Amen.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Hebrews 4:15-16

What is an expression of love our children have toward us as parents, teachers, and role models? They copy us. They imitate our words, actions, style of dress, and interests. We’re called to do the same in Jesus (1 John 2:6). But God also does the same to us. Jesus came to earth, setting aside His godhead to be a complete, total and 100% human man (Philippians 2:7). He didn’t do it because He looked up to us or wanted to emulate us. No. He did it to show us what we are supposed to do. The First Adam was a terrible example on how to live the Kingdom Life (Romans 5:12). The Last Adam is the perfect example on how to live the Kingdom Life (1 Corinthians 15:45). By becoming a man and doing things with our power level and our faith level, being anointed by the Father just like we can be (1 John 2:18-29) to God’s power level and faith level; Jesus showed us how to walk, how to talk, and in the Righteousness He grants us by Grace through Faith (2 Corinthians 5:21), how to do it successfully. By relying on Him. The one who loves us and will coach us every step of the way. Guiding, empowering, correcting, and loving us into the Kingdom of Heaven through the Kingdom of God. Amen and thank Him for it every day. He loves you SO much.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.