Fear No Fear

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

Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
Hebrews 12:14 (emphasis added)

People One narrative the world absolutely LOVES is that you cannot have light without having dark. I mean, that’s been the main thrust of the Star Wars franchise — especially under Disney. But it isn’t reserved to them. It is ALL OVER entertainment. You can’t have one without the other. It’s needed. It’s inevitable. I actually listened to someone who was saying that when they got sick they felt terrible and miserable and desperately wanted to feel well again. While that may be true, their take away was that if it wasn’t for the sickness they wouldn’t appreciate the wellness. They felt that if you were always happy, you wouldn’t even know it. Because it would just be ‘normal’. The world will agree. They will TEACH you that you need the negative personality aspects. You just need to ‘manage’ them. That they are healthy to have. I could not disagree more.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18–19, Jesus quoting Isaiah 61:1–2). Jesus came to take away broken heartedness. It has NO PLACE in our world or our lives. Jesus came to release those bound up in sin, captive to wrong ideology, free us from the dictatorship of feelings, and anything else that keeps us in bondage. It has NO PLACE in our world or our lives. Jesus came to deliver those who are crushed by anxiety, crushed by depression, crushed by chemical dependence and other kinds of dependence, crushed by poverty, crushed by racism, and crushed by anything else that keeps us from growing, moving, breathing, or expressing. It has NO PLACE in our world or our lives. Jesus came to restore sight to those who are blinded by opinion, feeling, religion, philosophy, faith in science, atheism, worldly freedom, government policy, social justice, sin, prejudice, ignorance, sensuality, or anything else that blinds us to the truth. It has NO PLACE in our world or our lives. Jesus came to proclaim that NOW is the time for freedom IN HIM. Freedom to seek the face of God. Freedom to worship Yahweh. Freedom to live for Him. Freedom to be all that He made us to be. Freedom to receive from Him all that He has to give. Freedom to be humble and obedient. Freedom to be submissive to His rightful place. Freedom to be yoked to Jesus. Freedom to operate in faith. Freedom to accept correction. Freedom to pray. Freedom to give thanks in all things. Freedom to be FREE INDEED (John 8:36).

In the natural, darkness is the absence of light to varying degrees. In the spiritual, darkness was NOT part of the program. It wasn’t necessary. Before the devil turned, there was no darkness in existence. After he turned, the devil was the ONLY receptacle of darkness until the Fall. After the Fall it was everywhere EXCEPT in heaven. There are degrees of spiritual darkness. It exists, but it is NOT NECESSARY. God is working to redeem as many humans as want to be redeemed. When the total number of people who are willing to accept His salvation, judgment will come. Once judgment happens that the lost are put away, the devil and his angels put away, and all evil spirits put away; then darkness will be put away. There might be a natural day/night cycle with suns and planets, but there will not be a single iota of spiritual darkness anywhere EVER. We won’t need it to understand that there is light. We won’t need it to appreciate the light. We won’t need it to understand that light is there, normal, the state things are supposed to be in, or anything else. It will be light. We will know it is light and not dark. We will know it is supposed to be. We will know that that is the way things are, they could be another way, but that the Lord SAVED US from that. Light is NOT brighter because darkness exists. Spiritually, darkness has NO PURPOSE and NO PLACE in creation or in us.

But that is the future, you say. That isn’t now and that isn’t this world. Be realistic. That isn’t how life works. No. That’s wrong. Evil is NOT to be tolerated. Cut it out like CANCER. Look at what we do to our bodies. Chemotherapy will KILL YOU. People who get it look HORRIBLE. Like death warmed over. Most of them looked better BEFORE they got it. But inside, it’s trying to kill that cancer. Why do we have medical amputations? Because keeping that limb would cause a medical emergency. There are women who do not have breasts. They got cut off. Either because they had cancer, had warning signs, or have had it so prevalently in their family they didn’t want to take a chance on getting it. Why is this okay? Because it is effective. Remove where the cancer is, it can’t spread. That’s the thinking and it is logical. I am sure it has saved lives. Thank the Lord for the medical community. It helps unbelievers and believers who won’t use their faith so much. It’s kept them alive. But not always whole.
Kill the bad thing. Remove completely the bad thing. Don’t let evil docile elements of the bad thing exist. The principle is totally acceptable in the medical field. Move that into the social or moral field and get ready for a battle.

