Fear No Fear

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

He said: “I love you, Lord, my source of strength! The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3 (emphasis added)

We lock our doors because we believe it will keep us safe. We dress warmly in winter because we believe that it will protect us from the cold. We wear sunblock in summer because we believe it will protect us from the UV rays of the sun. We wear scuba gear because we believe it will protect us from the ocean depths. We wear seatbelts and drive the speed limit because we believe it will keep us safe in an accident. If you think we do those things because we KNOW they are true, then you might not realise what ‘belief’ means. Belief is to accept something as true or feel sure of the truth of that something. If we KNOW the truth of a thing, we believe it. When we believe it, we trust it will work.

How many stories have you heard about someone’s surprise when their thing (car, toaster, oven, dryer, etc) stopped working? The less we know about how something actually works, the more we’re surprised when it stops. We did the maintenance, we followed the instructions, we practically treated it like one of the family and it BETRAYED us by stopping. I mean, it’s supposed to work, right? That was the deal wasn’t it? We do the maintenance and the thing works? THAT is how much we believe in things working. THAT is the evidence of our trust in a given brand or franchise. That’s human brands with human inventions built and maintained with human hands. We think of it as facts. The ‘fact’ is that if the parts are aligned, and the power is available, it will work. Science made these things. People who study and understand technical stuff created these things. Look at the reviews! So much of our shopping lives revolve around the basic BELIEF and TRUST we have in these things.

There is a whole group of people out there who will do things or avoid things based on the chatter of social media and internet interest groups. Surgeries avoided. Treatments declined. Travel plans scrapped or altered. Injections taken or not taken. All based on what people say. When it works out well, everyone cheers because, see? It worked or it’s true. When it doesn’t pan out, the people who have now been harmed by something or missed out on something or now have to pay more than they thought are, well, genuinely and sometimes angrily surprised. Because of the BELIEF and TRUST that they have in amateurs on the internet. And I say that fully acknowledging that the professional powers that be are NOT always telling the truth and NOT always innocent of misinformation. It turns out that NO ONE can be given blind trust. Elohim Himself instructs us to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) – but He DIDN’T mean by using yourself as a guinea pig.

What does all this have to do with today’s verse? I want you to spend some time seriously thinking about whether or not you believe or have trust in the idea that Adonai will protect you. There are dozens upon dozens of verses that talk about it. Do we believe them though? Are we convinced about the truthfulness of it? This isn’t about protection, but I read an article today about the uselessness of Ruach HaKodesh. That’s right. This person clearly felt that Ruach HaKodesh was overhyped because none of the miraculous, supernatural things in the Old Covenant were happening today. As evidence, they tried to lift their fridge with Ruach HaKodesh providing the muscle. Naturally, nothing happened, and therefore overhyped. As further evidence they talked about failing tests because they weren’t taught or given the answers. In their mind, it was a settled deal. Biblically, Ruach HaKodesh’s main relationship is glorifying Jesus (John 16:14). And Jesus always points to the Father (John 14:8-18). Anything Ruach HaKodesh does will glorify Jesus who points to the Father. Ruach HaKodesh will do NOTHING that doesn’t glorify Jesus and through Him, the Father. I don’t think the attitude by the fridge lifter aligns with that. Nothing about Adonai Elohim is a parlour trick.

When we read about the protection in the Old Covenant we see things like angels eliminating armies for us (2 Kings 19:15). We see enemy armies killing each other before getting into battle with Elohim’s people (2 Chronicles 20:20-25). We see men single handedly or in pairs defeating huge numbers of people (Judges 15:15; 2 Samuel 23:8-39; 1 Samuel 13:16-14:52). Cities defeated with shouting (Joshua 6:20). That’s not counting the sea swallowing enemies (Exodus 15:4), spiritually blinding enemies and leading them to defeat (2 Kings 6:18-23), or routing an army with torches and shouts (Judges 7). These are almost commonplace in the Old Testament. But we have stopped believing them as true stories. We often interact with them in our minds as if they are mere stories. Legends. Tales with some truth in them, but also a LOT of embellishment – sometimes deciding that they were stories lifted from other cultures and religions. If we don’t REALLY think they are real, then we will never REALLY believe the same kinds of protection are possible today. I’m not saying it WILL happen that way, because it doesn’t get recorded that way in the New Covenant, but the POSSIBILITY of SUPERNATURAL rescue hasn’t gone away. After all, the major reason you don’t see national deliverance in the New Covenant is because they weren’t operating at a national level. They were operating on an individual level. They were believing for individual miracles – and they got them.

Angels rescuing people from jail (Acts 12:3-19). Earthquakes splitting prisons open (Acts 16:25-26). Passengers – prisoners, Romans, and sailors – saved from shipwreck (Acts 27:39-4). The miraculous didn’t END, but the nature of the mission changed. Since the people were not believing and trusting for national deliverance that truly glorified Elohim, it didn’t come calling. But healings, raising from the dead, supernatural speeches, peace and love that passed understanding, and whole cities changed because of people preaching the Gospel? That happened everywhere the disciples went. These men and women believed the Word, did not doubt Elohim would show up, and trusted in Ruach HaKodesh. That was all it took. And it takes no more to do it today, because it is still HE who does the work, not us (Psalm 127:1–2). It isn’t simply believing HE can do it. It is not doubting we deserve it – we don’t outside His Grace, just like salvation. It is not doubting His Love – which we can’t do without truly understanding Jesus’ love for us. It is trusting in His Word because we know His nature and that makes Him completely trustable.

When we KNOW He will protect us and it will bring HIM glory – how can you take credit for what you KNOW He did? – there is no reason not to expect it. In our everyday lives. There is no reason not to pray Psalm 91 and expect it to be absolute truth. Speaking Jesus over our kids and proclaiming His promise no pestilence will come near us, and having no issues during the school’s lice season or flu season. Speaking Psalm 91 in full trust and not getting sick even when a pandemic is floating around. Trusting in what HE said about our protection and not being surprised at near-miss vehicle collisions that should have been collisions by all human reasoning. Being the only house on the block that doesn’t flood, doesn’t have fire issues, and always does well. It was Elohim who promised us. Why not believe Him? There is NO reason not to. No reason not to live a life of humble obedience and expect protection. To expect it so much and so hard that nothing can shake your unshakeable trust in His Word as written.

THAT is when He will be a shield to us. From sickness. From disease. From pests. From mosquitoes. From whatever it is that is your issue. He IS a shield to His praising, obedient, children. If you don’t feel you are, praise, the Word, and a choice to submit to what you find in the Word is all it takes to get us there. He is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). If we enter His Gates, we’ll find His walls protect us.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 53:12

“So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”” Messiah would intercede to Elohim in behalf of humanity (male and female). As the One who would redeem us, Messiah would be in the unique position of being able to remind Yahweh of our spiritual condition in Him – saved, cleansed, whole, and healed. “[But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes” (Luke 23:34 – there are manuscripts that lack the bracketed phrase). “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help” (Hebrews 4:14-16). “For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus is our ONLY intermediary. Jesus died to be this for us, His blood placed on the Mercy Seat (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). Jesus IS Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b