Fear Not

Exodus 14:13-14  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 

At the Red Sea the nation of Israel had their backs up against a wall so to speak.  A body of water in front of them and their enemy pressing in hard behind them.  This enemy was one they thought they had just escaped from. Yet here the enemy was pressing in on them.  Even though the enemy was close enough to be seen, God set Himself up as a barrier between the Israelites and the Egyptian enemy. And God made a way for them to escape from the enemy that seemed to be hemming them in.  He will do the same for us.  

God will protect us as the enemy bears down on us and will provide a way of escape. In this situation God's command to the Israelites was to "fear not."  Sometimes that can be difficult. As we face difficult situations like this, we can choose to listen to God or give into our fear.  When we give into our fear it certainly does not help the situation at all.  Fear keeps our focus on the enemy and on the problem instead of on God who is the only one who can bring forth salvation in the situation. When we give in to fear we lack the peace and rest that is to be ours. In that state it is more difficult to hear God and to move with Him.  When our back is up against the wall and the enemy is pressing in hard, may we embrace the Word of the Lord and not walk in fear.  May we see the salvation of our God as He fights for us.  Victory is ours!

 "The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest."  (AMP Bible Ex. 14:14)  

Restore My Soul

Psalm 23:1-3 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. ³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The word “restoreth” in the Hebrew here, means to turn back, not necessarily to the starting point, but it could mean to go all the way back to the starting point.

If we could turn back to before the fall we could truly be free to rest. Adam walked with God and worked from a place of rest. It was only after sin entered in that fear, anxiety, shame, etc. entered into the soul of man.  Those things keep our hearts from true rest in God. We may not be able to go back to before the fall of mankind, but in Jesus Christ our soul can be restored to the point of being free from those things that keep us from rest. 

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

TIGHTROPE

Sometimes in our Christian walk we may feel like we are walking a tightrope and each step feels precarious.  We may feel like any misstep could lead to a fall that will mean our death.  It can be stressful, even fearful. Sometimes that fear will keep us from taking the next step.  But we can be assured that our loving Father is with us every step of the way.  “The steps of the good man are ordered by the Lord” and should we fall God is the safety net underneath to catch us and put us back on the path.  As we walk, the Word of God is the balancing rod in our hands.  It is also a “lamp to our feet and light unto our path” giving light for the next step. 

Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. ²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Proverbs 24:16  ESV for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

 
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

God Knows My Frame

Psalm 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

I serve a God that is so vast and perfect and powerful.  My God is the creator of all things, and yet, He cares about me and my every need.  He knows everything about me.  He knows my every weakness and still loves me. He is always seeking to draw me on into a place of greater maturity in Him. He sees the greatness in me that I do not see.  He will meet me where I am at and encourage me to step into what He has for me. 

Gideon found this to be true.  God came to him while he was hiding from the enemy and called him a “mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:12)  When God told Gideon about the victory he was to have to save Israel from their enemy, Gideon went on to explain to God the reasons he knew that wasn’t possible. But God knew differently and did not pay attention to Gideon’s reasons why he could not accomplish the task God had for him.  God showed him signs along the way to help him, such as, having fire come out of the rock and consume the meat and bread that Gideon had prepared. There was also the commonly talked about sign with the fleece being wet and the fleece being dry that was yet another confirmation from God. 

So Gideon proceeded to gather an army.  Then God told him that was too many men.  After God had taken to army down to 300 men, he told Gideon it was now time to go down against the enemy, because God had delivered them into his hand. 

Here is the part that I find especially comforting and encouraging----Judges 7:10-11 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: ¹¹ And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

God did not condemn Gideon for still being afraid, He just made a way for him to be encouraged to go forth into the victory that was promised. After taking his servant to the enemy camp, hearing about a dream one of the men had and the interpretation of it, Gideon was able to lead the men forth into battle.  They went forth and God gave them the victory.

 God knows my frame.  He knows my weakness and provides what I need to move on into victory. 

Triumph Of The Two Witnesses

Recently as I was reading through the book of Revelation I noticed something that I had missed before. In Revelation 11 when it is talking about the two witnesses, it tells us that everyone who attempted to hurt them would be killed by fire coming out of their mouths. I think that it is not literal fire coming out of their mouths, but by their decree these people are killed. But then there comes a time when the beast that ascends out the bottomless pit is able to overcome them and kill them. At first my thought is how can that be?? But then I notice this phrase "when they shall have finished their testimony." The beast has no power over them until their mission is finished and then God allows the beast to have the power to kill them. As always God has the final word.

We also see here that the two witnesses don't stay dead very long. Right in front of the people who had been celebrating the defeat of these two who had brought them so much trouble, these two come back to life. Then they rise up into heaven. Can you imagine the fear and terror that those people watching will be experiencing?

In this we see that once again God is in control and He wins.

Revelation 11:3-13 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.