Fear No Fear

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

because his divine power has bestowed on us all things that are necessary for life and godliness, through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence of character

2 Peter 1:3

Knowledge of Adonai unlocks all things for us to partake in. It is because we have to KNOW Adonai in order to COOPERATE with Adonai. Adonai is looking for cooperators, partners yoked to Jesus under His guidance (Matthew 11:28-30). We seek HIM and HIS KINGDOM before it can follow us. We don’t need a yellow brick road to follow. We only need the WORD that reveals all truth to us (Psalm 119:105). To understand that truth? Adonai sanctifies us (John 17:17), the Word renews our minds (Romans 12:2), and Ruach HaKodesh is the ultimate commentator explaining to us what He wrote (John 16:33). It all starts and ends in our knowledge of Adonai.

Reverence of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom, which is the proper application of our knowledge (Proverbs 9:10). As we get to know Him, we will naturally revere Him, because we understand He is worthy of our praise (Psalm 145:3). When we understand how much He loves us (Ephesians 3:18), and His character, we’ll understand how He wants to treat us. How He wants us to treat Him – because it is right and good to do so – and that our CHOICE to obey Him from our love of Him is the MOST precious gift we can give (1 Samuel 15:22). It all comes from how well we know Him. There are all SORTS of religious nonsense that we as believers accept because we don’t know who He is. Like the idea that Adonai SENDS sickness. That is ridiculous. He could NEVER do that. Teach us when we have it? Yes. He works with us where we are. But to GIVE it to us? He doesn’t need to do that. That is an inefficient way to teach anything. He gave us the WORD to teach us and Ruach HaKodesh to instruct us. THAT is the way of Adonai. And it is OBVIOUS when you get into the Word and read it yourself. A God that teaches with love, corrects with love, and uses His words to do so is consistent with the character of Adonai. A god that uses suffering and pain to teach us lessons is NOT. That’s demonic. That’s the devil’s playbook (John 10:10).

When we get to know Adonai, we release our love for Him. We get to know Adonai, and we start to trust Him. We get to know Adonai, and we start to listen to Him and His Word. By hearing His word, we build, stretch, and develop our trust; which combined with our belief in Him who we know, opens the door to true communication and participation in His plan and His Blessing. His power, which is in and through Ruach HaKodesh, works in us according to our knowledge of Adonai (Ephesians 3:20). It doesn’t work on automatic. It responds to trust in Jesus. True and honest trust, not lip service. All the men and women of scripture that really made a difference were men and women who trusted Adonai with their whole hearts. Sometimes it cost them something in the short term, but never in the long term. They gave and were rewarded in full – on Earth or in Heaven, it makes no difference. When you’re in Jesus you’re both eternally now and an overcomer. It’s not lose now, win later. It’s always win because that’s all that Jesus ever did. Ever.

Knowledge of Adonai always changes us. Look at Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23. He heard the Word of Adonai and IMMEDIATELY responded. Not only did HE change, but he started a nation-wide revival and a complete return to the worship of Adonai. He removed temples and high places that had been in the country for three hundred years. He stopped at nothing. And he was serious about it. If you played with idols or consulted mediums, you were put to death. The Word transformed that man from a follower of Adonai to a knowledgeable follower of Adonai. That knowledge changed his life and changed his nation. Knowledge of Adonai will always do that. When we truly hear, it changes us from humans like us to humans like Him (Romans 12:2).

We all want a good life. Most believers want to be godly people. The knowledge of Adonai will supply us with all we need to accomplish those two things through our connection and humble submission to Jesus. The basis of any good relationship – especially with a husband and wife (we ARE the Bride of Messiah – Ephesians 5:25-27) – is trust. Studies show that trust encourages the building of greater commitment in relationships, which in turn encourages greater trust in each other. We are wired this way for a reason. “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for the one who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). Because Adonai is ALWAYS faithful, we can ALWAYS build a greater commitment with Him. The more we know Him, the more we trust, the more we trust, the more we commit, the more we commit, the more we know Him, and then the more we trust, and so on. “For this reason make every effort to add virtue to your faith; and to your virtue, knowledge; and to your knowledge, self-control; and to your self-control, patient endurance; and to your patient endurance, godliness; and to your godliness, brotherly kindness; and to your brotherly kindness, love. For if these things reside in you and abound, they ensure that you will neither be useless nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8, MEV).

Ruach HaKodesh is here to speak to us constantly about Jesus. About how we can trust Him in the circumstance we’re in. About how we can trust Him in the circumstances to come. About how we trusted Him in the past and His faithfulness to us. The knowledge of Adonai, spoken to us daily and consistently by Ruach HaKodesh as we study the Word (which IS Jesus – John 1:1, 14), is the soil from which all the Blessings of the Kingdom grow. It is how we walk in Him and He in us (1 John 4:13). It is the foundation of our rich relationship with Adonai Elohim. It is how everything becomes what it should be. Never forsake time that could be spent getting to know Jesus better. Knowledge of Adonai is where it ALL lies. It’s up to us to CHOOSE to learn about it. We won’t be forced, but we WILL be rewarded. Amen.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Proverbs 11:25

“A person of blessing will be enriched, and he who gives water also will be refreshed.” The Kingdom of Adonai is a culture of servanthood (John 12:26; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). If you aren’t serving, if you aren’t giving, then you are not participating in the Kingdom in the fullness of it. But Adonai is a GOOD GOD and does not keep us out of it. He blesses us so that we can in turn bless everyone around us. We don’t keep it to ourselves, but spread it around. Guess that? He blesses us more. Then we can bless more people. And on and on and eventually, everyone in the world will have been touched by the blessing of the Kingdom – in a physical way if that’s all they’ll accept, or in a spiritual way when they accept how much Adonai loves them. Blessing is a way that we can show the light of the Kingdom to the world. Blessing is a way we can get involved in the work that Adonai wants to do here in this Earth. Blessing is a way for us to show that Adonai is not condemning them, but trying to hug them (John 3:17-18) into His presence. Into accepting His gift of salvation. Blessing is a way for us to show His Grace and Mercy. And at the same time WE get refreshed too. Giving NEVER diminishes, but INCREASES everyone involved. 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