Fear No Fear

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

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

We have a call on our lives. It is the forward moving call to be like Jesus. First to be like Him here on this Earth (1 John 4:17). Second to be like Him as we are with Him in Heaven (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1). In both instances, what connects us to Him is the mystery of Ruach HaKodesh. Because Ruach HaKodesh is God and Jesus is God and the Father is God, then because Ruach HaKodesh makes us His home (Romans 8:9), we are One together through Him in Jesus (John 14:23; Romans 6:5-7; Galatians 3:28). The difference is the ability we have to be more like Him the more familiarity we have with Him.

We all have role models at various times of our lives. People we look up to and in some ways (big or small) copy. The more we know about the person, the more we can be like them. The more familiar we are with them, the easier it gets. With a celebrity, for example, we can model ourselves into a character they portray or the personage they put on in front of the camera, but we really don’t know THEM as people. If our role model is a parent we’ve lived with, a friend we roomed with, or a person we interact with in some way, the chances that we can effectively model ourselves on them is much greater. Because we know THEM, not just an image of them.

Right now in this life, we have an image of Jesus. We can move past that and get to know Him through Ruach HaKodesh and prayer. But no matter how much time we spend with Him here, we won’t be nearly as familiar as we will be in heaven when we can interact face to face. Here we know Him through His character (Ephesians 3:14-19) and conversation (Psalm 116:2). There we will know Him in person. Inhabiting the same places. Face to face. It is an intimacy that mere conversation will never bring, no matter how much we talk remotely.

No one knows Jesus better than Ruach HaKodesh. He can tell us about every conversation He’s ever had with Jesus. Everything He has ever heard Jesus say (provided we’re allowed to hear it and could understand it, of course). He can acquaint us with Jesus in a way that no one else can. And until we are with Jesus face to face in person, He is the best source of information we have outside the Word. If we take the Word and Ruach HaKodesh together, we will have the best, deepest, most intense picture of Jesus that we can have. A beautiful and significant witness to us of exactly how we are to walk, talk, think, and do. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps, who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, did not revile in return; when suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly, who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:21-25).

It was significant that Ruach HaKodesh come to us so that we could be like Jesus in the fullest sense that we can manage here on this Earth. He is our guide, our teacher, our corrector, and our interpreter of Jesus’ behaviour. He can help to keep us on a solid path. He can help keep us from going off the rails and ending up in the weeds. He is the best voice we have to listen to when we want to hear about Jesus and about how we can be most like Him. He’s the best kind of companion. And when we are IN heaven? He can introduce us. Get us right in to see the Son. Suddenly we will be able to see how it all fits together. All those hints and teachings about what Jesus was like and how He lives. It will open the door to all the deeper and perfect understandings that we’ll need to TRULY be like Him.

Ruach HaKodesh is the best of both worlds. Guide and enabler here on Earth. Companion and introducer there in Heaven. Everything we need to succeed. We have a GREAT friend in Jesus, but in Ruach HaKodesh we have the ULTIMATE instructor. Take His lessons to heart. Dig into the book He wrote. It’s all about Jesus. And boy does Ruach HaKodesh have some things to say about that! Don’t miss a moment of it. It’s how we are called to live.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: John 20:17

“Jesus said to her, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.’”” Jesus hadn’t even finished ascending yet. I mean, He came out of the grave, had to wait for the angel to roll the stone away, and had to wait for the women to come to the tomb. Then He showed Himself. Then He left, checked in with the Father, and back He came to minister to His friends. That is how eager Jesus is for our companionship. It’s kinda nuts when you think about it. But He really, really, REALLY loves us. And He is DESPERATE to see us again. He cannot WAIT for us to meet together and feast together and get on with everything Adonai has planned for us. To get back to the original plan and see how far we’re going to take it together. There is such an enthusiasm to Jesus when it comes to us. He is NOT staid and proper and formal. He’s a screaming when He sees us, charge across the airport, and leap at us kind of guy. He loves us too much to wait. He loves us too much not to wait – so as to get as many of us as are willing to come. He just LOVES us. It’s hard not to get caught up in His enthusiasm. He’s an EAGER bridegroom for sure! 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