Fear No Fear

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

“The memory of righteousness is like a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.“

Proverbs 10:17

The downside of having eyes is that we can see our mistakes. We also can see the mistakes of others – those close and those in the public eye. It is one of the downsides with living in a physical world. We can see things that are as solid as we are. We also have a memory. But, what is it that we should be remembering? Like with everything else, we need to take Jesus as our example. Jesus lived the same kind of life that we are living: a physical one as a human. Since Jesus was living it as a NON-FALLEN human, He is an EXCELLENT example of what WE are supposed to be doing. Jesus saw everything that we do. Jesus didn’t focus on what WE focus on. Jesus had an excellent memory. Jesus didn’t remember what WE choose to remember. And the best part? He STILL DOESN’T.

1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is NOT a new concept. Adonai has ALWAYS promised to remove Sin from us, because it was ALWAYS the plan (Revelation 13:8). “Look! Bitterness was bitter to me for peace. And you were the one who loved my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back” (Isaiah 38:17). “I, I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). “He will again have compassion on us; he will trample our iniquities. And you will hurl all their sins in the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). “As far as east is from west, so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions” (Psalm 103:12). Adonai does not want anything to be between us and Himself. Sin was the ONLY thing that EVER came between humanity and Adonai. WE put it there, HE removed it. Completely. Totally. Absolutely.

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51). When Jesus died (Matthew 27:50), the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place, the ONLY thing that kept everyone but the high priest out (Hebrews 9:7-10; Leviticus 16:17). With the death of Jesus, He FINISHED the work of paying for Sin. For removing the barrier between us and Adonai. Jesus’ body WAS the curtain. When Jesus got resurrected to life (Matthew 28:1-10), the Way opened for US to walk through. It is IN JESUS that we have Life (John 14:6). Through JESUS we become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is our High Priest. He is our curtain. He is the Way we access the Father. And we can access Him because SIN has been removed. Removed so far away that He doesn’t remember it (Hebrews 8:12; Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19). That is His GIFT to us. And He doesn’t take gifts back. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

This is the basic unevenness that affects how we interact with Adonai. We can still remember what we did that was wrong. We still see those areas that we are NOT like Jesus. We still see what the people around us are doing. We can still remember what they did. How often does something happen and someone is quick to point out that they did the same thing four years ago? Or someone is about to have a good thing happen and suddenly people are wondering if they can be trusted because of that thing they did in high school? Once a cheater, always a cheater? Leopards don’t change their spots? A horse by another name? These are all sayings that we have pointing to the fallibility and CONTINUED fallibility of human beings. We see the trash. But Jesus doesn’t if we have repented.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Repenting is not saying I am sorry. It is aligning our behaviour to His morality and character. It is agreeing from our hearts that He is right in His point of view. It is turning around and walking away from sin. It is CHANGE. So why are we wasting our time remembering it? I’m not talking about remembering it so we don’t repeat it or remembering it in order to take a real lesson from it. I am talking about remembering it with a sense of shame, guilt, or defeat. When you were forgiven, it disappeared from your record FOREVER. It may have HAPPENED, and there may be consequences you’re walking through, but it is not on your record. It is as if it never happened, so unless you WANT it to or LET it, it CANNOT affect your mood, your emotions, or the way you run your life (beyond learning your lesson and leaning into Adonai’s Way). Our identity is JESUS, not our sins (personal iniquity or Sin period).

Ruach HaKodesh is our instrument of remembrance. We are supposed to use it to remember Jesus (Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:18-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25). We are supposed to remember what JESUS remembers about us. We will still have memories of what we’ve done, but they will be black and white faded pictures that show you where you’ve been but they will have no power over us. They’re just a picture we can learn from, they’re not the LIFE we’re living. Our 4D, technicolour, surround-sound, vibrant day to day has nothing to do with those things that Adonai has forgotten. Ruach HaKodesh reminds us about everything that Jesus has said to us (John 14:26). Jesus doesn’t speak to us about sins of the past. They are forgotten. We’re not poor sinners, we’re saved children. Washed clean so that Sin is no longer part of our makeup. No longer what drives us (1 John 3:6). When we know who we are in Jesus and we ABIDE there – listening to ALL of Ruach HaKodesh’s corrections, guidance, instruction, and remembrances – then we will be as far from our sins and as far from Sin and Adonai always wanted us to be.

It’s all about resting in Jesus and staying there. Not letting broken habits or broken thinking overrule the Word. Not choosing to sin because we put our wants, our desires, and our ideas before Adonai’s. If we remember who we are in Jesus, we’ll never want to leave (Romans 12:2). Let Ruach HaKodesh remind you of who you can be in Jesus. Who you are meant to be. And how to say right there in the Sabbath Rest of Jesus.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Exodus 20:8–11

“Remember the day of the Sabbath, to consecrate it. Six days you will work, and you will do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God; you will not do any work—you or your son or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your animal, or your alien who is in your gates — because in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore Yahweh blessed the seventh day and consecrated it.” Adonai wants us to rest in Him. The best way for us to get anything into our hearts is to have something tangible to hold onto. The Word printed so we can read it. Communion to remember what Jesus did. And the Sabbath to remember who our Source is, who our Rest is. I’m not going to debate days or calendars here. What I am saying is that Adonai gave us a WEEKLY reminder of how DEPENDABLE He is. He gave us an opportunity to teach our flesh what trust in Him really means. He gave us a way to NEVER forget and NEVER take for granted who we can rely on for EVERYTHING we need EVERY TIME. What a GOOD God He is!

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