Fear No Fear

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

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had
Philippians 2:5 (emphasis added)

The Greek reads “Let this mind be in you which also was in Messiah Jesus“. In other words, we need the same mindset as Jesus had. We need to think about ourselves the way that Jesus thought about Himself. He was God and Human. Seems a hard thing to do, BUT we have access to His mindset (1 Corinthians 2:16). According to Berean Strong’s Lexicon, the Greek word for attitude in this phrase is a verb ‘primarily referring to the act of thinking or having a particular mindset. It encompasses the ideas of setting one’s mind on something, having an attitude, or being disposed in a certain way. In the New Testament, it often implies a deliberate choice of thought or attitude, reflecting one’s values and priorities’. We are called to DELIBERATELY make our hearts and minds the centre of our spiritual and moral life by infusing them with a mindset not only ALIGNED with Jesus’ values of worship, humility, unity, and love; but to have THE EXACT SAME MINDSET through our union with Jesus in His resurrection. In other words, be little Jesuses (Acts 11:26).

“Think about yourselves in the same way Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One thought about himself. Even though Creator Sets Free (Jesus) has always been the same as the Great Spirit and shared everything equally with him, he did not even think of holding on to this in a selfish way. Instead, he emptied himself, became nothing, and gave up all he had. Then, having been born as a human being, he took on himself the lowly form of a servant. As a True Human Being, he lowered himself even more by following the guidance of the Great Spirit, even when death was waiting for him at the end of the trail, death on a tree-pole–the cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8, FNVNT). I like this translation (the First Nations Version: New Testament) because the story form concept/idea translation helps you meditate on the passages in a different way. This really drives home two points. First, that we are to think about ourselves – our identity – the way that Jesus did when He was walking this earth. The EXACT same way. We ARE as He WAS. Spiritually, we ARE as He IS – but we have not received the physical arrival of our new bodies (1 John 3:2). But we should be living our lives EXACTLY the same way He did when He was here. Second, we should be portraying His character. He was not selfish. He was humble. He was obedient to the Father’s Will – no matter the cost. This is the Jesus we are to be copying so well and so consistently that people recognise Him in us. They should be able to read the Gospels and the book of Acts and think that they know someone JUST LIKE THAT!

This is who we are supposed to be. Him. “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). It seems to hard to us. We see our faults. We know when we miss it. We struggle against our wants and selfish desires. We know when we choose not to trust in Jesus. We see and know all of that. So it is NOT easy from our point of view. It is only that way because we are looking at it the WRONG way. We have been given the right to be saved and experience eternal life (Romans 6:23). Eternal life is intimate knowledge of Adonai Elohim (John 17:3). We have been given the very Spirit of Messiah Jesus (John 14:16-20). We have access to the fruit that Ruach HaKodesh produces, so that we can use it (Galatians 5:22-23). Because of what Jesus has done, our old self with its selfish desires is dead and nailed to the cross with sin (Galatians 5:24). We have a new spirit that is marked by its power, its love, and its self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). We have been given the right to wear Jesus’ personal clothing (Ephesians 6:10-18). We have been given the right to use Jesus’ authority (Matthew 28:18-20). We have the right to approach the throne of Adonai Elohim (Hebrews 4:15-16). We have been placed into the Covenant between the Son and the Father (Hebrews 8:6). When we ask in accordance with the Will of the Father (the Word), we can have everything and anything that we ask for (Matthew 7:7-8). If we mess ANYTHING up and truly repent (change directions and work to never do it again), we will be forgiven and our course will be corrected (1 John 1:9-10). Now. Looking at those verses, those promises, and that mindset, is it really that hard to be like Jesus? I mean, He is doing all the work. All the effort is HIS. All WE need to do is trust in what HE is doing and saying.

This all takes almost no EFFORT on our part. What is DOES take is CHOICE. That is easier said (and typed) than done. Every single day, every single action, every single word, every single thought. We have a CHOICE. We can choose to engage with what is happening, or we can choose to engage with what Jesus says is happening. We can choose to trust Him or we can choose to trust ourselves. Trusting Him is Trust (faith). Trusting ANYTHING else is rebellion (sin). It’s true because when we know the right thing to do and we don’t do it, that is sin. “So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin” (James 4:17). That means if we don’t have love as the motivation of every encounter, if we are not being kind, if we are not being gentle, it is sin. We’re told to do those things. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). Sin isn’t just the big things. It is HEART ATTITUDE as well. That’s what the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes got wrong. We are STILL getting it wrong. Don’t panic, though. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:12-14). We have GRACE. We don’t deserve it, but Adonai is MERCIFUL and we have been given it. Free of charge. IF we trust Him.

