Fear No Fear

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

 I am able to do all things by the one who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

The best way to strengthen the human body is with resistance training. Using bands, weights, heavy labour, or strenuous activity/exercise. Forcing your body to work against its natural desire to NOT work. Whatever your normal activity levels are, you need to do MORE in order to strengthen yourself. It can be fun activities. It can be hard activities. As long as your muscles are working harder than they usually do, you will build up strength, endurance, size, and power. It is how we were designed. One of the reasons we were designed this way was so that we would understand the SPIRITUAL principle of thanksgiving. It is GRATITUDE that strengthens our soul.

“Then he said to them, “Go, eat festive food and drink sweet drinks, and send a share to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our lord. Do not be grieved because the joy of Yahweh is your refuge.”” (Nehemiah 8:10). Their country had been conquered. Many of the people had been taken into captivity. A foreign king ruled them through a governor he had set up over the people. They were concerned that the king would return and take the rest of them – or worse, kill them. What were they told? Go and not only do your regular work but take the time to have EXTRA food, have EXTRA drink, and give EXTRA charity so that everyone could CELEBRATE. Why? Because when they participate in Adonai’s feasts with holy intent, Adonai is joyful. That joy – HIS joy – would give them strength. In that strength, born from thanksgiving, they would be secure and safe – no matter WHAT it looked like naturally. Nothing has changed. We too can CHOOSE to be grateful to Adonai. We can CHOOSE to be thankful. When we are, Adonai is JOYFUL. That joy is our strength if we CHOOSE it.

Adonai does not FORCE us to emote His character. We CAN, but we won’t if we don’t ENGAGE it. Anyone can gift us a vehicle full of fuel. But if we don’t get in, turn it on, and operate it? We won’t go anywhere and might as well not have it. Anxiety isn’t an involuntary thing. It is a choice. Either we are CHOOSING Adonai’s way, or we are CHOOSING the way of the world. It’s like standing on the beach. We can choose to step into the water and be at the mercy of the waves OR we can choose to step back and not be influenced by the waves. Anxiety or depression or grief or sadness are those kinds of decisions. When they come upon us, we can CHOOSE to remain in them or CHOOSE to REPLACE them. It isn’t just deciding not to be sad or anxious. That would be ridiculous. It is REPLACING them with something ELSE. Not something ephemeral, like choosing to ‘see the silver lining’, but something SOLID and REAL and MATERIAL. We can plug ourselves into a low-voltage cord not rated to operate ourselves, or we can plug into the SOURCE of honest and proper current.

Thanksgiving is the key to engaging Adonai’s character. Ruach HaKodesh was given to us – among other things – because HE has the fruit of Adonai’s character. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires. If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). How do we follow Ruach? Follow the music (Zephaniah 3:17). Ruach HaKodesh never stops speaking to us. He ALSO never stops singing Jesus’ song over us. He joins with Jesus in singing. Full-bodied and enthusiastic singing. JOYFUL singing. And we are CALLED to participate. To join in. We are the counter-melody giving JOYFUL praise to He who sings over us. Our thanksgiving in response to His thanksgiving in the same way our love is in response to His love (1 John 4:19).

A counter-melody complements the main melody. It is subordinate, but can stand on its own. We cannot always hear what Adonai is singing. But OUR song doesn’t require that. The heavenlies can hear both and they rejoice (Hebrews 12:1). Just because we do not always hear it, doesn’t mean we should assume it isn’t working. It IS working. We can KNOW it is working because we will have the JOY of Adonai strengthening us beyond what WE could have mustered alone. We can KNOW it is working because Ruach HaKodesh is guiding and leading us. He NEVER steers us wrong (Proverbs 3:5-6). Seize the JOY that is available to you. Sing thanksgiving from a grateful heart and receive the STRENGTH that He says is yours to take. Take your sad, your mourning, your weeping, your anxiety, and replace it with a thankful heart and joyful praise. Do it with your SOUL and not with your FEELINGS. Do what you want to see, and watch it blossom from the seed of grateful praise in your heart.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Genesis 8:22

“As long as the earth endures, seed and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.” How do we know this all works? That we can have what He says we can have? Because of the processes that He put into place to show us. Seeds turn into harvests. We can see that. We can touch that. It is true with the spiritual as it is with the natural. We can’t SEE it, per se, so we need something our minds can comprehend. He gives it to us. Wherever you are when you read this, is it cold? Is it hot? If it is, then His word is still true. A seed will bring a harvest. Is it daytime? Nighttime? If it is, then His word is still true. A seed will bring a harvest. Have you had a summer? Have you had a winter? If you have, then His word is still true. A seed will bring a harvest. If you receive what He offers in the way He offers is (a seed), then you will experience what He says you will experience the way He says you will experience it (a harvest). Are there restrictions to the seed? Sometimes. We see that on seed packages every day, right? His instructions and restrictions are no different. They are NOT restrictions to KEEP something from you (the implication of the devil through the serpent in the garden – Genesis 3). They are restrictions to ensure the best growing conditions, the healthiest plants, the easiest way to care for the plants, and the most bountiful harvests from the plants. THAT is His Way. The VERY best for us. We only need to make sure we’re listening to His instructions in order to receive what He offers. Simple instructions. Simple restrictions. ALL for OUR benefit. 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