Fear No Fear

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

that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.
Romans 15:32 (emphasis added)

That I may come to you and together we will. That’s a great statement, but it’s kind of in the middle of things. The highlight of the verse is that they find rest. But they find rest together and not alone. If we’re all the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12), why is that even a question? Let’s pop up to verse 30 and head down to finding rest. “Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.”

Different story now. Now there is depth to it. Paul was facing those who opposed him and his ministry in Judea — which could have been Orthodox Jews (like Pharisees and Sadducees) or Messianic Jews that believed all followers of God should follow all the points of the law. It doesn’t say, but we have instances in scripture that both those groups didn’t like everything Paul taught (Acts 23:6; Acts 15:1–2). While not being in fear, Paul could see that there were those in Judea who were NOT obedient to the will of God and would seek to hinder him (or maybe stone him again — Acts 14:19). He wanted prayer that he wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t in alignment with the Jerusalem church. He was enthusiastic in spreading the Word and preaching Jesus — but he doesn’t seem to have wanted to be TOO enthusiastic and cause issues for the church. Paul relied on the prayers of his fellow believers to help with this. To have more than just him taking these concerns to the Lord, listening for what the Lord’s will was, and to praise the Lord together — even separated by time and distance — about these issues.

Jesus was all for believers coming together in prayer in addition to their own personal prayers. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them” (Matthew 18:20). David saw the value of believers being in unity — that’s not being multiple. It’s a condition of harmony. A totality of related parts, being individual yet part of an undivided, consistent, systematic whole. It was not only important, but David saw the blessing that it was for all involved. “See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes, like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forever more” (Psalm 133). This fellowship isn’t just for men. It’s men and women, male and female, together joined in worship with other christians of the Lord God. This crosses denominational lines. This is all believers united IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

This is more than calling up the prayer line, gossiping about what the latest news is, spitting out a comfort prayer, and then calling the next person on the list to rinse and repeat. This is looking for every opportunity to have true fellowship, true UNITY, with one another regardless of whether we are Catholic, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Non-Denominational, Jewish, or anything in between. We are ALL part of the body of Jesus the Anointed One. “Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24–25). Provoking each other is the second part of this. It is the sharing with one another what we found ourselves and now seek to share with another. Not just one other, but all the others the Lord brings across our path. This is being a blessing to each other because God has been a blessing to us.

Back up to Hebrews 10:19–23. “Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a great priest over God’s house, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water, let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.” This falls right in line with 3 John 1:2. Prospering in our actions and mental life because our spirits are prospering through our thought life. Our mental life is the thoughts we entertain, the emotions we choose, and the acceptance of other people’s ideas. Our THOUGHT life is the thoughts we CHOOSE to present to our minds to entertain. Our THOUGHT life is the thoughts we CHOOSE to meditate on to push down into our hearts. And what we put into our hearts is what we become (Proverbs 23:7).

“For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do” (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11). We are to each of us individually abide in Jesus (John 15:1–7). At the same time, we are to live together IN JESUS. Abiding as a group AND as individuals. Doubling up on the submission to the Lord, the seeking the Lord, the worship of the Lord, the correction of the Lord, and the instruction of the Lord. In school they teach you that one source of material for your paper is good, but two or more is better. More variety of thought. More variety of opinion. More variety of approaches. When we are cantered on the Lord Jesus, how can variety in the Word be bad? I don’t think there is a single verse in the entire bible that is completely stand alone. There are hundreds of ways to interpret things, to see how they combine with other things, to see how they layer on each other and bring more and more revelation of the richness of the Word and the wonder of the awesomeness of the Lord God Almighty.

Together we can help each other stand in Jesus. Together we can help each other correct our behaviour. Together we can build up our faith and rely on one another’s faith in areas where we are shaky. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12). “When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:26–27). We need to help each other. Support each other. Not judge each other. Scorn each other. Talk trash about each other. It is a pile of strife that does nothing but separate us from fellowship with the Lord — strife is not of God’s Kingdom. It is simple, but not easy.

Not because it is impossible. Not easy because we are human and have a tendency to listen to what we see. Our flesh. Jesus was always reminding His disciples that they needed to keep their eyes on their father (John 14:8–9). Jesus does NOT leave us alone. “For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly, because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones” (Ephesians 5:29–30). Jesus feeds us. Like the root of the vine funnels nutrients to its branches, so does Jesus funnel spiritual nutrients to us through His Spirit. We need to abide in Him. We need to read the Word. We need to pray. We need to fast. We need to listen. These are all important. These are the ways that we stay in communion with the Lord. Don’t forget to listen. When we are STILL we know He is God (Psalm 46:10). When we listen, He will tell us when to help each other and how to help each other.

Together, we will stand, stand some more, and keep standing no matter what comes against us. Because if we are ALL the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21), then we will be shining from EVERY direction. Fear can’t jump one of us without seven others jumping it. Driving fear away with our joined faith in the perfect love of the Lord God. Won’t THAT be great to witness!

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Hebrews 11:5

The Lord Jesus told us to obey Him (John 14:15). His commandments (as in the ones He spoke when He was alive as a man) are in the Gospels. But in there, He also affirms that He came to fulfil the Law and not do away with it (Matthew 5:17). Which means that we are commanded to keep the commandments of the Law in the Old Testament too. We were freed from the Law (Romans 8:2), but that means we don’t need to perform sacrifices and offerings of blood. JESUS is our sacrifice (1 John 4:10). That leaves a LOT to obey. Moral commands. Behavioural commands at a HEART level. The Law spoke to adultery as a physical thing (Exodus 20:14). But Jesus spoke about the lust of the heart being the SAME as physical adultery (Matthew 5:27–28). All the commands of the Word are like that. Look to the heart lesson and apply it. It is why the Holy Spirit came. To encourage us, teach us, correct us, and help us along this path. Do you know why this is encouraging? Because we are ALREADY dead. We died into the cross and were resurrected to life in Jesus’ own resurrection (John 8:50–51). We are not physically translated like Enoch was, but we are spiritually resurrected into Jesus. That DOES affect us physically (Romans 8:11). We have been translated into Jesus because God loved us enough to be the sacrifice for ALL of our life. If He did that, then it is possible to get Him into ALL of our life by trusting Him in every circumstance. To TRUST THE LORD to do what the Word says. That’s how Abraham was able to offer Isaac as sacrifice without tears or fear (Hebrews 11:17–19), but instead eagerly anticipating the miracle of Isaac being raised because Abraham KNEW that Isaac had to be alive to fulfil the promise GOD PROMISED. THAT is love in action. TOTAL TRUST. Do YOU trust? In whether or not you need to cuss out that guy who cut you off. Whether or not you need to have that second helping of third dessert at the buffet. Whether or not you need to spend your money this way or that. Whether or not you believe you have been healed. Do you trust the Lord? Love is trust. God loves us and enables us to love Him (1 John 4:19). Love Him today. Trust His Word. In ALL things. Start with one thing and add another first chance you get. Sooner or later you’ll trust in ALL THINGS. Don’t lose another day. Start trusting the Lord today.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.