As soon as it leaves the medical realm there is talk of compromise. There is talk of my truth and your truth. There is talk about personal freedom. There is talk of genetics, culture, and environment. There is talk about being lenient. There is talk about there’s a place for everyone. Would that work for cancer? How about this? Processed meats (including ham, bacon, salami, and frankfurts) as a Group 1 carcinogen. They are KNOWN to cause cancer. There is strong, scientifically, generally accepted, medically sound evidence that they cause cancer. Eating them puts you at risk for developing cancer. But if we were to take the evidence and get the leader of the country to outlaw processed meats they would be kicked out of office. For trying to help the people. By the people they are trying to help. Guess what? Ham and bacon and salami and frankfurts are all made from pork. Pigs. What did God tell His people? “The pig, because it has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:7–8). Remove completely the bad thing. God protected His people. Might change your opinion about Jesus letting the evil spirits into the pigs. Maybe it isn’t ‘poor pigs’. Maybe He wanted to save people from the carcinogens. Remove completely the bad thing.

Peace is anathema to strife. Strife is bitter disagreement. Bitterness can cause cancer. Don’t read me like that. Do you think everything is always natural in origin? I don’t say that ALL cancer is caused by bitterness. But bitterness CAN cause it. There have been people praying for cancer victims who saw healing the moment the person forgave someone whom they had a grudge about. This is not to say to ignore doctors. But I AM saying that sin, fear, and fear’s babies can cause things to go wrong. Life and death is in the power of our tongue (Proverbs 18:21), right? You speak death and you can attract what you say. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). Again, this is NOT always the case. But it CAN BE. Why give the enemy the chance to get in the door because of how you speak? Why give your body the opportunity to learn not to believe your words? Just as we head to the doctor whenever we show signs of sickness, we need to learn to go to the Lord and the Word whenever we show signs of sickness in ANY field of endeavor (physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually). We need to learn to only say words in harmony with the Word, regardless of whether we are seeing the physical arrival of the promise.

Strife would love to see us all anxious, depressed, bitter, angry, unforgiving, and sullen. It’s a breeding ground for disease and sickness. You may not think thoughts matter, but I have seen it in action. I have seen people worried about cancer because their friends have it. Worried and fearful. And then cancer hits their family. YES, it could be a coincidence. I have seen people say things like ‘every time I go into the kitchen I cut myself with a knife’ and ‘I just know that we are going to get sick’ and guess what? It happens. I have seen other people stand and say ‘we CANNOT get sick’ and I haven’t seen so much as a sniffle in years. I have walked in it. There are times I have started to show signs of something and have stood against it in the Word. Using the Word to say NO! I am NOT sick. I have spoken to my body and told it things AND IT LISTENED! Okay, maybe you don’t want to hear about that. Let’s say this. Doctors are not evil and medical science can help. But they are about managing things and remission. They are NOT about cures and wholeness. God is and the Word is. Faith it and you’ll see. Remove completely the bad thing.

Let’s go back to peace and strife. Remove completely the bad thing. If you claim to love God and want His peace, then you will NOT EVER watch sexual immorality, cursing, murder, lying, cheating, witchcraft or sorcery, or anything like it. You won’t watch shows with sex scenes. You won’t watch shows with lust. You won’t watch shows with strife and cheating as good values. You won’t watch shows where the criminals are lionized. You won’t want to participate in entertainment that gives bad guys an excuse to be the way they are. You won’t try and ‘humanize’ the ACTIONS of monsters. You won’t watch shows with demons and dark spirits. You won’t watch shows that have magic users. You won’t read things that glamourize infidelity. You won’t sit there and be entertained by things God hates. “There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:16–19). If you love the Lord God, you won’t look at ANYTHING that has those things as plot points unless the point is that the people are delivered from them, repent, and get saved.

