Fear No Fear

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

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the speechless idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one is able to say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 12:1-3

Everyone loves a gift giver. Like year-round fans. Hardly anyone really says no to a gift. Even then they usually really want to, but pride gets in the way. Everyone enjoys being given a gift. Having someone think of them enough to want to get something for them. To be told you’re worth the effort. You’re worth the expense. You’re worth any inconvenience that might show up. You mean something. Who doesn’t like that? We can quibble over amounts, quality, or size, but the idea of being thought of favourably enough to be given a gift? That we like. That’s how Adonai thinks about us. The Father thinks it. Jesus thinks it. And Ruach HaKodesh thinks it. Ruach HaKodesh was Himself a gift to us from the Father (John 16:7). And He is the gift who continues to gift to us. He’s a serial gifter.

I don’t think we realise how far we fell when we fell (Genesis 3). The kind of lives that Adam and Eve were living. What they were capable of. The anointing that was on them. They betrayed all of that. In Jesus, we are getting it back. We won’t have it all back until we’re standing before the Father in person, but as soon as we are saved we begin to change. “And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give into your inner parts, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh. And I will give my spirit into your inner parts, and I will make it so that you will go in my rules, and my regulations you will remember, and you will do them” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). That process continues and will continue until it is complete (Philippians 1:6). Every day in one way or another, we have the opportunity to become more and more like Jesus. To get His light on something new and start transforming. To find something in the Word, meditate on it, submit to it, and apply it obediently in our lives. Salvation isn’t a one-off, but a constantly transforming process that will bring us face to face with Adonai (2 Corinthians 3:18).

It doesn’t stop there. Jesus was a gift to us. Our transformation and new life in the Kingdom was a gift to us. Ruach HaKodesh was a gift to us. But Ruach HaKodesh continually gives of Himself to us. We have His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). We have His gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). We have His correction. His guidance. His teaching. His coaching. His reminders of how we could be trusting in Jesus. He is ALWAYS talking to us about what we could have and who we could be. Not in our own efforts, but in Jesus and the anointing that Jesus poured over us. Walking in Jesus’ love toward each other because that is who Jesus is and who we are in Him – another gift from Ruach HaKodesh (Romans 5:5). This is the abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10), An ever-increasing, ever-deepening, ever-developing relationship FULL of giftings and Blessing.

This is the God we serve. He GIVES. He wants us to RECEIVE. We don’t have to lack. We can have more and more of who He is. We only need to submit to Him as is proper and get into our heads and hearts how much He loves us. Everything comes by and through love. Ruach HaKodesh is the power and He moves through love. He operates in us according to our knowledge of how much Jesus loves us. Because when we know how much Jesus loves us, we know how much He wants to give us and see us operate in. He wants it because He loves us and doesn’t want to hold back. Jesus’ love is VAST and DEEP. We will never come to the end of it. There is always more to learn, to know, and to experience with Him. This is the beginning of true riches. True prosperity. The rest of the trappings that we can see and have are chump change compared to the fortune that is available to us in Jesus (3 John 2). Seek first Jesus and the Kingdom and the rest follows in its proper place. With the right perspective on it. And no hooks or pain attached to it. Blessings we can receive and pass on to be a blessing to others. Give as we are given. Share as we have been shared with. Freely. Plentiously.

This is what it means to be in a relationship with Adonai. Constantly being given and constantly giving. He is a GIVING Father. Our relationship with Him and the things of Ruach HaKodesh that are ours to explore and learn to wield are the best part of it. To know Him as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). That is a BLESSING. That is a GIFT. That is GOOD NEWS. No barriers. No waiting list. We can start today. And we don’t have to stop. We can go as far as we want. We can go as far as He wants – and that’s pretty far. Grounded in the Word. Led by Ruach HaKodesh. Hand in hand with Jesus. This is eternal life (John 17:3). This is love. This is THE gift of all gifts. Life with Adonai. As it was meant to be.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Luke 2:14

““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”” Jesus didn’t come to make peace between human beings (Matthew 10:34-36). Jesus came to become the peace between people and Adonai. That is the Good News. Sin dealt with. Wrath of Adonai poured out and dealt with. If we accept Jesus, we won’t ever come under that wrath. We will have peace with Adonai. Peace among people who believe in His Son. Which pleases Him (Hebrews 11:6). The only thing keeping us from Him was the Sin in our nature. Jesus poured out His blood on the mercy seat to wash us clean (Hebrews 9:12). He did it so that we could experience peace (2 Corinthians 5:21). He did it for us. We didn’t deserve it on our own merits. Now we have Jesus’ merit on our account. So that He can be at peace with us (John 3:16-18). So that we can be with Him. He gave us the BEST gift ever! What a GOOD God!

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