Fear No Fear

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

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16 (emphasis added)

This is a GREAT verse. This one, the next two that couple with it, and the two at the end of chapter 5 that expand on it. All in all it gives us a principle for living from the spiritual to the physical, that if we got ahold of it and saw how it combines with the cross, we would not only cast off our sickness but never get sick again. This is health in a nutshell. A spiritual TRUTH that occurs in the physical world too. Which is in itself a spiritual principle: “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. For by this, the elders obtained approval. By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:1–3). That isn’t something from nothing. The physical world wasn’t created out of nothing. The physical world was created by spiritual material. Because of that, physical things can be and are affected by the spiritual. When that spiritual thing is the Word of the Lord God Almighty, there is nothing it can’t do — except violate His Will. That’s right. You can’t snag a verse and make it do what you want. What you CAN do is stand on the promises of God and receive what He is offering. And brothers and sisters, there is a whole LOT of BLESSING that the Lord God is offering.

The last two verses let us know how we should be focusing. Together the three verses (16–18) read: “Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Nothing we go through is ANYTHING but a moment. It doesn’t matter how long it actually takes from OUR point of view. Eternally speaking, it is just a moment. A single moment in time. That moment is not what we’re supposed to focus on, but the things that are of heaven. God’s Kingdom. The Lord. The Word. All the intangible things that are better and truer than anything we see around us — providing we’re looking with the right eyes.

“We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:20–21). When we are in fact operating in that way, there is little that can make us fear. When we are not fearing, but trusting in the Lord fully, completely, and with all of our resources, then whatever happens to us in this world is a passing moment. It IS a passing moment, because there is nothing that phases us when we are dwelling in the peace of the Lord. Paul teaches us this and gives us the perfect proof: “Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep. I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:24–27). This is someone who is resting in the Lord. Who is letting trials and travails be but a moment. The result of that is a total trust in the Lord. When we totally trust in the Lord, we do NOT faint.

If all the issues that can come against us are nothing, then what else could be a problem? Well, the way we think of ourselves. We limit ourselves when we think of ourselves as ‘normal’. Over the hill, not as young as we used to be, always get sick this time of year, don’t have the muscles I had before, etc etc. As we age, we look at ourselves and we tend to look at what was more than what is or what might be. We listen to those aches and pains in the morning. We listen to the weariness at night. We listen to the niggling worry when we forget small things. We listen when we can’t quite go as fast as we used to. It’s easy because our physical selves are right there. We can see it. We can touch it. And we certainly FEEL it. But none of that has to be the way that it is. It’s only that way when we buy into it and tell ourselves those things are true.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:9–11). We are dead to the flesh. We are alive in Jesus. We can have more than this spiritually dead world says that we can. Just look at Moses. He was a hundred and twenty (Deuteronomy 34:7). His eyes worked one hundred percent. He was as vital as a young man. He was able to climb a mountain without help or assistance just like he did in his forties. And Moses didn’t have the Holy Spirit inside him giving him life and renewing him moment to moment.

We are renewed in our spirit. “But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4–5). We are renewed in our hearts. “I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). With the help of the Spirit and guided by the Word, we can be renewed in our minds by the Lord (Romans 12:2). We don’t have our nature renewed, but replaced by the Lord’s divine nature. “by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:4).

Ephesians 1:3 says we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing and goes on through verse 20 about them. We were chosen by God. We are holy and blameless in Him. We are in the love of God. We were predestined to adoption into the family of God. We were accepted by the Lord. We were redeemed by the blood. We had our sins forgiven. The riches of His Grace abound to us. We have His mysteries made known to us, getting revelation of the Word through the Holy Spirit. We have an eternal inheritance. We have heard the Word of Truth. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We know the hope of His calling. We have the riches of His inheritance. We know and have access to the exceeding greatness of His power through Jesus. If we have all of those things, and so many of them include the renewing of pieces of our physical selves, why would we assume that old age would affect us?

In essence, who said that the Body of Christ deteriorates? That would be a poor witness, wouldn’t it? A bunch of old geezers saying ‘What’s that, sonny?’ Or worse, a bunch of withered, faded people locked away in homes and resorts to wait to die. Does THAT sound like the will of the Father? Or great victory for the enemy? We were never meant to deteriorate. Age, yes. Deteriorate? No. And there is no reason we should. We don’t have to accept the ravages of age, as they’re called. Today’s verse is all about that. Outwardly we age. Grey hairs. Wrinkles. But inwardly, we are renewed from the DNA level on up DAILY. “For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:11–12). The life of Jesus — the Living One (Revelation 1:18) — is in us. Death might want to work on our flesh, but we have been saved from death (Romans 8:1–2).

