I am certain that my thoughts today will only apply to me...most of you so walk and live life in the Spirit that you are free from fear, anxiety and worry. I know that I should have progressed beyond this point by now...I am appalled at myself too. I am amazed that I can be running a great race of faith and fall flat on my face and in a moment be filled with anxiety. What do I do when I fall? I do the same thing that God's children have been doing for thousands of years.
Old Testament saints experienced victory over fear by the presence of the God's Spirit. When God wanted to encourage the people to rebuild the temple after the exile, he said in Haggai 2:5, "Work, for I am with you . . . My Spirit abides in your midst. Fear not". If the Israelites returning from God's painful discipline in the Babylonian captivity can rest knowing that God's Spirit will protect them, how much more God's children today! We who have the overwhelming assurance of God's love and power in Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension! Old Testament saints knew then and Christians know today that victory over any and all obstacles belongs to God. Zechariah 4:6 teaches us, "Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts." Over and over in God's Word we see the Spirit of God empowering ordinary, weak people to do extraordinary and amazing things for God.
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.
Act 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Act 4:33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
1 Cor 2:4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Eph 3:16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
1 Thess 1:5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
2 Tim 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Oh brothers and sisters rejoice, rejoice, rejoice in knowing...rejoice in knowing...rejoice in knowing HIM! Remember what God said in Jeremiah 9:23-24 ? Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Oh God enable me to see how breathtaking this really is...that YOU have chosen to reveal yourself to your children, that you have chosen to give understanding about yourself to your children. Enable me to see the unsearchable treasure in you...rejoicing in knowing that "you have not [given your children] a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have [given us] a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
Enable us to walk, live, breath by faith in the strength and power of YOUR Spirit for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!
1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,