1John 4:18 (Amplified) says that, "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! for fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
2Timothy 1:7 (Amplified) says, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing fawning fear) but (He has given us a Spirit) of power and of love and of a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self control."
A fearful heart is a heart that will bring paralysis to the Christian person. This fear comes in many ways to stop the believer from ever reaching out to the fullness of the things of God. The Father has so many things laid up for His family to enjoy, but fear in our hearts holds us back from entering into them. We've been in fear of God (I don't mean the reverent and worshipful fear), but the cringing and cowardly kind of fear 2Timothy 1:7 (Amplified) speaks of. We were afraid to trust Him, we have been afraid we'd offend Him and we're afraid of displeasing Him. All these fears stem from not knowing Him.
God has seemed like an absent father to many Christians. We knew He was our Father, but we never really knew Him. And, because we never knew Him, we had no father to pattern our lives from and to build from. Children are supposed to have a father to look up to and want to emulate. As Christians, we've mostly kept our relationship with Him in the realm of being our God (which He is) more than as being our Father. We pray, "Our Father," but we still approach Him in an uncertain way. 1John 4:18 (Amplified) says that, "The thought of fear has torment and a thought of punishment." The thought of punishment brings a fear and uncertainty (fear) into the heart. In a few short words, it shows we don't know God as Father and we don't really trust His Word when He said that "old things have passed away" and we are declared righteous in Jesus.
Fear in our hearts holds us back from really becoming what our Father desires for us. The fear of having nothing happen keeps us from laying hands on the sick. That means we're afraid God won't hold up His end of the covenant. Even the fear of not being good enough enters our hearts. If you are in Christ Jesus and He is in you, then you were made righteous through Him. Fear keeps us looking at ourselves instead of Him. It's not you who has to do the healing. Jesus said that, "It's not Me, but the Father in Me Who does the works."
Fear causes us to look as though we have to do the works and we know our own failures. Fellowship with the Father is the greatest part of our new birth. Through Jesus, we now have access to God in prayer and our Father in intimate fellowship. Fellowship isn't prayer or petition or intercession; it's simply fellowship. Fellowship is an opportunity to be with Him and learn as we walk and talk together. It's seeking out things from the scriptures and receiving wisdom from on high. It's being in His presence, not needing or asking for anything. Fear keeps us from the intimacy the Father wanted when He created man. When was the last time you just came to Him and said, "Lord, I don't need anything nor want anything. I just came today to ask if there's anything I can do for you."
Psalm 25:14 (Amplified) says that, "The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner-meaning)." We read in Numbers 13:27-33 (Amplified) where God gave the Hebrew people a land flowing with milk and honey; a promised Land. As scouts went to look over the land, they came back with this report from Verse 27, "They told Moses, we came to the land to which you sent us; surely it flows with milk and honey, this is its fruit. (this was a reference to Verse 23). They came to the valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two (of them) they brought also some pomegranates and figs."
God had given them the land and the scouts brought back the fruit and the very truth of His promise for everyone to see. But, then in Verse 28, comes the fear, "But, the people who dwell there are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; moreover, there we saw the sons of Anak (of great stature and courage)." Verse 33 goes on, "There we saw the Nephilim (or giants), the sons os Anak, who come from he giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."
The spirit of fear entered their hearts and kept them from entering the blessing of God's promise for another forty years. This is the fear that brings torment and keeps us in bondage to the things we are already free from. The Holy Spirit speaks of this account in Hebrews 4:1-16 (Amplified) concerning the promise of rest and provision being now offered to the new covenant people. Verse 6 says, "Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered (today) let us be afraid (to distrust it) lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of (reaching) it." Verse 6 says, "Seeing then that the promise remains over (from past times) for some to enter that rest, and that those who formerly were given the good news about it and the opportunity, failed to appropriate it and did not enter because of disobedience."
God goes on to say in Verse 9,"So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God." This same spirit of fear in the hearts of God's covenant people from Numbers 13, is the same spirit of fear that holds back the new covenant people and keeps them from walking in rest (grace) today. Fear in the believer's heart has a crippling effect on the believer. Just like fear kept the people from seeing God's provision instead of seeing the giants. It was fear that caused Peter to see the waves and begin to sink instead of keeping his heart strong and seeing Jesus.