Obedient children are not looking to cause problems. They are not destroying the house. They are not ruining the meals. They are not participating in behaviour that the parents do not approve of. They are not being rebellious. Obedient children love their parents and actively seek to participate with them. Doing what they say (regardless of what they personally think) because it makes the parents happy. Because they are motivated to be children who honour their parents. Willing to sacrifice their time or spend their efforts on doing things their parents want. They aren’t being FORCED to. They are choosing to because they love their parents. Not just with feelings, but with their minds and hearts. They are making choices that are positive and they are avoiding choices that are negative. On purpose. With intent. Being obedient is being willing to comply with orders or requests. If it is required, it isn’t obedience. If it is forced, it isn’t obedience. Obedience is ALWAYS a choice and NEVER anything else. Adonai is not forcing us to behave. He is presenting us with information so that we can make the best choice that we can. He is showing us all the things that are positive benefits of choosing to be obedient. He is not holding back the realities of the negative consequences of choosing to disobey. He is not forcing us. He is actively encouraging us to obey. He has ALWAYS actively encouraged humanity to obey. Again and again. Over hundreds of years. He holds off consequences as long as He can. But it is like standing on a log and floating down a river. He can encourage us to get off the log. He can slow the current. He can throw us a rope. He can send a helicopter with a ladder. He can warn us clearly and repeatedly of the disaster ahead of us if we don’t get off the log. He can swim out to the log, get on with us, explain the situation, and show us how to get off the log by example. But the end of the river is a waterfall and if we do not actively chose to act we will eventually go over. There is no sense blaming Him when it happens. It was our CHOICE. Choosing to get off the log in the way He shows us is both obedience and how we get saved. What’s next?

Continuing to do what He shows us. We have examples in the Word of how He acted. We have examples of how the early church followed in His footsteps – including examples of what not to do. Most importantly, we have Ruach HaKodesh with us. Talking to us 24/7 every day of the year. No holidays. No breaks. Not even sleeping. He is here with us ALL THE TIME to encourage us. To instruct us. To explain the Word to us. To correct us. To comfort us. To guide us. To make sure that when we have read/heard the Word, it is percolating inside us ready to be brought to our remembrance. He is our companion in this journey. Kind of like a personal tutor ready to reach over our shoulder and point out the correct answer. Every time. We only need to be asking, listening, and following through. Yes, there is thinking that needs to be done. Yes, we need to participate in training. But the heavy lifting is being done by Adonai. We are not doing the hard stuff. We need to stop, think, and choose His ways. He is one actively working within us to help shape us into Him day by day. “for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God” (Philippians 2:13). Adonai lights the fire of desire for obedience in us. We walk it out.

The believer isn’t just walking in Jesus’ footsteps. We are walking IN HIM as He walks. He is the power in us. He is the voice in us. He is the action in us. As we understand Him more and more, the easier it is to walk in Him. Our love strengthens and deepens as He shows us His love for us. Our actions are easy to choose when we see how He chose when He was in our shoes. Our decisions are easy to choose when we see the answers laid out for us in scripture. Our trust is easy to use, because it is His trust given to us for our benefit by Grace and not because we’ve earned it or deserve it. Yes, we have to exercise it. Starting small and working ever larger. Yes, we have to engage it, actively choosing to believe and stepping on doubt whenever it tries to raise it’s head. But if we do it His way, how He shows us, with the tools He has given us, under the guidance of His Spirit poured over and into us, then it is not a complicated walk. It is not a complicated life. It is a life of ABUNDANCE. Of FREEDOM. And a relationship where we are blessed with an almost unimaginable amount of wholeness. When we live like this, when we realise that we ARE Jesus as He was here in earth, it is easier to envision.

See yourself well because He was always well. See yourself praying because He was a praying man. See yourself obedient because He was obedient. See yourself trusting because He trusted. See yourself humble because He was humble. See yourself generous because He wasn’t selfish. See yourself running your life by the Word because He always ran His life by the Word. Be like Jesus because Jesus is in you and He wants to be who He is. Let Him. Cooperate with Him. Watch your life change. Watch the darkness peel back and fade away in every area of your life because Jesus is shinning in and through you. His Light ALWAYS dispels the darkness of this world in every arena: body, mind, and soul.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Daniel 10:5-6

“I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz. His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.” Messiah would be in a glorified state. Messiah would die. Messiah would be resurrected to life. Messiah would be glorified. In order to return as the Conquering King, He HAD to be glorified. “and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet, and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest. His head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun shining at full strength” (Revelation 1:13-16). “And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2). Jesus lived. Jesus was killed. Jesus was raised to life. And Jesus was glorified. The Father honoured the obedience of the Son. The Suffering Servant became the glorified King of Kings, Name above All Names. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

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

Matthew 16:16b