A Bad Thing

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It saves you.  Have you ever known someone who was stuck in fear? Bound by it, enslaved by it?  They are perpetually thinking of that bad thing that could happen.  They could lose their job, or lose money, or something bad might happen to their child, or they might get sick, or this might happen or that might happen.  They become entirely paralyzed by fear.  Fear can be even worse than the bad thing.  If it happened, they would just get over it, they would overcome it, and move on, it would become one more bad thing - that’s not the end of the world.  The devil knows He can’t do anything bad to you – without permission.  And the Bible says God is faithful even in affliction.  So the only way the devil can do anything bad to you, is if your Heavenly Father gives him permission.  And even if a bad thing were to happen, because sometimes bad things happen, it’s because God wants to grow you through it, grow your faith, and grow your victory.  So He gets the glory, and you get the blessing, even if a bad thing happens. Since the devil can’t do bad things to you, he just wants you to fear as many bad things as possible - that will never come.  So you’re distracted, and bound, so you are enslaved by fear, rather than walking in the victory of Jesus Christ.  You’re gonna serve somebody, the devil or the LORD.  You will serve fear, or you will rise up in faith, you are going to be subject to something.  The dangerous thing about fear – it attracts.  Most things people fear, by far, never happen.  They are just being ruined by the devil.  Who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (that word means – ‘cause to fret’) That’s all he can do, try to make you fear.  When God says Fear Not.  But fear – in the lives of those who live by it – can attract that bad thing to you.  It’s a magnet.  God wants you to be saved from fear.  He said “You have not been given a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind.   That fear spirit doesn’t come from God – it comes from the devil, your enemy.  It’s a sucker punch – that some people keep walking into all day, every day… You can choose that spirit, or refuse it.  God said “Fear not.”  That means – do not do that.  Do not fear, to not succumb to it, do not let that spirit take over your life – you will be miserable.   Either you will waste time dreading things that will never happen, or eventually your fear will draw that thing to you - foolish.  Here’s what God said.  There is no fear in the perfect love of God.  Perfect means ‘complete.’ And love means ‘obey’.  Jesus said, if you love me, you will obey my commands.  And God said, “Fear not.”  That’s why there is no fear in the perfect love of God (the complete obedience of God, when you’re fully obeying what He said, and doing what He told you).   When you are completely obeying, and trusting instead of fearing, if you’re walking in faith not fret, there is no fear.  You are in the complete obedience of God, you fear not, because that’s not the Spirit you’ve been given.  You walk in faith and freedom, not fear and fret.  That doesn’t mean you jump off a bridge… that’s foolishness.  God says the wise see danger and take refuge, the fool keeps going and suffers for it.  But that’s not fear, that’s wisdom, being circumspect, seeing things from all angles.  Don’t let it draw you back into fear.  What controls you?  That’s how you know.  God said fear not, when it comes time to be circumspect – don’t worry – He will reveal it to you when it’s time.  It’s not fear that makes you circumspect, it’s simple obedience.  But other than that moment that God will surely reveal, so you take action… all the other moments you are not living in fear, just faith.  Praying that you will really obey God in this command.  Fear Not.  Praying that you will review the PRISM Topics:  Fear Not, Do Not Fret, Faith, Trust, and The Fear of the LORD.  The opposite of fear is faith, it comes from obedience, and continuing in it.   Praying that you will decide what you will live by – fear attracts bad, faith and obedience attracts God’s Good.  He has good for you.  Praying that you will fear not, that you will grow in faith, that your trust will be in the LORD, God, the maker of heaven and earth, and that you will be so busy obeying, and filled with the joy that it brings, so filled with His Word of faith, that fear will have no effect on you, and no place in you.  Praying that you will walk in every good thing that He has for you.  Without fear, just faith - that obeys, and sees the victory that God brings, and His peace that remains. 
 
Love you all,
dad