Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

What was sown amongst the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22 (emphasis added)

This is a warning verse. A warning of that which robs peace. A warning of that which promotes fear. A warning of how not to do things – which some of the lessons He gave were. How can a bible believing, Jesus loving, Holy Spirit indwelt person become unfruitful? By becoming blind. There are those that are totally blind, but I don’t have them in mind. I’m talking about those who are partially blind. Those who have accepted SOME of what Jesus said. Those who think there is a point at which it all STOPS. Many people in the church today are embracing stay-here-ism. A ‘far enough’ view of the Word. A certain amount of freedom, then nothing more. Not from ignorance, but from blindness. Embracing the idea that some things are for later/heaven and not now. Those who wear spiritual blinders.

Jesus spoke about why He became flesh in Luke 4:17-19. The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.“

It was a quote from Isaiah 61:1-2, but the section in Isaiah continues through verse 3. “The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound (some manuscripts add recovery of sight to the blind because the Hebrew words here imply it), to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.”

So… He doesn’t want us to have to mourn, but to be joyful. He doesn’t want us to endure under a spirit of heaviness (depression/anxiety), but to praise. To be comforted. Provided for. Free from broken hearts. Free from captivity. Seeing, not bound in blindness. It doesn’t say being depressed is a sin. Or being blind. Or being captive. Or mourning. It says He wants to meet our needs, provide for us, and lift us up out of those things. Two of the main tools He mentions are joy and peace. On our own we don’t often get to be that way. But in Jesus? We can be joyful as often as we like and as full of praise as we are willing to be.

Oh, no you can’t. That’s a misinterpretation, they’ll say. Well, what about Romans 14:17? “for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Righteousness, peace, and joy are the Kingdom of God. We only get Righteousness by abiding in Jesus and Jesus abiding in us (2 Corinthians 5:21). We have joy and peace available to us too. God’s peace comes through our abiding and being obedient to the Father by being obedient to Jesus. “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:2). “For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel” (Galatians 6:15-16). “Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24).

This doesn’t sound like misinterpretation. This sounds like a law of the Kingdom of God that we see throughout the Word again and again and again. “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength”” (Nehemiah 8:10). If we are relying on the Lord for our strength, we have access to His joy. It’s as simple as that. If we take joy in Him, He takes joy in us. It’s a blessing. It’s why we were told to have a Sabbath and keep it holy. We need a day (at least) a week to rest in Him. To stay our minds on the Word, on the person of Jesus, on the will of the Father, on all the positive things of the Lord. It brings us rest. It restores us (Psalm 23:2-3).

How did we get so blind to these truths? When Jesus was asleep in the boat (Matthew 8:23-27), his disciples were experiencing the storm. They were panicked and upset. They thought He didn’t care. They thought they were abandoned. But He WAS there. The lesson I have heard taught is that there will be times I think He is silent or ignoring me, but I can take solace that He IS there. He will still be able to help me. But if you read it throughout the gospels it appears in, you can see that the disciples had been given a command to cross the lake. They had already seen Jesus’ authority and He had told them what to do. They didn’t do it. They weren’t experiencing a time of growth. They weren’t learning that sometimes you feel lost but He is there. No. They were learning they should be walking in the authority they had been given. How do we know without corroboration? Do you find any instance in the book of Acts where they act like this? No. Why? Because once they were indwelling Jesus and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they had NO ISSUE walking in their authority. They learned. Why are we so often blind to the lesson?

Why are we willing to accept so much, but not more? The Kingdom of Heaven is NOW. Yes, there will be more when we get there. But we can have here on this earth every single thing that the Lord Jesus walked in when HE was here as a man. We can do the same things, say the same things, perform the same things. Walking on water, raising the dead, healing disease and sickness, always victorious, and no defeat. This is our legal right of inheritance from the Lord (Isaiah 54:16-17). BUT when we look at the Word and examples that have been given we have to look at what the cost was of the walk. Jesus NEVER spoke anything but the words the Father gave Him to say from the moment He was baptised onward. Jesus NEVER did anything that the Father didn’t show Him to do. Jesus NEVER disobeyed, waited, paused, held off, or did any of it when He felt it would be best. He was totally humble and broken before the Father God Almighty. Are you willing to do the same? If you are, you can do what Jesus did — but only abiding in Him.

We have the faith of God (Mark 11:22). We have been given Grace by the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:10). We are the Righteousness of God (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). We only have it in Jesus. In Jesus, by Jesus, through Jesus, and for Jesus. If we stay connected to Him, abiding IN Him, then God is with us and we can do ANYTHING that the Father wants us to. What He says, when He says, how He says, where He says. Letting Him do what He wants. That’s the calling. That’s the method. That’s how it works and the ONLY way it works. “Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).

Why do we want to wear blinders? Why do we want to limit ourselves from walking anywhere the Father tells us we can, hand in hand with Jesus who ALWAYS walks where the Father tells Him too. How can we? We need to think like Jesus. It’s possible. Don’t let your mind, your church, your family, your friends, or your enemies tell you it isn’t. Side with the WORD.

“But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory, which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him” (Isaiah 64:4). But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except God’s Spirit. But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were given freely to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him; and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is to be judged by no one. “For who has known the mind of the Lord that He should instruct him? (Isaiah 40:13)” But we have Christ’s mind” (1 Corinthians 2:7-16).

