Fear No Fear

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

Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”
Luke 4:16-21 (emphasis added)

Jesus came under Grace to heal and to decree the arrival of peace for and freedom to those captive in sin and deception. Jesus came to release those blind in their darkness. A season of Grace, favour, good pleasure, and acceptance of Adonai’s Mercy. It was the JUBILEE: a time of holiness, a time of return to original states, a time of abundance, a time of prosperity and Blessing, a time of debt erasure, a time of freedom for slaves, and a time of helping those who do not yet have the fullness of these times so that ALL may share (Leviticus 25). It is a time of servanthood one to another (Matthew 20:26-28). “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16).

“So when Jesus had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, for that is what I am. f I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example—you should do just as I have done for you. I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:12-17). Jesus is clearly talking about servanthood. Jesus is also outlining a clear principle we see throughout the New Covenant. Jesus did it. We should do it. Jesus loved others and so should we (John 13:34). Jesus did nothing the Father didn’t show Him to do and we should do nothing the Father doesn’t show us to do (John 5:19). Jesus obeyed the Word and so should we (John 14:31). Jesus did the Will of the Father and so should we (John 5:30). Jesus always operated in faith and so should we (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 2:20). In fact, everything that isn’t done from a trusting in Adonai standpoint (done in faith), is sin since it is automatically NOT trusting in Adonai (Romans 14:23). There is no neutral in the engine of the Kingdom of Elohim.

Since all this is true, we can see ANOTHER thing that is ALSO true. Jesus HEALED ALL WHO EVER CAME TO HIM IN COMPLETENESS (Matthew 15:29-31; Matthew 8:14-16; Luke 4:38-41; Mark 1:29–34). That was how He ministered. “Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness among the people. So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them” (Matthew 4:23-24). That is how Jesus told US to minister. “So the 11 disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20). We see it in action throughout the Book of Acts in the ministry of the Apostles, the Twelve, disciples and followers of Jesus, and the early church members. There is no where, not ONE verse, in all of scripture that tells us that the ministry stopped, was about to stop, should stop, or ever stop. It was the way Jesus ministered, the way the early church ministered, and the way WE should ALL minister today.

Why aren’t we? We CAN. We know Adonai WANTS to move. We know Adonai CAN move. What stops us from walking in the things the early church did? It isn’t lack of the Word. They only had the Old Covenant for years upon years upon years. That’s what they were using when they talked about the scriptures. They were talking the Old Testament. Then they got some letters that got passed around somewhat sporadically. Eventually, we got assembled what we call the New Covenant. We have more of the Word of Yahweh than Jesus, the Twelve, the apostles, the early church, and the first few centuries of believers. Yet we are NOT seeing what they saw. What changed? Mostly, our belief in ourselves. Yup. We started thinking that WE needed to do more. WE needed to behave better. WE needed to be ‘worthy’ of the movements of Adonai. It’s a demonic doctrine.

We are NEVER worthy of ANYTHING that Adonai does for us. We’re not righteous outside of Jesus (John 15:5). We HAVE to have Jesus or we are not worthy of ANYTHING. It is JESUS and what JESUS accomplished that makes us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is Adonai who makes us worthy in Jesus’ Name. “And in this regard we pray for you always, that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). It is ALWAYS Jesus that does it. With Him, everything. Without Him, nothing of true value. Period. He told us that Himself. “Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). “You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me” (John 15:3-4).

If we can get inside of us the message of John 15, we could walk in all the things Jesus did. It would not be an issue. We would know who we are in Him. We’d know the Father’s love for us. We’d seek His will. We wouldn’t go do anything He didn’t tell us to. We’d rely on Him, trusting that He HAS us. We would submit to Him, not with a big production but humbly because we recognise who Adonai really is and what we are in comparison to Him. Not grovelling about being so low or so sorry. No. We’re dirt, but we are HIS dirt. We HAVE a place that HE put us in and we can glory that He is above us. Rightfully and completely. The Word would sanctify us, transform our thinking, and align us with His Will. We would walk in ALL of that. THAT is the normal thing to do as a disciple of Jesus.

We don’t do it, or don’t always do it, because we lose sight of John 15. We lose sight of how the Father sees us. We lose sight of Jesus’ love for us. It can be overall. It could be in a particular area of our lives. The walk of a believer is the process of letting Adonai push forward into our thinking headlights the thing He wants us to let Him take care of right now. It changes from big things to small things. Things that affect others and things that seem to only affect us. From word choice, entertainment choice, actions, ideals, thoughts, interests, hobbies, friends, relationships, employment, food choices, shopping habits, and everything else I forgot. It can – and will be – anything and everything. Spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. Adonai will change EVERYTHING if you’ll let Him. He’ll carve out the bad and renew you into the BEST that He has to offer. That is the power that He has put into His Vine.

““I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples” (John 15:5-8). This is how the Twelve operated, the church, the apostles, and everyone who got even the smallest honourable mention in the Word and hundreds of thousands more besides. When we are connected to Jesus – consciously and on purpose – we honour the Father by that simple humble submission to what Jesus said. When we honour the Father we WILL bear much fruit. The New Covenant isn’t a bunch of do’s and don’ts. It is a bunch of promised about what WILL be if you let HIM be your source in all things. It is husbands love your wives as a commandment. It’s husbands, guess what? You’re going to love your wives like Jesus loves the church, Amen! We don’t have to rely on US anymore. We can be what HE has enabled us to be.

We can be kind. We can be patient. We can be faithful. We can be victorious. We can be at peace. We can be joyful. By CHOICE. Turn it on just like a faucet. Turn it on like taking the lid off an artesian well shooting up into the sky, flowing right out of our heart straight from the throne of Yahweh through Messiah Jesus (Revelation 22:1; John 7:37-39). We abide in Jesus by being obedient to Jesus. In everything. Yes, we’ll miss it. But we can repent. We can turn ourself around and start going His way. He’ll forgive us when we are honest and humbly submissive to Him (1 John 1:9-10). This is what we CAN do. Jesus SAID SO. And Jesus never, ever, EVER lies (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8). We have access to Jesus’ MIND (1 Corinthians 2:16). We will be given wisdom if we ASK for it (James 1:5). This is the life of a follower of Jesus. This is what it can be like. Exactly like it was with Jesus. People might not treat us too well when we start talking about Him (Matthew 10:25; John 15:21). But our suffering is momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17; Psalm 30:5), and our VICTORY IN JESUS is eternal (1 Corinthians 15:57). Amen.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 9:1-2

“The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. In earlier times he humiliated the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali; but now he brings honor to the way of the sea, the region beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the nations. The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.” The Messiah would begin His ministry in Galilee. The Pharisees did not subscribe to this in the long term. “They replied, “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee!”” (John 7:52). Even though Jonah was from Galilee (2 Kings 14:23-27). Even though Isaiah clearly states Messiah would begin in Galilee. Religious tradition and thinking can easily blind us to what the Word actually clearly states. “Now when Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, he went into Galilee. While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth to make his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”” (Matthew 4:12-17). Jesus began in Galilee because it had been stated in scripture that He would. Jesus fulfilled the prophesy. 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