Fear No Fear

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

You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 2:6 (emphasis added)

The Word of the Lord goes forth on a daily basis. We – all believers – can hear from the Lord. The Holy Spirit constantly communicates to us. We can hear what He wants us to do (John 14:26). If He calls you to do something, He has also anointed you to do that thing and therefore He has equipped you to do that thing (Hebrews 13:20-21). There are times, though, that speaking or doing what the Lord asks is not the most comfortable of things. But it can be.

Ezekiel was being sent to speak to a rebellious house. To a people who would NOT listen. A people who were rebels against the Lord and were against those things the Lord was for. It was not going to be a comfortable assignment — in the way we humans look at things. But the Lord also told Ezekiel the same thing that He tells us: don’t be afraid. He was told not to be afraid of them, or of their words, or of any deadly prickles that are lying about, or of their looks, and again of their words. He repeated the words. He didn’t say the message would be softened. He did not say it was going to be pleasant to a human ear. But that was STILL not a reason to fear. We have NOTHING to fear when God sends us out.

James tells us (4:7) “Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” This is in a section warning about friendship with the world. That if we seek to be friends with the world and compromise with them, we set ourselves against God. This means that the opposite is also true. If we set ourselves against the world and refuse to compromise with them, we stand with God. And we won’t have to fear because we can resist the devil. James goes on to say (vs 8) “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Again, why should we fear anything if God is with us? “Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

In the Old Covenant, when God told you to go forth there was no reason to fear because He went forth beside you (Deuteronomy 31:8). In the New Covenant, the Lord goes forth WITHIN us (John 14:23). How much more should we not fear? Not of what people may say or think or attack us with or scorn us or ostracise us or ghost us or anything else they can do. “So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”” (Hebrews 13:6). They can brand us anti this or anti that. A non-ally. A bigot. But if we are speaking Truth, if we are obedient to the actions and words that the Lord has given us to do and say, what difference does it make? We are not to say or do anything with scorn or judgement (Proverbs 3:33-34). Not even the Holy Spirit is judging them — His mission is to convict, not judge. Jesus paid the price for ALL sin, remember? Sin isn’t a factor. We are to love one another (John 13:34-35). Telling Truth in order to help. To sow the seeds God wants sown. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of not accepting Christ. It isn’t our job. We are to speak Truth, love one another, obey, and praise the Lord.

Joshua led the Israelites out of the desert and into warfare against an impregnable city behind massive walls. Joshua knew it was his job. He knew he was equipped to do it. But he didn’t know HOW. An angel came to him (Joshua 5:13-6:5). God told Joshua, don’t look at the wall. Just shout when I tell you to shout. It may look foolish, but I’m ministering to you and through you. I have victory for you. Just do what I say and shout your victory. Tear down that wall with your words. It may not act like it’s going to fall, but it has GOT to fall today. Goliath came against the Israelites (1 Samuel 17). But David stood up and said some things. He said, you come with weapons but I come with the Lord. You’re delivered to me already. I’m going to take your head. I’m going to give the dead bodies of your armies to the birds. This battle is the Lord’s and it is already won. Everyone is going to know God did this for us. Words. Words backed up by the Lord God Almighty. In neither case did silence last. There was silence before the victory. Joshua and the camp marching around the city for six days. David walking into the valley, holding his staff, selecting his stones, and getting within shouting distance. When the time came to speak, when the time came for volume, those fighting with the Lord spoke and spoke strong. Yelling what they were told to yell. Don’t you EVER march toward your giant in silence. When the moment comes for victory to be in your hand, the Word of God had better be in your mouth. All the silent meditation and obedience before that point will avail you nothing if you are not speaking the Word of the Lord with all that you have. “For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

One of the reasons that Jesus had to be forsaken on the cross is that if the Spirit of Holiness and the Favour of the Father had remained on Jesus, He wouldn’t have been able to die. It’s true. When Jesus was fully filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in the Will of the Father, He was untouchable. “They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue as they heard these things. They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way” (Luke 4:28-30). “They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand. He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and he stayed there” (John 10:39-40). “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them. When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet” (Matthew 21:45-46). “They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward and fell to the ground” (John 18:5-6). “Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above” (John 19:11). No one could touch Jesus unless He let them. We know that from John 10:18 “No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.” The enemy could NOT touch Jesus. He was in total victory. It was ONLY when Jesus chose to lay down His life and the Father turned away as Jesus became our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) that Jesus was placed in the power of the enemy — by full intent and permission, mind you.

God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11-16). Jesus was a man (Philippians 2:5-8). We are men. Human kind. Male and female as He made us (Genesis 1:27). You know what that means? That means if we are filled with the Holy Spirit (which is our right as believers, Matthew 3:11). If we are operating according to the Will of the Father, which is the Word of God (John 5:36-38). If we are abiding in Jesus and Jesus in us (John 15:1-11). Then we will walk in total victory as Jesus did (1 Corinthians 15:57). Doesn’t that mean spiritually? Yes. It does. But it can also mean here in this world because Jesus had it. But guess what? Jesus was also persecuted and promised we will be too (Matthew 5:10-12). But it will be persecution according to a greater plan. There will be intent and purpose to it — just like with Christ. “I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death” (Revelation 12:10-11). Persecution here, reward in heaven. Here temporary, heaven eternal. Might not be pleasant while it is happening, but it passes and the reward is forever. That’s a good trade off, in my opinion.

Jesus is with us. From a temporary earthly point of view or an eternal one, who can stand against us (Romans 8:31)? When we have a Word from God, we should obey. It may not be pleasant to the flesh, but we should obey. It may be glorious in the natural. It may be glorious only in the spiritual. But we should obey. He has us covered (Psalm 91). He will never leave us — in fact, we cannot get away from His presence (Romans 8:38-39). Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid. Be obedient and let God justify us (1 Corinthians 6:11). He will. His love for us is steadfast and eternal (Psalm 118). 1 Peter 5:10-11 “But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Psalm 117

There is nothing greater in all this universe – or in all the other universes that might be – than the love of the Lord God Almighty. And who does God love? Us. You and me. Tiny specks of dirt in the roiling vastness of creation. We are the apple of His eyes. His loving kindness is the greatest gift — from it comes the Faith and Grace to receive salvation, the Christ Jesus our Risen Lord, Messiah. And it endures forever. It began before time and it will continue after time ticks its last. God is love (1 John 4:16) and love is of God (1 John 4:7-8). And God endures forever. His victories are now AND later. We don’t have to wait. We can have what He is offering NOW in THIS life AS WELL as in the next. Jesus was ALWAYS victorious and we can be too. Jesus was persecuted. We will be too. But because of the Love of Yahweh God Almighty, we can endure the persecution from a place of victory and peace. Every time. Praise the Lord! Thank Him for His Mercy and Loving Kindness every day of your life. Now and forever. Amen!

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.