Death lost its sting over us (1 Corinthians 15:55–58). Death is not our end point. WE are going straight to the Lord — by rapture or choice when our service to the Lord is over. Our bodies will die, but ONLY when WE say (Deuteronomy 30:15) according to the Will of the Father who wants us here until our jobs are done (Ephesians 2:10). We are to be like Jesus, right? Jesus chose when to die. He could have lingered on the cross for hours, but when His work was done “Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit” (Matthew 27:50). We too, when our work is done, can yield up our spirit as the Lord directs. Until then we don’t have to die. We DO have to age. But why not age with full faculties? Why do we have to age and deteriorate as we do? Why not end like Moses? Full capacity, full strength, full use of our faculties? Why not end like Caleb who was as ready to fight wars when he was eighty as when he was forty (Joshua 14:11, Judges 1:20)?

Abraham GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT when he was a hundred and seventy-five (Genesis 25:8), having fathered six men in his advanced age (Genesis 25:1–3). That doesn’t sound like a decrepit old person. Abraham did what Moses did who did what Jesus did: they kept their eyes on the Lord God and the Kingdom of Heaven. We’re to do the same. “Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). We are to run our race (1 Corinthians 9:24). We’re not to start running, slow to a walk, get cramps, crawl around, get a seeing eye dog and creep across the finish in a walker. It’s not that any of those things is a sin, but why would you WANT to settle for them? I’m half a century old and am as strong and able as I was at twenty — a little more so if I’m honest. Why would I take any aging that meant losing that capability? I don’t mind aging, but I refuse to deteriorate.

“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean in your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5–8). “I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91:16). When we are spiritually prosperous, our bodies and minds can ALSO be prosperous (3 John 1:2). But it doesn’t happen if God isn’t first because it is GOD’s spirit not ours that gives life (John 6:63). As we abide in Jesus, stay in the Word, and seek the Lord first and foremost, the rest will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

I may age, but I am renewed inside from the DNA level out by the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead who lives in me. I am renewed and restored daily, moulting like the eagle (Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 103:5), so that I will enjoy a long life of obedient, submissive service to the Lord God Almighty, running my race to completion so that once I have done all the Lord has for me I can give up my spirit satisfied with my long life — should the Lord tarry that is. I age, but I do NOT deteriorate. Psalm 91 is my watchword and I live that reality more and more every day. May we all do the same.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Psalm 103:2–5

We are to put the Lord our God first in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). We’re to seek the Kingdom of God and His standards of righteous behaviour (Matthew 6:33). We’re to take up our cross daily and follow in Jesus’ path (Matthew 10:38–39). All our words and deeds should be performed in the Name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17). That seems like a lot. And it is. It is everything. To seek the Lord and live in His presence is the highest thing for us (Psalm 27:4). But in all that looking to Him, don’t let yourself get caught up in the poor and poverty crowd. Jesus wasn’t poor. First time He moved out of His hometown He bought a house — and this was before His ministry really started and He had any disciples (Matthew 4:12–17). If Jesus wasn’t poor in goods or deeds, why should WE be? If Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Will of His Father was able to heal all around Him and never sick Himself, why should we be? We have the Holy Spirit and we should only be acting and speaking according to the Word. He forgave our sin. He heals ALL our diseases — not some, not sometimes. He redeems our life from destruction. He shows us His tender mercies and loving kindness — and thank you Lord for that. He satisfies our desires for good things — not things that hook us, hurt us, addict us, bind us in any way, or keep us from the things of the Lord. He renews our youth — we age, but do not deteriorate. If we forget His goodness to us, we will forget what He is offering. It is not offered BECAUSE we do the former. It is offered because He LOVES us, but we are UNABLE to grasp them unless we are humble, submitted, and dedicated to placing Him first in all things at all times. Praise the Lord, and do NOT forget His goodness to us. He was good to us before we were saved and renewed as His beloved children in Jesus. How much more is He good to us now, if only we’ll reach out and take what He offers?

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.