Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Look at my hands and my feet, that I am I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”

Luke 24:39

Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:35). It meant being nailed up hands and feet (wrists and feet really, but wrists were part of the ‘hand’ in ancient times) with large metal spikes as nails (Mark 15:24-28). It was a punishment meant to inflict extreme suffering for a long time and was often used as a criminal deterrent (Luke 23:33). It wasn’t something you could survive. It was only a question of how long you could hold yourself up on the spikes in your feet to get breath before suffocating while hanging from your wrists (John 19:16-21). It wasn’t pleasant. You had to fight for every breath, every word, every moan, every moment. You had to fight to stave off death. Jesus did that for us.

Hands represent balance and productivity. Feet represent destiny. Jesus went through all that so that He could redeem our hands. So that our WORK (not toil OR struggle) will produce something (Exodus 23:26 – not just about human reproduction, but production in every human area of our lives). He redeemed our feet so that our steps can be ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). Everything that we touch can be Blessed through His hands as WE work. Your destiny as called by the Lord can be unimpeded because Jesus’ bloody feet walk the path set out before us (Psalm 115:105). When we are seeking Him, meditating (thinking carefully and with intent) on Him, and keeping His point of view in our mind as our mindset, these things are a REALITY and not a fond desire.

Ruach HaKodesh reminds us of that. He tells us who we are in Messiah (2 Corinthians 5:21). He tells us of our heritage (Galatians 3:16, 29). He reminds us we are NOT condemned (John 3:17-18). He reminds us of the Fruit available for us to emote from and with (Galatians 5:22-23). He is there to show us where to walk and how to work. This is His mission. This is His beloved task. Who doesn’t like encouraging their children? To tell them what they can be and see them walk in it? I recently did a career unit with my eldest kids. Part of their unit self-examination was to look at a long list of career options and to check off the ones they thought they could learn the skills to do. One of my kids checked off a third. The other checked off every single box. I asked why. He responded: I think with some time and some effort, I could learn anything. It was a blanket and BOLD statement. In his mind, he could achieve anything he wanted, do anything he wanted, and become anything he wanted. He is the author of his future. Would that we ALL were like that. Because that is what Adonai lays before us. We can go His way, we can go our way (rebellion), or we can go the devil’s way (very similar to ours because it’s rebellion, only a different flavour). The choice is ours.

Ruach HaKodesh delights in showing us Adonai’s way. Sure, there’s a learning curve. That’s why we have the Word and Ruach HaKodesh (Romans 12:2). He is the Spirit of Truth and the TRUTH is that we can do it in Jesus. Jesus saved our hands for working. Jesus saved our feet for walking. Jesus redeemed our destiny. Will you seize your destiny in Jesus? Will you walk the path laid before you? Will you disciple in the Way? You CAN. Ruach HaKodesh is speaking that to you right now. You can. Step on His path. Walk in His steps. Be the YOU that He designed you to be. His way. His timing. His lordship. It’s well worth the steps, friend. It is WELL worth the steps. Take comfort in our constant encouragement. Don’t let anything hold you back. Jesus broke the barriers so that you can be what the Father desires. Ruach HaKodesh will never let you forget they’re broken. It’s relieving. It’s a great feeling. Thank Him for it.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Psalm 84:11

“Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.” The very first temptation was the temptation to believe that Adonai was withholding (Genesis 3). That there was something more. Something else. Something that could not be got from Him because He wasn’t going to share. The temptation led to the second temptation to get it on their own. To take with their own hands what Adonai was keeping back. To do it their own way. Oh, that we would have learned our lesson by now. But we will ALWAYS struggle with this. We think He’s withholding healing. We think He’s withholding prosperity. We think He’s withholding what we need to get by. We think He’s withholding Blessing. We think He’s withholding a closer walk with Him. But He ISN’T. If we read the Word, obey what we find there, and accept His lordship of our lives, we will get EVERYTHING that He has to give. He does NOT withhold. Quite the opposite. He promises that if you do it His way, He won’t withhold even ONE good thing. Not even ONE. All it takes is obedience. All it takes is some obeying. That’s it. Is we love Him, we’ll be seeking to do that anyway! So if we do what comes naturally when we are loving Him, He won’t keep even ONE GOOD THING from us. Wow. What a GREAT promise! What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8