Fear No Fear

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

But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!” Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.
Acts 3:6-7 (emphasis added)

He had the Name of Jesus. The Jesus from Nazareth, not Poughkeepsie. Peter couldn’t rely on money to buy treatment. He couldn’t even afford to pay for the basic necessities of life and make the cripples life more comfortable. He had no employment for the man. Peter didn’t even have the number for welfare services. All Peter had was the Name. But that was a lot. Consequently, Peter didn’t pray about it. He didn’t run back and check in with the other Twelve. He didn’t read the scriptures. He used what he had, in the way he had been shown he could, he didn’t hesitate, and he was completely confident that it was right AND that it would work.

Peter never wondered if it was Elohim’s will. Not even when he didn’t understand (Acts 10). Peter knew that if the Father showed it to him, the Father wanted it done. John was with them and they both did the same thing. “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time for prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day so he could beg for money from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, he asked them for money. Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them” (Acts 3:1-5). They looked at the man. This was the moment of intent. This was when the Father told them (Spirit to spirit) what to do. They acted on it. Jesus did the same thing.

“The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:20-21). “Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). “Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd” (Luke 9:16). Jesus paused and looked. He isn’t shown doing it a lot, but neither are the disciples, the Twelve, the apostles, or the general church. But from time to time we are shown the pause. The LOOK. Looking at the physical, but seeing the spiritual (2 Corinthians 4:18). Listening to what Ruach HaKodesh is saying to us (1 Kings 19:12-13).

I will be honest with you. I had an acquaintance with a woman who died from cancer. She lived in another country. I prayed for her. I saw a vision where Jesus came up behind her, touched her, and she was healed. But in this life – for whatever reason – it did not happen. It wasn’t a question of not heeding my vision or anything like that. She was an acquaintance. I know she loved Jesus. I know nothing else about her, really. She passed away. Now I know it was His will for her to be totally healed. Somewhere along the way we humans missed it, but it was His will. I wondered whether I should go down to the funeral and command her to rise from the dead. I know I have the authority to do it. But I did not feel a push. Like I said, I will be honest with you. I could see it in my mind’s eye (still can), but if push came to shove I don’t know that I wouldn’t have a sudden attack of unbelief. I trust totally that He can do it through me. But I don’t know how my unbelief is on that.

That’s where the majority of the church, as we see it talked about, appears to be today. They might have TRUST (faith), but they struggle with disbelief. It’s easy to trust that Adonai will do a great work through a minister or an evangelist (preferably very well known and widely travelled). It’s harder to trust that He will do it through us. We know us. We know what we can do and how we think. To stand before a dead body, a sick body, a suffering body, an incomplete body, and SPEAK to it, commanding it to be healed and whole strictly by the Name of Jesus… That’s a lot. Yet it is at the same time a little. After all, we don’t have to do anything ourselves. We don’t have to perform. We don’t have to make it happen. We just need to speak and let Him do the heavy lifting. But… what if nothing happens? How will we look? What will people say? Will we be disappointing or hurting the trust (faith) of the one seeking healing? Will it be a big mess? An embarrassment?

You always see those videos on social media: ‘watch as Kenneth Copeland becomes a demon on stage’ and they play a video out of context where the man is full of passion and expression and yeah, he can look pretty goofy. Can’t we all? Not quite the basis of a proper character or ministry assessment, but the point is we see that stuff and when we get thinking about standing on the Name… well… what if they do that to US? What if WE start trending with a big fat Z-E-R-O for results? What if WE pull a cripple to their feet and they fall flat on their face? It’s one thing to look at that stuff online. It’s another to consider that it might be YOU under the spotlight.

Which is why we stop and LOOK. That is, we stop to see if Ruach HaKodesh is giving the go ahead. It’s one thing to step out and do what the Father is telling us to. It’s totally another to do things on our own. They might be GOOD ideas, but if they aren’t GOD ideas nothing is going to happen. We don’t worship and pray to get Adonai to do what WE want. We worship and pray to get ourselves in line with what HE wants. Jesus will NEVER steer you wrong. Ruach HaKodesh tells us EVERYTHING that Jesus said and says and reminds us of the Word. Jesus always has, currently does, and always will do what the Father shows Him and says what the Father tells Him to (Hebrews 13:8). That’s how it works. We need to submit and obey. Submit because of LOVE. Obey because of LOVE. This isn’t slavery. This is adoration.

Jesus went to the Pool of Bethzatha (John 5:1-15) which was STACKED with the infirm. He healed ONE GUY. That’s all who had the trust to believe. The Father knew it and directed Jesus. It isn’t different for us. The Father KNOWS the hearts of humanity and knows who will respond (Matthew 22:14). The Father will only get you to do that which glorifies Him (John 17:1-3). LOOK, listen to Ruach HaKodesh, and then leap where He says to. He ALWAYS empowers us to accomplish what He calls us to (Hebrews 13:21).

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 9:6

“For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The Messiah would be declared to be the Son of God – with power. If Yahweh is MIGHTY, how can His Son be anything less? The Messiah, Son of Elohim would have power at His disposal – the power of His Father. He would use it according to His Father’s will, but He WOULD have it. “This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:2-4). Jesus was a descendant of David (Matt 1:1, 9:27, 15:22, 20:30-31, 21:15,;Mark 10:47-48, 12:35; Luke 18:38-39). Jesus was declared to be the Son of God (Luke 1:35, 4:41; Mark 3:11; John 1:34; Matthew 14:33, 16:15-16). Jesus had power available to Him (Matthew 8:1-22, 8:23-27, 9:1-35, 28:18-20; Mark 5:41; John 2:1-11, 11:1-44, 18:4-9; Luke 22:50-51). 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