Fear No Fear

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

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.“

James 2:23

There are people who are afraid of their spouses. They never know whether they’re going to get reasonable interactions or a flying off of the handle. They don’t know if they’ll get yelled at or hit. They get taught ‘lessons’ or they ‘force’ their spouse to abuse them. They’re not happy. They feel trapped. Their lives are LESS THAN. Sadly, this is the same attitude that MANY people have about Adonai. You never know what He is going to do. He could smite you at any time. He’s teaching you a ‘lesson’ through pain and suffering. Maybe you’ll get a copacetic God and maybe you’ll get a plague (Exodus 7:14-11:10). This is NOT the character of Adonai and it is NOT the character of a loving spouse. This is NOT how we should view Adonai. It is a satanic view.

The devil claims Adonai is trying to keep knowledge from us. That He is trying to keep us down. The devil claims that Adonai is a poor provider and you have to do what you can with what you have to get what you need to survive. The devil claims that Adonai is all talk and it’s really all symbolism and pretty pictures instead of truthful promises. The devil claims that his way is the only way of reaching the top of the pile. The devil claims that the ONLY reason that people worship Adonai is because we’re afraid He’ll smite us OR we’re scared to lose His protection. There are all the DIRECT claims the devil has made and they are all DIRECT attacks on Adonai’s character. All the rest of the devil’s attacks and philosophies come from the same kind of place: Adonai isn’t who you think He is (or just out of pure hatred because Adonai loves us). The world has picked up this thinking and created HUNDREDS of deities and religions to mould for themselves gods who do what they believe Adonai can’t or won’t. Sadly, many believers also align with these doubts about Adonai’s character.

We should REVERE Adonai not FEAR Adonai. Adonai isn’t trying to keep knowledge from us, Adonai is making sure that we can HANDLE the knowledge. “The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh, and knowledge of the Holy One, insight” (Proverbs 9:10). Regardless of our PERCEPTION of the difficulties and scarcities involved, Adonai is ALWAYS prepared to meet our needs. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?,’  for the pagans seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33). Adonai provides real protection to those who need it. “And they stood up and forced him out of the town and brought him up to the edge of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went on his way” (Luke 4:29-30). “So when he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:6). Adonai wants to see us prosper (spiritually first so that we can handle it and then in every area of our lives; spirit, soul, and body – 3 John 2). “And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in that same year a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him” (Genesis 26:12). Adonai receives TRUE worship because when you see Adonai properly, for who He is, a human being will ALWAYS react with worship. “Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). “Then Job answered Yahweh and said, “I know that you can do all things, and any scheme from you will not be thwarted. ‘Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I uttered, but I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, but I did not know. ‘Hear and I will speak; I will question you, then inform me.’ By the ear’s hearing I heard of you, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:1-6). Nothing that the devil has EVER said about Adonai has EVER been actual TRUTH. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Whenever we come across anything that makes it seem one of the devil’s opinions or points is accurate, we have a lack of understanding of Adonai’s character in that area. It’s kind of like when we come across something in science or a complex math problem that doesn’t seem to make sense. We doubt it. We think it’s wrong. But once we understand how it works, the underpinning of how it came to be, then the lights come on and we see it. We get it. We agree. When we have a wrong attitude about Adonai, when we are saying the wrong things or speak a correct principle that we are applying the wrong way (which was exactly what was happening in the ENTIRE discussion between Job and his three good friends – until the fourth friend Elihu starts speaking), THAT is when we start to have issues with Adonai. THAT is when we start to doubt OR start to fear Him. It is truly sad when this happens. We end up using the Word to keep ourselves in bondage to an idea that humans or the devil came up with. We end up holding to an imputation of His character. And then we wonder why the Word doesn’t seem to be ‘working’. It’s like using a gun to stir soup and wondering why the target out back isn’t being pierced with bullets.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, friendship is ‘a state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people.’ That is what Adonai has sought with and from humanity from before the beginning of beginnings. TRUST. He created us. He revealed His character to us. He BLESSED us as soon as we COULD be blessed. He is merciful and gracious and loving and kind and patient and instructing and comforting and correcting and teaching and faithful and patient (He has a LOT of patience) and good and gentle and SO MUCH MORE. We NEED to trust that. We NEED to trust in Him. He is NOT out to get US. He is out to get SIN. Think of it like mud. If you hated mud and were going to eliminate for all of time all the mud that existed by killing it with fire, then anyone with mud on them would be at risk. If you then set up a shower station that cost money but only took YOUR money and you offered to pay for everyone with mud to be washed clean – and therefore no longer at risk from killing it with fire – then you would be a good person, right? You aren’t seeking to kill PEOPLE and you’re making a way for them to be completely safe from killing. That isn’t someone who hates PEOPLE. That’s someone who hates MUD. That is how Adonai is with Sin. He HATES it. He is going to kill it with fire. He’s put it off for a LONG time because He wants to give EVERYONE a chance to know about the way to remove Sin and accept that Way (2 Peter 3:9). It is not US under the chopping block, but Sin. But since Sin was VOLUNTARY (Genesis 3:6) the removal of Sin is VOLUNTARY. Adonai isn’t the bad guy. Adonai is the SAVING guy.

How do we get a clear picture of Adonai’s character and get away from the fearfulness? How do we suss out the lies and start educating ourselves about the truth of Him and His actions, thoughts, and words? Ruach HaKodesh. He is THE Ruach of Truth (John 16:13). He TEACHES us. He GUIDES us. He CORRECTS us. But we need to LISTEN to Him. We need to LISTEN to Him as we READ the Word, HEAR the Word, STUDY the Word, and THINK ABOUT the Word (digesting what we’ve heard). We need a certain amount of freedom from distraction to do that, which is why Adonai asks us to put Him first and decrease our habit of mindlessly doing things to fill time and space (He isn’t anti-entertainment, He is pro-freedom in Jesus). This is a MAJOR reason Ruach HaKodesh was given to us. To let us know about the FAITHFULNESS of Adonai’s character and the TRUTH of Adonai’s character. If we have a false idea of Adonai, we will not love Him. If we love Him, we begin to enter into the fullness of what is possible in Him because He IS love. We need to listen to Ruach HaKodesh. We need to learn from Ruach HaKodesh. We need to KNOW Adonai. He’s a FRIEND, not a foe.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: John 15:15

“No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you.” Jesus is the ultimate friend. He is trustworthy, has enduring affection for us, seeks intimacy, and constantly seeks to get us to see ourselves with the esteem HE sees us with. In addition to all of that, He makes the Way for us to be friends with Adonai. Through Jesus we gain Ruach HaKodesh as a permanent companion. Through Jesus we gain access to stand before the Throne and fellowship with the Father. Through Jesus we are renewed, transformed, and made into something that has never been before (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus isn’t all talk. Jesus all ACTION. And in HIM it is all COMPLETED ACTION. He has accomplished everything that He said He would accomplish. And He is standing there offering it to us. He is offering us the best of the best of the best. He is offering us a return to proper and true relationship with our Creator. He is offering us abundant life full of meaning, peace, security, and every blessing that exists in Heaven (Ephesians 1:3). The only thing WE need to do is humbly submit to Him as our Lord and King and then take it from His open hand. How simple. How wonderful. What a great friend! 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