Fear No Fear

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

In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your Protector, the Lord. “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth. In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you. Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,” says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you. “O afflicted one, driven away, and unconsoled! Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and lay your foundation with lapis lazuli. I will make your pinnacles out of gems, your gates out of beryl, and your outer wall out of beautiful stones. All your children will be followers of the Lord, and your children will enjoy great prosperity. You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. You will not experience oppression; indeed, you will not be afraid. You will not be terrified, for nothing frightening will come near you. If anyone dares to challenge you, it will not be my doing! Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated. Look, I create the craftsman, who fans the coals into a fire and forges a weapon. I create the destroyer so he might devastate. No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed; you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. This is what the Lord will do for his servants—I will vindicate them,”says the Lord.
Philippians 2:13 (emphasis added)

What parent or guardian doesn’t provide for their child’s future? Sure it may not be a grandiose trust fund. Maybe it’s a twenty dollar bill in an envelope. Maybe it’s arrangements that have been made to ensure that debt doesn’t cross generational lines. Maybe it’s bequeathing a favourite plate or keepsake. There is ALWAYS something they have left for that child to make some continuance or benefit in their future. Something to give an emotion. Something to give stability. Something to stave off disaster. Whatever it is, a good parent or guardian is thinking of their child’s future.

When we were born again, we were grafted into the family of Yahweh. If you are Jewish, you are stepping into the fulfilment of the Old Covenant by stepping into the New Covenant of Messiah Jesus. If you are not Jewish, you are being grafted into the family of Yahweh, entering into the New Covenant and being able to be part of Messiah Jesus and all of the covenants from Abraham to Him. The Jews are the firstborn sons and daughters, the Gentiles are the rest of the children (Romans 1:16). “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:25-29). The Body of Christ then is made up of the firstborn and those that were born afterward. Jew and Gentile. Each of us have the same rights because we are both children. Jews have firstborn rights. Gentiles have other children rights. But our base rights are the same.

Adonai wants to bless His children. Adonai wants to keep His children safe. Adonai wants His children whole. Adonai wants His children to be obedient. Adonai wants His children to prosper in their spirits. Adonai wants His children to have abundant life. Adonai wants His children to be an example to anyone who isn’t yet one of His children. These are the things that our Gracious, Merciful, and Compassionate Father wants for all His children. Period.

Look at the language of today’s passage. None of it talks about us being sick. About us being diseased. About us failing to function. About us struggling to make ends meet. No. It talks about the prosperity of our children. About us not being afraid. Of being kept apart from frightening circumstances. Of being vindicated. Of ANY enemy coming against us not even being able to TRY the weapons that they have whetted for use against us. Of the defeat of ALL enemies who come against us. This is different from suffering for our devotion to Messiah Jesus (being persecuted in His name – Matthew 10:22). This is someone trying to one up you at work because they’re jealous of your wardrobe or who you’re dating. This is someone choosing revenge because you got an ‘A’ in the last set of exams. This is personal attacks because you’re not the ‘right race’. Or because you speak the ‘wrong language’ or have an accent. This is human versus human stuff.

This is also human versus nature stuff. Why do we have to be at the whim of nature? Why should we worry about natural disasters? Yes, sometimes it might be Adonai telling us to move before it strikes. But it can also be us simply not having to worry because it won’t touch us. In the last major flood in our region, the waters didn’t threaten the business my partner works at. The waters rose and then stopped before there was damage. At another time, all of our neighbours yards showed big water puddles days after a major rain. Ours disappeared within an hour of starting and stayed gone throughout the rain, not just the aftermath. When an unseasonal heat bloom struck, we were the only place that had no damage to our plants from the sun while taking the same measures as they did. In forest fire season the interior of our home has no smoke smell or presence. Even with the windows open. We step outside and IMMEDIATELY we smell it. I am doing NOTHING SPECIAL. We simply are always looking to Adonai as our protection and high wall (Proverbs 18:11, Psalm 46:1 & 91).

