Fear No Fear

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

See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
Matthew 6:26 (emphasis added)

What does it take to get this into us (myself included)? Our worth. Why do we always devalue ourselves? Do a search about self-worth and you will find HUNDREDS of pages of the Internet dedicated to the idea of self-worth. Why it is important, how you can improve it, ways to track it, measure it, and all the many, many, many ways to avoid injuring it. It is really two concepts woven into one. Self-worth is more about your emotions. It is the concept that you have a sense of your own value and worth as a person, a human existing on this planet teeming with humans. Self-value is more about your behaviour. It is the concept that your actions toward what you value are important. Your self-value (investing time and energy into self-care) is determined by your self-worth (recognising your value). They are two sides of the same coin. And both are hugely important. Remember: this is the WORLD that is spouting this. Even the WORLD recognises the importance of self-worth.

What’s the difference between worldly self-worth/value and biblical? They are both unselfish if done right. They both take care of this mind and body that you have. Well, the difference is influence. The world says that you should believe in your value – feel good about yourself – with no influence from another person or external source. The Word, however, tells and shows us that when we get a sense of our value from the Lord, it fundamentally changes who we are and lifts us up from the morass of negativity that the world seeps itself in. If we see our value from the Lord’s point of view, then we will AUTOMATICALLY feel good about ourselves and place in ourselves true value. We won’t be depressed. We won’t be anxious. We won’t fear. We’ll walk tall and smile because we KNOW what we are worth. We won’t be against others, demean them, or treat them badly because we’ll know what THEY are worth. In short, it will foster loving ourselves and loving others as the Lord intended.

But you need SELF worth and SELF value, you say. Doesn’t that contradict finding our value from God? No. No, it does not. That is because we are to be in Jesus and Jesus is to be in us. In essence, when Jesus took our sin onto Himself (1 Peter 2:24), he enabled us to change things over. To die to our sin (through Communion/the Lord’s Supper and the symbol of baptism – Romans 6:5-8, 1 Corinthians 11:17) and be resurrected into Him (Romans 7:4). To become new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). What does that mean for us? Simply this: “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20). “And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:6-7).

God doesn’t see us as humans. The Father sees us as sons and daughters in Christ. The Son sees us as co-heirs, fellow siblings, and His Bride. The Holy Spirit sees us as worthy vessels to inhabit. None of this is stuff that we deserve. This is ALL by Grace and Mercy. We should all be thankful for it all the time. But if we learn to see ourselves how God sees us, how different our self-value would be. We were chosen before the creation was created (Ephesians 1:4-5). We are joined to Him in ways hard to understand without His help and we CANNOT be parted from Him or His love for us (Romans 8:38-39). We were formed and knit together ON PURPOSE, WITH INTENT, by a God who CANNOT make a mistake (Psalm 139:13-16) – and that is more than physically, but also mentally and spiritually. We are not a bunch of cells and animals plodding around this ball of matter. We are a chosen race. A royal priesthood. A holy nation of two halves joined by Yahweh Himself. We are a people to belong to Him, to be precious possessions, beloved children, blessed and obedient servants (1 Peter 2:9). This is why Jesus didn’t come to condemn (John 3:16-18) and why those who abide in Him have NO CONDEMNATION on them, in them, or directed toward them from Yahweh God Most High (Romans 8:1).
The Word is not shy in pointing out how we should feel about ourselves – those selves who are pointed to God and centred in Jesus.

We are temples of the Lord and have His Spirit. “Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glory God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We should be full of confidence since we have permission to walk in and stand before the throne of the Father Himself (Hebrews 4:16). We have power, and love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). We are made by the Lord God Himself. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

The Lord is our companion. “Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). He listens to us and helps us. “Blessed be Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my petitions. Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him” (Psalm 28:6-7). He delivers us and provides us with all the essentials that our inner, deeper spirit needs. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). “My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches. For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings. My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up” (Psalm 63:5-8).

We aren’t just a creation He made to play with. An experiment to see how He wanted to populate the rest of the universe(s). We are a precious thing in His sight. Something that Jesus is fiercely protective of and determined to hang on to – in other words, we have true WORTH to the creator of the universe. “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. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27-30). “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39).

God sees us as a treasure. Something worthy to be gone after (Luke 15:3-7), searched for (Luke 15:8-10), and rejoiced over when we have been parted but come back together (Luke 15:20-32). A treasure that the Lord will seek out and paid the ultimate price for (Matthew 13:44). Something worth more than all the rest of what He has made (Matthew 13:45). These parables aren’t just about us and our salvation or us and our lives toward God. They also clearly and starkly illustrate how God feels about us. He holds nothing back that we can handle. He counts no cost too high to save humanity – Jesus’ death on the cross is proof of that (1 John 5:11). But it is a choice that is up to us, no matter how much He loves us (1 John 5:12). Yet if we choose Him there is nothing that will keep us apart. “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17-18).

God does not lie (Numbers 23:9, Titus 1:2, and Hebrews 6:18). We can trust Him (Jeremiah 17:7, Psalm 32:10, and Psalm 118:8). “You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you. Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:3-4). If you can trust the Lord, then you can trust what He says. If you can trust what He says, then you can trust in the value He places on you. If you can trust in the value He places on you, then you will KNOW that you have REAL WORTH. Not some malleable thing based on feelings, accomplishments, appearance, financial status, or political/philosophical/religious leaning. But TRUE worth based on nothing but the real you. The inner you. The spirit and soul you. Everything comes from that. And when God is feeding you a diet of love for who you are, how can you help but pick it up and run with it?

Your worth is determined by you. Your value is determined by you. You can believe it is small. You can believe it is high. The Lord God on High says it is very, VERY great. Believe it. Receive it. Stop being fearful and start being valuable. Walk in the freedom of KNOWING IT. You’ll live life to its abundant best, when you live it according to what God thinks and what God says. Truly, obediently, brokenly, kneeling before the throne and accepting the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice for you. In Jesus, we are EVERYTHING. Let’s start acting like it.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Isaiah 43:4-7

‘You can have anything you want if you just work hard enough for it.’ ‘If you’re committed to succeed, then you have to put the hours in.’ ‘If you want something done right, do it yourself.’ Three maxims that many people live by today. Well, God does too. He wanted us, and He worked hard for us. Created the universe. Stuck by us. Sacrificed His Son for us. Made a way for us to come home. He has spent every waking hour (and He never sleeps – Psalm 121:3-5) looking out for us, sheltering us, and showing us mercy. In fact, without it we’d all be crispy critters on an eternal barbecue (Ephesians 2:4-9, Lamentations 3:22-23). And He did it all Himself (Genesis 1:27, Colossians 1:16-17, Psalm 139:13, Ephesians 2:10). Business people may burn out when they follow these ‘rules’ and miss out on having a life with family and relaxation, but the Lord doesn’t burn out. He is always there, always present, never leaves us, meets us where we are, and corrects us in any and every way He can. He never EVER lowers His standards. Instead, in Jesus, He enables us to rise to His. Lifelong project though it may be, He is there for that too. Never leaving. Never forsaking. Always ready to assist. Because He loves us and finds worth in us. That’s right. YOU ARE WORTH IT. All of it. YOU. You have a value stamped on your soul before you had one. From before the beginning of the beginning of the time when it all commenced. He loved us. It will stagger your mind thinking of what you are worth to God just by existing – deed has nothing to do with it. We have so much value, He did it all personally. Not trusting us to anything or anyone else. That’s special. That’s love. That’s you. A beloved, unique, and special creation of Yahweh Himself. Never forget it. Become His obedient child on top of that, and never stop living in Jesus. There is nothing else like it.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.