Fear No Fear

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

“When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body. Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.” But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?””
(2 Kings 6:30-33)

“He called all the multitude to himself and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?” He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.””
(Mark 7:14-23)

The king had been miraculously saved by God again and again. God spoke to Elisha and told him the plans of the enemy king so that Israel could avoid the raiding parties and assassination attempts. Yet here the king of Israel, who HAD been trusting in God, chose to view his circumstances more than view God’s words. He chose to add time to his trusting, and so he failed. He got angry at the injustice he saw, assuming it was HE who was the one feeling it – as if God wasn’t heartbroken and upset as well. By focusing on feelings and what he could see, he dropped the ball and instead of trusting in God, he blamed God – and God’s messenger since he was the one the king could touch.

That same attitude of trusting in feelings and physical things – especially rituals and formulas of worship – had become so prevalent in Jesus’ day that in some cases (not all) the forms were considered more holy than proper worship. They were looking at what they understood instead of looking at what God said. God is the only objective observer there is. He is the only one outside creation. Only HE can tell us what is and isn’t true. Certain Pharisees and teachers of the Law (scribes) had codified ritual as the holiest thing one could do. Jesus was pointing out that the intent of the heart and the intent of worship should be God and obeying what He says is right and good. When we look to that which we understand alone, we miss a LOT of what God says is right and good. We perfect the formula, but we miss the purpose.

Summary

We are given the promises and the Word of God to encourage us. To give us something to stand on in times of upheaval, trouble, and confusion. We are meant to hold fast to what He has said and maintain our trust in Him (Ephesians 6:13). WE can’t win. WE can’t solve it all. WE can’t produce and perform. Only God can do that. We need to let HIM move and HIM work and HIM do what is needed, when HE says it is needed, the way HE says it is needed. It’s the only thing that works (John 15:5). He overcomes (John 16:33), so only in Him do WE overcome. We are not forging our own path. We are standing on the Word. THAT is how we get victory (James 4:7). When stress comes on us, we have the promises of God to wash it off. When circumstances come on us, we have the Lord to pick us up and hold us above them. When trials and tribulations come, we have HIS joy to maintain OUR joy in His strength. We don’t HAVE to accept ANYTHING the enemy has for us. We can live loud and proud growing His Fruit in our hearts. We can endure, hold onto, and always look to Him because He is trustworthy, faithful, and true.