I see the visible evidence of being protected by Adonai. I see it. I can show where our dwelling is different from those around us in ways I cannot explain outside of the favour of Adonai. I see today’s passage and meditate on it and begin to realise that it extends beyond a few environmental happenings. I begin to see that it means so much more. If He can keep smoke particles outside my house and unable to pass through the mesh screens that they normally would be able to, then why can’t He do the same with germs and airborne contagions? If He can keep water from pooling where it naturally would pool, why can’t He keep harmful chemicals in my food from staying in my system? Why can’t He cause them to simply pass through? As I meditate on it, I see more and more that the answer is He can.

NO weapon means nothing that is seen by the wielder as a weapon. Not words. Not actions. Not items. Not elements. Not weather. Not social standing. Not food. Not drink. Not poisons. Not animals. Not laws. Not restrictions. Not bylaws. Not ANYTHING that someone intentionally wants to use against us. That isn’t to say I can flout the rules or ignore what I know is a rule. I can’t move into a place that doesn’t allow pets, know they allow pets, get a pet, and then expect to not be touched by negative repercussions. I cannot knowingly do wrong and expect blessing. Adonai is merciful in our ignorance, but once we know the rules we are expected to follow them – unless they violate one of Adonai’s commands.

In Daniel chapter six, enemies of Daniel – people who were jealous of him personally – tried to use the law to harm Daniel. He was protected by Adonai. That weapon that was whetted against him was unable to strike. Adonai has created the destroyer to destroy all weapons that rise against us. The us who are obedient children walking in His will. It may happen in a way that we were not expecting and would prefer not to walk through (like a fiery furnace, for example – Daniel 3). But it WILL happen. We WILL be delivered. Adonai has promised to take care of us.

With THAT level of care and protection and favour, how do we EVER convince ourselves He wants us sick? How do we EVER convince ourselves that the diseases and viruses of the world will defeat us? Or cause us life-long complications? Why should we accept that? Why would we WANT to? I know there are those who will say they aren’t choosing it. That it is normal and natural. I disagree. If we know who we are in Messiah, we know what we have been allotted. Freedom. Freedom from sickness. Freedom from disease. Freedom from chronic illness. Freedom from life-long effects. Freedom from all of it. There WAS no sickness or even DEATH until there was sin. It is a result of sin, not a natural process sin takes advantage of. Since we know that is TRUTH, then we need to act like we know. Stop being afraid or accepting these things. We have been freed from sin (Romans 6:11-14). Dead to it is how Paul puts it (Romans 8:2). Free indeed is how Jesus puts it (John 8:36).

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). We were divorced from sin. It no longer lives with us. We have no support payments or offspring. We’ve gone our separate ways. We have NOTHING to do with it anymore. So anything that has its being in sin has NOTHING to do with us anymore – unless we seek it out or accept it when it comes knocking. We do NOT have to open that door (Genesis 4:7). We can put it down, stand on its neck, and never EVER let it up (James 4:7). It is our legal right of inheritance. Never forget it. Never accept anything less. It is who you ARE in Messiah Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). You are ALIVE and WHOLE and WELL in Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-10,Romans 5:1-17).

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 112:4

“In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.” The character of Messiah would be compassionate graciousness. Grace is unmerited favour. No one deserves it, but they get it. Why does Messiah GIVE grace? It is because He loves. His compassion. He extends grace even though we have not done ANYTHING to deserve it because He loves us. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus’ response to seeing the crowds seeking Him was compassion. He desired to give them something they had not earned and did not deserve in and of themselves because He LOVED them. It is the reason why Jesus NEVER left anyone sick or debilitated. He ALWAYS healed when they sought Him. He ALWAYS made them whole when they sought Him. Jesus never, EVER said ‘no’. Jesus NEVER left someone in the state they were in because He LOVED them. He was graciously compassionate. 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