Fear No Fear

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

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from acting as a priest for me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

Hosea 4:6

Ignorance is the lack of knowledge, education, or awareness. It was the first temptation (Genesis 3:1). Our fear of not knowing is the foundation of science, which is the observation of the world around us and an explanation of what we see. In and of itself, seeking knowledge is not bad. But we have focused on the world around us and not the importance of the world we cannot see. We have focused on PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS, but not on Adonai. This lack of seeking Him impoverishes us, because it prevents us from walking where we are not only allowed, but encouraged to walk. It’s like forever passing around a mall, but never opening the door and going in.

“But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The devil blinds people to the truth. It is the cornerstone of his agenda to kill us (John 10:10). He wants us to focus on him and his angels as really powerful beings we should both fear and be desperate to placate or trade with for power of our own. The reality is that he has no power. He has no authority. What we carry within us is vastly superior and more powerful than they are – to the point it is NO CONTEST when we rub up against each other. But without knowledge of that, people shrink away and try not to rattle the boat. We give place to them that don’t deserve it. When we do, we’re following THEIR plan and forsaking Adonai’s plan.

If we believe conflict is part of every relationship, we’ll accept it. Why do marriages have to be hotbeds of fights and struggles? Why can’t we work together, supporting each other, without conflict even when there is a difference of opinion? Lack of knowledge. We don’t know we can live like that because we’ve accepted a viewpoint different from Adonai’s. If we believe in the ‘terrible twos’ or the ‘teenage years’ drama, we’ll accept it in our lives. But it does NOT need to be. We CAN have something else. Not through human training and endeavours, but through what the WORD says about the situations AND it’s guidance on how WE accept and react to what is happening. We can either be in the storm or secure in the boat. We can either be in panic or we can be in peace (Mark 4:38-40; Matthew 8:23-27). What we don’t know we can have, we won’t have. What we do know – but don’t know we don’t have to have – we’ll be stuck with. We are NEW creations IN JESUS (2 Corinthians 5:17). That means that we can deal with JESUS on things (1 Peter 5:7), we can have what JESUS had (John 14:12), and we can operate like JESUS does (1 John 4:17) – as long as HE is our Source, not our own thinking (Romans 12:2).

It is all about what forms our opinions, thoughts, and ideas. As children we know NOTHING. We have to learn to do EVERYTHING. Even breathing. Yes, our bodies have an auto-pilot on breathing, but we can stop it, speed it up, and do all sorts of things. We have to learn that. We do that by COPYING. Babies watch and soak up everything we do – and then imitate. You can go down a near-endless rabbit hole on social media of babies copying parents almost right from birth. This is what we are. Sadly, we were born in sin and have been taught a sinful system of thought about a fallen world filled with fallen people. Joyfully, we have been removed from that and brought into the Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Here, we are newborns. We have to develop from that point into mature disciples of Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:2). Look at Peter. No other human being both helped and hindered Jesus as much as Peter, but through Ruach HaKodesh he was transformed into a mighty man of God (Acts 2:14-41). He went from ignorance to knowledge and continued that journey throughout his life (2 Peter 3:16). We are to be the same way.

When you go on a cruise, there is a lot included in your fare. But they are specific things in specific places. There are other things available as well, but they cost you. Not knowing what is available to you (already paid for) will save you thousands of dollars over the course of a cruise. We need to KNOW what is available to us. We need to KNOW what is in the salvation package that Jesus bought and paid for. We need to KNOW what will NOT COST US to have. We need to KNOW what we do NOT need to strive for – because we already have it. We need to KNOW how to accept and engage what Adonai has given us. It saves us time, it saves us effort, it saves us anxiety and stress, it saves us from accepting and walking in pains and poverty which were NEVER the plan and are in NO WAY WHATSOEVER from Adonai. Our ignorance is keeping us bound in LESS THAN as we serve an Elohim of MORE THAN ENOUGH. Knowledge is the dividing line between those two things. Which side do YOU want to be on?

There are MANY voices in the Body of Messiah. You can hear conflicting messages. NOTHING takes the place of getting into the Word itself. Why only listen to someone else when we can get into the Word and see for ourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:21)? Ruach HaKodesh was not given to us to be a fell-good companion. He was not given only to pat us on the back and say there-there. He gives comfort and He is also here to teach. To bring to our minds everything in the Word (2 Timothy 3:16). Which means we need to get it into our minds in the first place. Reading with the intent to have Adonai revealed to us. Reading with the intent to see Jesus on each and every page. Reading with the intent to transform our thinking and our lives into His. Ruach HaKodesh WROTE the bible! He WILL have something to say to us about it. Ruach HaKodesh provides the BEST COMMENTARY on the bible EVER! We need to stop assuming we are looking for NEW revelation and start diving into understanding the revelations that have ALREADY been given. THAT is the cure for ignorance. THAT is the key to prospering in every area of our lives (spirit, soul, and body – 3 John 2).

The ONLY cure for ignorance is knowledge. Ruach HaKodesh is THE Ruach of TRUTH. We need to go to the one who created the horse’s mouth and get our information directly from Him. Yes, listen to anointed men and women of God. Yes, read books about the things of Adonai. But ALWAYS go to the Word YOURSELF to check them out and pray with Ruach HaKodesh to get more and more light on them. This is how we learn. Write it out. Read it out loud. Listen to it. Do everything you can to learn the Word. It is the path that is illuminated before us to walk on (Psalm 119:105). It will teach us all we need to know and more. Adonai doesn’t want you ignorant. Ruach HaKodesh wants more for you than you want for you. Jesus already paid for it, so it is your RIGHT to have it. Get into the Word and let knowledge – TRUE knowledge – shod your feet. As it does, get ready. You’re really going to go places in Him. Amen.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: 2 Peter 3:18

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” Knowledge of Jesus brings glory to Adonai. This is our purpose. This is the meaning of life. “Only fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all of your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24). We can’t do that fully if we don’t know the plans He has for us. He won’t give them all at once, but He will speak to us about where we are and the next step we’re to take if we care to listen. We will be able to know what we are given to do. We will be able to complete it (being guided every step – sometimes blindly trusting) by relying on Him. By doing what we are told to do. By KNOWING we can trust Him for the rest. “I have glorified you on earth by completing the work that you have given me to do” (John 17:4). Jesus did it. We can do it. All it takes is listening so we can know what we are to do and then doing it (whether we understand or not). Ruach HaKodesh is with us every step of the way to help us with it. To remind us of things we’ve been told. To teach us what we need to know. To explain the meaning behind things we need to understand. Adonai calls us to this and Adonai provides for us all we need to achieve it. 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