Fear No Fear

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

But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall.
Malachi 4:2 (emphasis added)

You who respect my name. You who reverence my name. You who have a feeling of deep admiration for Adonai that has been elicited by Adonai’s abilities, qualities, and achievements. You who admire Adonai deeply, as a result of those abilities, qualities, and achievements. This is painting a picture of someone mindful. Purposeful in their manner. Purposeful in their admiration. Someone who gives honour because of that respect. Someone who willingly alters their behaviour because they are so aware that the one they respect is worth that active change.

This is what it means to ‘fear the Lord’ as the King James translates the phrase. The Hebrew word is ‘yirah’ (yir-aw’) and it means reverence and extreme awesomeness (or AWE). I prefer the reverence of the Lord instead of fear, because fear is such a terrible thing and I dislike using the word for a positive thing. I don’t want to EVER make the mistake of thinking that Adonai is to be FEARED – as if He was frightening or about to smite me. Adonai LOVES me and while I hold Him in awe, I am not scared of Him. But He is so far above me, my reverence for His extreme awesomeness is something that changes who I am, what I say, what I do, and even what I think. I am so grateful for what Jesus did to enable me to stand before the Righteousness of Elohim and be able to praise Him.

This reverence (or fear, if you prefer) is so potent, there is nothing about me that can pretend it doesn’t matter. It – if given its proper place – informs everything about me. Whenever I behave in a way that DOESN’T conform to His righteousness, I know that I am not giving Him His place and I need to repent. Sometimes, I don’t realise I am doing it. But Holy Spirit is faithful and will always be speaking to me about what I know from the Word is correct. He is also faithful to speak to me about what I SHOULD know from the Word. He won’t give me a verse, but I get a disquiet in my spirit as I realise that my words and thoughts are not lining up with His.

This reverence is the beginning of everything. “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). This is the first commandment as well. “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3). When we do this and keep Him as the centre of our lives, everything good will follow. It is only when we miss it and take our eyes off His glory that we have problems.

In the New Covenant, we have the fulfilment of the promise of today’s verse. In Jesus, we have the fulfilment of the Law. Jesus is our sacrifice. Our paschal lamb. The atonement of our sin. The sacrificial payment for all that we owe because of our nature and because of our actions (thoughts, words, and deeds). Jesus is the sun of vindication. Jesus is the sun of Righteousness. Jesus is the Anointed One. In JESUS we have our place. “In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

What happens to us in Jesus when we are focused on Him and giving Him His due? Revering Him and His position? We get to take advantage of the healing in His wings. We also get to prosper. Like stall-fed calves we get to get fat and go out skipping with the JOY of our condition. The great thing about this promise, is that it can be physical AND spiritual OR both! Adonai is not stingy. “And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work. Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever”” (2 Corinthians 9:8-9). Those who start out poor in body, resources, and/or spirit will find themselves cared for like stall-fed cattle when they put and KEEP their reverence on and in Messiah Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t leave us hanging out scrounging for our feed. He is the Keeper of the Covenant and will not let us run wild over the rocky hillsides. He guides us and shepherds us. He leads us to good feed. He takes us to deep and clear water. He provides our bread. He watches over us. He seeks out those who stray. He protects us from those who would come and steal us away. The ONLY way that we get stolen from is if we LET the devil take what Adonai has given us (Mark 4:14-15). Jesus IS the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23). As long as we choose to listen to Him (John 10:27-28), we will benefit from the Blessing. Jesus will make sure we stay in the Blessing if WE make sure to stay in HIM (John 15).

Adonai’s idea of giving is PLENTIFUL in ALL ways. When we are obedient and are actively respecting Him – changing our behaviour to align with His while He renews our mind to understand the Father’s will (Romans 12:2) – then we will be in a place to receive from Him. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive” (Luke 6:37-38).

Don’t be a wandering calf. Be a stall-fed bullock. Be a stall-fed heifer. Feed on His bread. Drink His water. And leap for JOY and the healthful life you will lead under His wings.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 45:7

“You love justice and hate evil. For this reason God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.” Messiah would be anointed. So would other people. What would make Messiah THE Messiah is the special anointing of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) that is different from other people’s anointing. Messiah is PART of Elohim. When Holy Spirit joined with Him, it was a meeting of two parts. There was a depth and perfection to the anointing that only someone with an un-fallen, perfect, and righteous spirit can have. “After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him” (Matthew 3:16). “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.”” (Hebrews 1:9). When doves roost, they do not leave. Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and REMAINED. They could NOT be separated. Holy Spirit wasn’t RESTING on Him, Holy Spirit was in-dwelling Him. Jesus was RIGHTEOUS and loved righteousness, which made Him a PERFECT receptacle of Holy Spirit. Jesus was anointed in a way that no one before Him had been anointed. Jesus is THE anointed. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

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

Matthew 16:16b