FEAR is the first
cousin of doubt. Therefore, it profoundly displeases God and causes us to
miss out on preset appointments with divine blessings. On the other hand,
intentional and targeted FAITH consistently produces positive results.
Here’s the challenge: We human beings cannot see beyond the curves in the
road. Only GOD (positioned over and above) can clearly visualize what’s
around every bend or turn. Nevertheless,
every twist in the road becomes a teachable moment, a real challenge which also
presents definite life alternatives for our prayerful consideration. So, do
we succumb to an innate fear of the unknown, i.e. insecurity about those things
we might not readily envision? Or, do we decide to wisely trust in HIS WORD, those divine directives that
(admittedly) we might not fully comprehend? Carefully consider that
question before moving on – because it’s where the rubber meets the road for
every Christian disciple. Indeed, FAITH is
trusting Heaven to cast the light of truth on all our dim or dark places.
But be encouraged; JESUS CHRIST IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
THE FAITH-OR-FEAR HUMAN DILEMMA reminds
me of a man who was chased by a ferocious tiger. He ran as fast as he
could until he found himself trapped at the edge of a precipitous cliff.
Spying a branch growing out of the cliff wall, he jumped down and grasped
the branch, mere seconds before the tiger reached him. But he found
himself in a precarious position, to say the least. Would this weak
branch hold his 187 pounds (85 kilograms) of body weight? Just then, a
rodent appeared out of a crevice in the rock and started gnawing on his branch!
The panic-stricken man looked up at the growling tiger, and then down at
what appeared to be a drop of 1,000 feet (305 meters).
With no visible means
of escape, he raised his voice and cried: “God, if you are there, please help
me! I’ll do anything you ask…just save me!” Suddenly a voice boomed
from Heaven, “You will do ANYTHING I ask?” the voice questioned. The man
was shocked to hear an audible reply to his prayer, but he immediately shouted
back, “I will gladly do ANYTHING you ask, just save my life!” The voice
from Heaven responded, “There is only one way to save you, but it will take
great courage and faith.” Meanwhile, the branch was weakening as the
mouse continually gnawed and the tiger ominously growled above. “Please
Lord, tell me quickly and I’ll do it! Your will is my will.” The
heavenly voice responded, “All right then, just LET GO OF THE BRANCH you’re
holding onto.” The horrified man gazed downward at the 1,000-foot drop
and what he deemed to be certain death. Then he looked up toward Heaven
and asked: “IS THERE ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?”
Isn’t that a clear
snapshot of what I call our DOUBT-PSYCHE? By that, I mean as long as we
humans can CLEARLY SEE a positive outcome in our next steps and a favorable
end-game, we are then able to apply what we construe to be FAITH. But
TRUE FAITH is always connected to KAIROS (God’s timing and manifest will),
while FEAR is an intrinsic component of CHRONOS (our human sense of the ‘what’
and ‘when’ and ‘why’ in each life-situation). LIVING FEAR-FREE is our
God-given heritage. Total TRUST IN
GOD, aligned with complete CONFIDENCE
IN WHATEVER HE SEEKS TO ACHIEVE in and through us, are both
necessary. Jesus Christ, “the author and finisher of our faith,” (Hebrews
12:2) expressed it this way: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and
not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than
many sparrows.” (Matthew 12:6-7)
Kingdom Principle
Number Two: GOD’S HIGH VALUE OF US IS A SURE INDICATOR THAT WE NEED NEVER
SUCCUMB TO FEAR! Fear is a denier of faith and a destroyer of
covenant. We were created to have total dominion over the earth.
This simply means that we are WIRED TO WIN! That’s why CHRISTIANS ARE WINNER-BELIEVERS.
Temporal circumstances may never minimize, marginalize, make, or break us
because we have the DNA OF VICTORY, i.e. we are intentionally created “in the
image of God.” (Genesis 1:27) Therefore, by divine design, we are BELIEVERS, RECEIVERS and ACHIEVERS! Consider The Word:
Psalm 8:4-6
What is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man, that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR. You made him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; You have put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.
What is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man, that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR. You made him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; You have put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.
It is incumbent upon
each of us to tune-in and turn-on to such a high degree of delegated spiritual
authority and awesome personal power! Perhaps you have heard about the
farmer who decided to buy a chain saw to clear a field of trees. A
lumberjack guaranteed that the power saw this farmer wanted to purchase would
cut down 15 trees in a single day. One week later, a very unhappy farmer
returned to complain that the power saw was defective because it had averaged
only 2 trees a day. The foreman grabbed the saw, pulled the cord, and the
saw promptly went into full power mode: “BUZZZZZZ!” “Hey!” demanded the
farmer, “what’s that noise?” The logging foreman just shook his head in
amazement and said, “Buddy, if you want it to work, you’ve got to TURN IT ON!”
Sometimes I wonder…are we just like that farmer? Do we fail to
realize HOW MUCH POWER ALMIGHTY GOD
HAS DESIGNED AND ENDOWED WITHIN US? Ours is the simple task of
faithfully activating it. (I John 5:4) TURN IT ON!
Sisters and brothers,
be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO
MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!
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