Fear No Fear

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

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.”* Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

_{{* Isaiah 49:8 Yahweh says, “I have answered you in an acceptable time. I have helped you in a day of salvation. I will preserve you and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage,}}
2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:2 (emphasis added)

Fear is a useless thing. It is a weight that will bring you down if you let it. Depression, worry, anxiety, and all their ilk are children of fear and also to be rejected. Completely, totally, and utterly. Leaving not a scrap of anything behind. Rip them out root and branch. Don’t tell me they are symptoms of mental illness because then you doubly should reject them. Illness is sickness and sickness is part of the curse and we are redeemed from the curse (Galatians 3:13-14). Why would you want it? Any of it? We don’t have to have it. The Word contains the promises that can set us free (James 3:1-3). What’s great about the Word? It strengthens our faith. Why is that important?

Matthew 9:22 “But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.” Matthew 9:29 “Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”” Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.” Mark 10:52 “Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.” Luke 7:50 “He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”” Luke 17:19 “Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.””

What is it that you expect? What is it you believe will happen? What is it you see happening in your mind’s eye as you pray? That is the level of your faith. Not the faith available to you, just the faith you’re choosing to use. Not what your faith is able to move, just what you have chosen to believe you are able to move with your faith. You can put a straw barely into a bucket of water and drink. If you don’t move the straw, the water will cease after a bit. Or you can put the straw to the bottom of the bucket, drink, and keep on drinking until the bucket is dry. You can try and pick up a 450 lb dumbbell. Or you can build up your muscles until you CAN pick up a 450 lb dumbbell. Romans 12:3 tells us that God has given everyone the measure of faith. How big is the measure? Well, let’s look at other measures God gives us (remembering the Lord is a God of giving, increase, blessing, and growth).

Ephesians 4:7 “But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-16 “He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds (or, pastors) and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.”

That’s a hefty measure. Jesus’ grace. Jesus’ full stature. That’s a big measure. I cannot conceive that the measure of faith He gives us is any less than Jesus’ faith. Why? Because 2 Chronicles 19:7 and 1 Peter 1:17 tell us the Lord has ‘no respect of persons’ meaning that He doesn’t see any difference between people. What was good for Moses was good for Elijah was good for Peter was good for Zacchaeus is good for you. Guess what? Jesus is a person. What was and is good for Jesus was and is good for you and me. Period. God doesn’t lie.

What is all this about? We have been given Jesus’ measure of Faith through Jesus’ measure of Grace so that we can grow up into the full stature of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10 & 1 Timothy 1:13-14). What is that stature? His righteousness. We can IN CHRIST JESUS stand in the same right relationship with Father God (Colossians 2:8-15). When can we do this? Whenever we want. Ask the Lord for it. Be reconciled to God. Restore your friendship with the Lord. Through the Word. The measure of the Word that is within us is the measure of the Faith that is available to us. If we study the Word, the Lord will respond. Why? Because it says when we called He answered (Psalm 118:21, Psalm 138:3, and 1 John 5:14-15). He answers us. Today. The acceptable day of the Lord. It is now. It is always now. Now, now, now, now, now, NOW!

The Lord will help us. And the Lord is Love. And Peace. Patience. Faith. Joy. Kindness. Goodness. Gentleness. Self-Control. Mercy. Grace. Does any of this sound like fear? Or depression? Anxiety? Worry? Or ANY mental illness? Or ANY physical illness? No, no, no, and again NO! The Lord God in Three Persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have NOTHING BAD IN THEM. They are righteousness incarnate. Nothing but good, upon good, upon good, upon good, upon good. They don’t send us ANY bad thing. Ever. Not to test. Not to teach. Not to build muscles. Never. Ever. EVER. They can use anything we decide to hang onto and turn it to something good, but they do NOT send it. From it they SAVE us.

If they aren’t the ones sending the mail to you, why would you receive it? Reject it. Send it back. Return to Sender. In big, bold, bright red letters written in the Blood of the Lord Jesus, the Christ by whom and in whom we have both the authority and the victory and the release from the curse in each and every form in which it appears or occurs. This is biblical. The bible doesn’t lie. The bible is the Word. The Word is Jesus. Jesus is God. The Word is God. God doesn’t lie because no lie can be found in God. God is TRUTH. Unvarnished. Untainted. Uncompromised. Just TRUTH. Eternal, complete, and everlasting! Praise GOD!!!!!! And thank-you Jesus for your sacrifice which enables the whole shebang!

The world says with much ado, wisdom, and solemnity: We have nothing to fear, but fear itself. They say also, that fear is the animal response which is right and good and hardwired into the human brain.

I say phooey on that. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” We are new. Whole. Healed. Complete. And we do NOT need to conform to the patterns, the thoughts, the beliefs, or the wisdom of this world. I do not deny their research, their studies, their diagnosis, their education, or their psychological meanderings. But I deny 100% the right of any of that to affect or effect me. In ANY way. Why? They are of the world. Of the curse. Of the natural. I am not. I am in the world but NOT of the world. I am REDEEMED of the curse. I am a NEW CREATION and not natural. Praise Jesus and thank the merciful heavenly Father!

It is as simple and basic as this: The Word says it. We can believe it. Stand on it through the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Use Jesus’ faith and believe it. Repeat it. Say it and only it. Do NOT agree with the negative. Do not deny that it is there, but deny its ability to have more reality than the Word. Deny its ability to have more authority than the Word. Dwell on the positive through the Word which makes it possible to be positive because all things are in Jesus (Colossians 1:17), Jesus is in the Father (John 14:9-11), and the Father gives all good things (James 1:17).

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Issac, and to Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Choose the Lord. Choose life. And don’t let it go! Amen.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: John 13:1-20

Jesus loves us. The Father loves us. The Holy Spirit loves us. They are ready to serve our needs because they LOVE to fulfil our needs. We cannot command them, but we CAN ask them. If we ask in accord with the Word of God, we’re asking the Lord. We’re requesting something. Expressing a want or need (though He KNOWS our needs and has already promised to supply them). But it is not greedy, selfish, or about pleasures. It’s a Godly desire. If we ask out of our own desires/thoughts/plans we’re talking AT the Lord. We’re mentioning something. We aren’t really asking. The Lord ALWAYS grants us what we ask for. The Lord ALWAYS says yes to our requests. Never ‘no’ and never ‘wait’. It’s always ‘yes’ and as soon as we can handle it we get it. Why? Because we asked according to the Word. We asked Him for what He wanted to give us in the first place because He loves us and wants to give us every Blessing we can handle and then a few more, Amen and Praise God! He’ll also discuss our thoughts/desires/plans and whatever else we mention to Him. Because He loves us and loves talking to us. He loves us. All of us. It’s great! ‘Say thank you in advance for what’s already yours. True desire in the heart for anything good (that itch that you have, whatever it is you want to do, that thing that you want to do to help others and to grow) is God’s proof to you – sent beforehand – to indicate that it’s yours already. And anything you want (which is good) you can have, so claim it and work hard to get it’ (Genesis 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). What a great quote by a believer. That is our God right there. Sparking the desire for that which He wants to give you and has already blessed you with since all time is NOW for the Lord (2 Corinthians 6:2). So find out what God says is good (use the Word), talk to Him about it (Holy Spirit confirms all things to us and brings to mind all we have heard Jesus say), and then in alignment with the Will and the Word of the Father, claim what He has already blessed you with (Ephesians 1:3). They won’t be selfish. They won’t be fleshy. They’ll bless you and enable you to bless others. They’ll be moral. They’ll be good. And they’ll be from God. He is a GOOD God, isn’t He?

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.