2Timothy 1:7 (Amplified) tells us that this spirit of fear never came from God and that the Spirit that comes from Him is One of power and love and a calm, well-balanced mind and discipline and self control.
Now, when we see the promises of God and when we see the giants the world and the enemy place around us, we're faced with the same things they were. God said that His promise of rest and Good News is being offered to us. Will a fear-full heart keep us outside the blessings being offered or will we stand on God's Word in Hebrews 4;16 (Amplified) which says, "Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners) that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it)."
When we were sinners, we came into covenant through faith in Jesus just like the Israelites came out of Egypt. It's not that we haven't come out of our sin into His sacrifice. But, now we have come out of our sin through faith in the Blood of our Passover Lamb, Jesus. It's not a matter of coming out, but of coming in.
They came out of Egypt, but fear kept them from entering into the Promised Land. Many have come out of the world and have been born again and part of the new covenant. Now, we have God's promise of rest and provision (GRACE) to help in our time of need. The land of milk and honey is offered to us today. All we can ever need is found in Psalm 23;1 (Amplified) which says, "The Lord is my Shepherd (to feed, guide, and shield me) I shall not lack."
God asked Joshua in Joshua 1:9 (Amplified), "Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous and very courageous; Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Do not be deceived! There are still giants trying to frighten you and keeping you from walking in the fullness of God's promise. Like Joshua, we were commanded to "Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might." Our faith in God must be stronger than our fear of the giants. A heart full of fear of going too far, of things not working, the powers of darkness of perhaps the greatest fear of all...the opinions of people saying you can't do these things. It took only ten men in Numbers 14:1-4 (Amplified) to keep all of the Hebrew people in the wilderness for forty additional years. Fear spread among the hearts of the people in Verse 1, "And all the congregation cried out with a loud voice, and (they) wept that night." Verse 2 goes on, "All the Israelites grumbled and deplored their situation, accusing Moses and Aaron, to whom the whole congregation said, Would that we died in Egypt! Or that we had died in this wilderness." Verse 3-4 says, "Why does the Lord bring us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will be a prey. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us choose a captain and return to Egypt."
They saw the fruit, they heard the promise, they saw the return of the scouts who didn't perish, but they heard about the giants. They didn't see the giants, they only heard about the giants and just hearing about the giants kept them from entering the Promised Land. Romans 10:17 (Amplified) tells us that, "Faith comes by hearing." In this scripture, faith in God comes by hearing the Word of God. The same is true of the enemy. Fear comes by hearing and hearing comes from the lies of the enemy. This is a spiritual Law and principle that works either way.
How many of us have been frightened out receiving tongues, healing, prosperity, gifts of the Spirit, peace, love, acceptance by the Father, freedom from condemnation, joy, grace and the power of God in our lives because of a message of fear? Some have even said that all the things aforementioned are of the devil and that kept people from entering into God's promises. Some are still walking in fear of punishment for their past sins and old life. Some people started the journey (like those who left Egypt with Moses),saw God's power and still longed to return (like the Israelites) because they were afraid to go into the promise.
Did you ever notice how even though God had given them the land, they still had to possess it? It's like all of the things satan had before Jesus stripped him of his armour. He isn't going to give them up if you don't go in and possess the land. He will do as he always has in the past and cause fear to turn you back. He'll lie and tell you that you should just stay in the wilderness, build yourself a little place to stay out of the line of fire and wait for Joshua and Caleb to take the land for you and give you your share without battling.
I don't just want to go to heaven when I died. I want to walk with God here in this life. I want to enter into the promise and the rest (grace) and everything Jesus provided me through faith in Him. I won't need tongues, healing, deliverance, peace, prosperity, joy or even my Bible in heaven. I'll be in the presence of the Author Himself. These are the things I need to,by faith, not fear and possess while I'm here. Fear in your heart will keep you in the wilderness if you don't dare step into the water.
No comments:
Post a Comment