Fear No Fear

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

and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.
Philippians 1:14 (emphasis added)

What bonds would make other people more bold to speak of Christ? Paul’s bonds were because he was proclaiming the Good News. The Good News was spreading to new and wide places because of Paul being in prison. In all things it was never about being confident in their own abilities, but in the ability of the Lord to use their situations — no matter what they were — to spread the gospel. These are the bonds that make for bold speaking. This is a hallmark of the early church, and something that we have lost as a whole in the church today.

If they take away free speech, we will find ourselves censured. It could be in minor ways and it could be in major ways. Unless the church gets into the Word and builds up their faith in the ability of the Lord to protect them, they are going to cower when it happens. Worse, they will shut their mouths. Not all of them, but some of them. ‘Oh no,’ they’ll say. ‘What if they come for me? I’d better stop talking about church to people.’ Maybe instead of being like Jesus, we’ll not open our mouths. We won’t share faith. We’ll be quiet. Turtle up in our shells and hope it all passes over. Fear is a faith killer. It is the opposite of faith and the two cannot operate in the same place. Fear is faith in the devil to hurt you. Faith is trust in the Lord to save you. One is motivated by self. One is motivated by love of others. Simple as that. Which are we called to be? “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 12:11). We’re called to love.

Love isn’t always easy. What did Paul feel? He said he loved and his actions show love. But what did he feel about the situations where that love seemed to put him? For example, here in today’s verse he was in prison for his faith. Once his case was heard, it could mean death if it went against him. Look what he said in verses 19 through 24: “For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.”

If he was to be killed for his faith, it would be the greatest day of his life. Off to heaven. Into the arms of Jesus. Unleashed from this flesh we’re all stuck in and free to continue the life that began when he got saved. Into the work of the Kingdom in a place of perfected spirit in the presence of the Lord God Almighty! Who WOULDN’T want to go? Leaping even at the chance? Well, Paul was thinking of that. Eager for it. But he was also thinking of his fellow believers. Of the reborn he was teaching via letter and in person. Of the lost who had yet to hear the Good News of Jesus. Those who had already died in Christ and those who were waiting to die. He was thinking of getting more into the Kingdom, raising up strong brothers and sisters in the Lord, to both spread the work and help bring more and more into God’s Grace. Who WOULDN’T want to stay? To jump at the chance to participate in the work of the Kingdom? Blessed if he goes, and blessed if he stays. It was a dilemma. One with no losing sides.

And it was contagious. The other brothers and sisters who were watching him took courage from his situation. Others were jealous. Jealous! Of prison! It was because it was counted as a reward to be able to suffer in Christ. To share in the laying down of their lives for Christ. Today we get embarrassed if someone hears us singing praises at a traffic light. These people were fighting for the chance to get eaten by lions. Well, not the eaten part. But to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus and the Good News? To be such a threat to the kingdom of darkness that they want to eliminate you? They were happy to be a thorn in the devil’s flesh. We’ve lost that attitude in the church for the most part. We’ve come to coast. Get saved and then wait for the party to start in heaven. More than that, we have put the focus on going to hell for sin if you’re not a believer. While that is a fact, that shouldn’t be our focus. We should have a focus on choosing life. If you think I’m wrong, watch television for four hours.

Why four? Because in that time you will get a healthy dose of commercials. Advertisers know where it is at. They know how the human mind works. They’ve put a lot of research into it. What do they know? Among other things they know our brains are reward minded. That we will choose the things that reward us more than the sensible things that are wise. Vacation on credit over prudent saving up. Weekends out having fun over staying in and lowering costs. We like things and stuff and things. So why would we as a church promote a message whose focus is ‘you gonna die’. Instead of a message whose focus — as shown by the Word and taught by Jesus — is ‘you can choose to live’. The point of salvation isn’t keeping us from hell. The point of salvation is joining God. Kept from hell is a by-product. A logical result. Jesus came to restore relationship not prevent punishment. Granting the right to choose eternal life. Eternal life now, not down the road when the flesh falls off.

Eternal life starts when you get saved. The work of the Kingdom starts at birth. Responsibility begins at conception — spiritually, not just physically. You are a new creature. Born again into Jesus. Saved. Free. Share the freedom. Don’t let them shut you down or shut you up. Take boldness if you hear of other people suffering for Jesus. Get even bolder if you’re being persecuted. Is it fun? No. Is it enjoyable? Of course not. But we can take joy in being considered worthy to suffer. Jesus said to us “But they will do all these things to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me” (John 15:21). If we are being attacked because we are talking, walking, and sharing Jesus? We’re doing something right. That’s great because we will have reward because of that (Matthew 5:11).

This doesn’t include us being attacked because we’re jerks. Because we’re condemning all those around us. Because we’re pushing an ideology or political position. This is about out lives being informed by Love, built in Love, and being about Love. Not love as we see it. Love as Jesus proclaimed it. This is about us following Jesus, sharing Jesus, and proclaiming the Good News that there is peace on earth between God and humanity. Curse lifted. All the uh-oh of Genesis 3:14-19 washed away as if it never was. All of the richness of Genesis 1:26-31 restored. And the ability, honour, and gift by Grace through Faith to walk in Revelation 21-22.

The good God in heaven has us. He can protect us. He can walk us through trouble. He can enable us to triumph within it — whether that means being released from suffering or released from life. But we have the promise that He will be there. That we will be protected from all things, though we may suffer for Jesus. That if we choose restoration with God, restoration we will get. Be bold. Walk forward proudly. We are ambassadors of the best news the planet has ever known. People need to hear it.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: John 14:15-17, 21

We are separate from the world. We have the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, inside us. Dwelling with us always. There as our Counsellor. I think of that as a comforter. But a counsellor is more than that. They are senior officers in the diplomatic service. They’re people trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems. A therapist can only deal with the mind. Our heart has about 40,000 neurons that are like brain neurons. The heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. The neurons of the heart store information just like the brain — information about what we are experiencing. Therapy deals with our pain, trauma, and issues on a mental level. But there is another layer in our heart — which is why things are so hard to deal with for us. We can’t touch the heart with our minds. It takes the Lord to do that. Holy Spirit as our counsellor. Our therapist. Our healer. Able to deal with us neurologically, biochemically, biophysically, and energetically. But counsellors are more than that.

They’re also a type of lawyer. Holy Spirit is equipped to help us navigate spiritual legalities — and don’t think they’re not there. The devil is a rule jockey. Worse than the nitpickiest nitpicker. You can say you don’t believe that or that you think spirituality has nothing to do with legality, but it won’t change it. God doesn’t alter the way things are based on our thinking or understanding. We need a lawyer to interpret rules, advise on behaviour and wording, and otherwise navigate the foreign country of the spirit that we were kicked out of when we rebelled (fell) and are just now (being saved through Jesus) entering again.

In addition to all that, the Greek for counsellor also means a helper, intercessor, advocate, and comforter. But the Holy Spirit is more than a ‘there, there’ spirit. The Holy Spirit is armed and dangerous. A vital companion. Who won’t ever leave. Isn’t that love in action? Man, but the Lord loves you doesn’t he?

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.