If this is in the Word and we know that our minds can be renewed to God’s thinking (Romans 12:2), that the Word strengthens our faith (Romans 10:17), and that our faith is God’s faith given to us (2 Peter 1:1, Acts 3:16), then why aren’t we availing ourselves of what He has given us that is ours already? He prepared it before He created anything (Ephesians 1:4). We have been blessed with it and IN JESUS we are able to take it up. One of my kids came up to me today and told me that they saw something on my desk. It was their little bouncy ball. They asked me for it. I told them (honestly) that I had not taken it. That it was theirs, not mine. They thought for a bit, smiled, and took it. Why aren’t we as the church (or individuals) doing the same? Seriously?!? God says it is ours. God says the Word went forth for us at the cross. God says that in Jesus, we can pick it up and have it. Why aren’t we? Both picking it up personally and teaching it corporately?

This isn’t ‘word of faith’, it is the Word of God (Proverbs 30:5, John 17:17). This isn’t ‘the prosperity gospel’, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Anointed One of God (Romans 1:16). God’s Word is true: Psalm 119:160, 2 Samuel 7:28, 2 Corinthians 6:7, John 18:37, John 5:32, Galatians 2:5, Ephesians 1:13, Colossians 1:5, 2 Timothy 3:16 and on and on and on. It is true, and if you believe it enough that you are accepting the salvation of Jesus offered through the cross then why don’t you believe it enough that you are accepting the abundant life of blessing in Jesus offered through the resurrection of the Son to Life? He IS the Living One (Revelation 1:17-18).

Remember, we aren’t naming and claiming willy-nilly (James 4:3-6). We’re not being selfish. We’re not being greedy. We are to look at the Word and ask for what the Father wants to give, for the Word is His Will. Why fear being selfish? Base your prayers on the Word and ask knowing that you will get it (1 John 5:14-15). This is basic prayer and faith 101. After you pray, thank Him. I heard a great quote spoken during a speech a fellow christian (not a minister) gave: ‘Say thank you in advance for what’s already yours. True desire in the heart for anything good (that itch that you have, whatever it is you want to do, that thing that you want to do to help others and to grow {and to make money}) is God’s proof to you – sent beforehand – to indicate that it’s yours already.’

Why are we choosing to be blind? Why are we choosing to have less than we can have? Why are we letting what the world says and religion says blind us to what we can have? Why are we letting this deceit choke us? Jesus said “For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones” (Matthew 24:24). IF POSSIBLE, which can be said to mean that it is NOT possible. How can I think that? Because of John 10:27-28. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Also 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. We hear and know Jesus’ voice when we are connected to Him (our vine, John 15). We are to test everything we hear – no matter the source – to determine that it is from the Lord. If we are doing that, actively working with the Holy Spirit who is our guide, corrector, teacher, and comfort (John 14:26, Luke 12:12, 1 John 2:27); then it will NOT be possible to be deceived — for long, if at all.

Don’t let deception and the world around you rob you of the simple truths of what the Word says the Lord has for you. Righteousness, joy, and peace in Jesus. We can CHOOSE to be joyful, walking in something much richer and fulfilling than happiness (which is a feeling and fleeting). We can CHOOSE to accept His peace, walking unconcerned to matter what is occurring in our society or the systems of the world. We can walk in Righteousness (in Jesus) and CHOOSE not to let temptation get us to open the door to sin. And if we do, we can CHOOSE to repent, deal with the consequences, turn around, and flee from sin – all as the Spirit leads us. Goodbye anxiousness, worry, depression, dependence on a medical system that treats instead of heals, dependence on government or corporations that have profits in mind, and goodbye to all the negatives. We can walk in victory, because we are abiding in Jesus and He ALWAYS walked in victory. We are to be like Him. Start today. Take off the blinders. Believe the Word.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: James 1:2-4

In case this isn’t clear, in nine verses James stresses the point: “Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death. Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers” (James 1:13-16). Don’t be deceived. Don’t let yourself wear religious blinders. Sin is on the outside seeking to get in. The enemy tempts us, not God. Nothing is a test used by God to teach us something. Yes, God can teach us things in all circumstances, but as with the disciples, Jesus prefers to teach us when we are obedient, patient, faithful, consistent, eagerly listening, and actively closing our mouths to receive. Doesn’t always work that way because we let ourselves get in the way, but that is how God operates. Showing us what He wants, not lowering His standards even a smidgen, but meeting us where we are so He can bring us to where we need to be, if we’ll be broken and humble and let Him. The world throws a lot our way. We don’t need to let it choke us. We can let it hit like water off a duck’s back. What protects a duck? The oils in its feathers. What protects us? The Anointing of Yahweh God Almighty – carrier oil for the Blood of the Lamb. Birds need to pull the oil out from their glands and spread it across the feathers. We need to pull the Word out and spread it into our minds and get it into our hearts. To walk the path it illuminates as the Spirit directs us. Yoked to Jesus, letting Him do the heavy lifting, but yoked and walking in humble obedience. Don’t be deceived. Be perfected in the endurance produced by a walk of faith, cantered on Jesus and founded on the Word. It will take you through all trials, all tests, and all other attempts of the enemy to knock you down. You are an OVERCOMER because you are in JESUS and HE has total victory over the world, death, and hell. Fear not, HE IS LORD.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.