We put things before our eyes that are WRONG in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Every moral point and conduct in His Law is STILL GOOD TO HOLD TO. Sacrifice was done away with only in the sense that Jesus embodies it. He is the sacrifice, all kinds of sacrifice, so the whole sacrificial system is alive and functioning in Him. HE is the one you come to with repentance. HE is the one you bring your offering to. The GRACE we have is to have a one-stop-shop for all those things anywhere in creation instead of having to travel to a temple with a physical sacrifice — our offerings can be given to the local church. The principles should be active in our hearts. We should be seeking to have them working in our lives, not avoiding them as done away with. Do not lie. Do not cheat. Do not have anything to do with sexual immorality. Do not dishonour your parents. Do not kill. Do not murder. Don’t worship idols or place anything in God’s place — because then it is an idol. Don’t dabble in magic or sorcery or witchcraft or worship of the stars (astrology and horoscopes). Don’t be in strife with anyone. Don’t hold a grudge. Etc etc. It’s all in there. Think it’s gone? Go read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5–7). Read the Sermon on the Plains (Luke 6:20–49). Jesus isn’t playing. Remove completely the bad thing.

This won’t RESTRICT you. Yes, it restricts the level of the world that gets into you. But it isn’t a RESTRICTION. It is a blessing and it is freedom and it is glorious. Seek PEACE with all men. That’s all the lies, grudges, infidelity, murder, dishonouring, cheating, etc. Seek the SANCTIFICATION without which no man will see the Lord. That’s all the idols, dabbling, sexual immorality, etc. Walk in the Spirit. Seek the peace of the Lord and seek sanctification from Him. Jesus prayed that over us: “Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Jesus gave that to us: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful” (John 14:27). Seek HIM and He gives you peace. Get in the Word and let Yahweh sanctify you with it. CHOOSE not to be troubled or fearful so that you can BE at peace. Covenant with GOD and NOT WITH FEAR!!! The Lord says about His Word: “It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:8). If you take on HIS morals and HIS character and HIS actions, then you WON’T have the problems those who don’t do.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another” (Galatians 5:16–26).

Remove completely the bad thing. Get to the point where you LOVE GOOD. Get to the point where you HATE EVIL. Not evil as we see it. Evil as GOD SEES IT. Period (Psalm 97:10). Remove completely the bad thing. Get to that point and then resist the devil. Submitted to God and humbly obedient to EVERYTHING IN HIS WORD. Submit and resist with all you have as you resist doing a thing you hate. Resist the devil harder than a baby resists broccoli and beets. RESIST HIM. And he WILL FLEE (James 4:7). If the devil isn’t fleeing and taking all his tricks, tiddles, and issues with him, you are NOT resisting him. You might be whining. You might be begging God. You might really believe it. But if you don’t HATE evil and RESIST completely, he won’t flee because he doesn’t have to. But he WILL as fast as he can when you are James 4:7-ing him in TRUTH. Seeing yourself in the promises and seeing Jesus in you. Stop letting the devil’s toys in. Don’t covenant with the world — even if the show is really good and the stars are hot. Don’t live like that. Live for the Lord God Almighty and what HE says is right, and good, and moral. Nothing else will do. Nothing else brings peace. Nothing else is anti-fear.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Matthew 12:34

There are over a thousand Pokemon characters. One of my kids can identify the majority of them. Ask them what the times table is and there is a looooooong pause. We are like that. What is it we watch? What is it we read? What is it we binge? How soon will Netflix and chill become Netflix and hell? Too strong? If you love what God hates, how can you have fellowship with Him? How soon until you think He’s crazy? How soon until you don’t believe it? You get saved by faith and a DECISION to follow Jesus. The devil fell by a DECISION to rebel. Adam fell by a DECISION to rebel. Will you make a DECISION to walk away from Him? Oh, it’s not like that. Good. Watch yourself. But what about your condition? Do you have life abundantly (John 10:10)? Or do you have sickness? Weariness? Problems? Toil? We have what is in our heart. Get into your bible. Get into it and don’t come out. Don’t waste your time on entertainment that glorifies what the enemy loves. Choose entertainment that DOESN’T covenant with the curse. There ARE shows that don’t focus on immorality, lies, cheating, cursing, murder, and strife. Yes, they are not common. But they are out there. And not all of them are sharmy-sharmy baby stuff. Some are really challenging and good. Put before your eyes what you want in your heart. Want in your heart the good things of God. If you don’t, then bad will come out. Reject the bad. Completely. Remove from before you the bad. Don’t let a bit remain. Not even a teeny, tiny bit. The more Word you get, the more your life will abound in EVERY way.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.