As the chubby kid I was an easy mark for a bully. I could not for the life of me understand why I was such a target till many years later when I realized bullies had as much fear in their lives as I had in mine. Fear can rob you of any joy in your life as it puts you into a dungeon of your own mind. Fear of others, fear of expectations, fear of failure, and the fear of success are just a few of the things we face. So how does this fear thing get started.
When man rebelled against God in the Garden and ate the fruit he became the subject of judgment. We all know that feeling driving alone and suddenly a police officer in behind you. You have done nothing wrong but the authority and power of a police officer puts into your heart a fear of a ticket. Likewise, as Adam feared God for they were naked, we fear because we give to others the power of judgment over us.
When a bully of any kind finds a weakness in your life, he exploits it for his own pleasure or need of approval as someone of strength. In reality, they are weak or perceive their weakness and act out to prove to themselves and to others they are strong. Satan struggles to put fear into our hearts and he is a defeated foe. We give to him such power instead of resisting him in the Name of the Lord. I do not need to fear him because I can say to him the same thing Jesus said on the Cross, "It is finished"
We also fear the opinions of others because we have given them the power over our lives to judge us. We want their approval and will do anything because we need their acceptance. Jesus gave us his approval when he said there were sheep of other sheep pens which he would bring together with the believers of Israel. Many of us know the "Charlie Brown Syndrome" being a kid who longs for the invitation to a party or Christmas or Birthday card and finding the mailbox empty. With Jesus, I have been invited to be his disciple, his friend, and his co-heir of eternity. I am a Charlie Brown no more!
I have swapped the image and idea of success for being a son of God and forgotten the idea of failure because the old saying is, "God don't make no junk!" I also do not need to fear failing God and not living up to his expectations. He has NONE! He does not hope I will do this or that. He knows what I will do and he still loves me and called to me twenty-six years ago. I also do not fear judgement of God since Christ took away my penalties. Wow! I guess that is what Paul meant when he wrote:
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:31-35
The answer is NO ONE AND NO THING can remove me from him so, why should I fear when Jesus says "Fear not!"
When man rebelled against God in the Garden and ate the fruit he became the subject of judgment. We all know that feeling driving alone and suddenly a police officer in behind you. You have done nothing wrong but the authority and power of a police officer puts into your heart a fear of a ticket. Likewise, as Adam feared God for they were naked, we fear because we give to others the power of judgment over us.
When a bully of any kind finds a weakness in your life, he exploits it for his own pleasure or need of approval as someone of strength. In reality, they are weak or perceive their weakness and act out to prove to themselves and to others they are strong. Satan struggles to put fear into our hearts and he is a defeated foe. We give to him such power instead of resisting him in the Name of the Lord. I do not need to fear him because I can say to him the same thing Jesus said on the Cross, "It is finished"
We also fear the opinions of others because we have given them the power over our lives to judge us. We want their approval and will do anything because we need their acceptance. Jesus gave us his approval when he said there were sheep of other sheep pens which he would bring together with the believers of Israel. Many of us know the "Charlie Brown Syndrome" being a kid who longs for the invitation to a party or Christmas or Birthday card and finding the mailbox empty. With Jesus, I have been invited to be his disciple, his friend, and his co-heir of eternity. I am a Charlie Brown no more!
I have swapped the image and idea of success for being a son of God and forgotten the idea of failure because the old saying is, "God don't make no junk!" I also do not need to fear failing God and not living up to his expectations. He has NONE! He does not hope I will do this or that. He knows what I will do and he still loves me and called to me twenty-six years ago. I also do not fear judgement of God since Christ took away my penalties. Wow! I guess that is what Paul meant when he wrote:
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:31-35
The answer is NO ONE AND NO THING can remove me from him so, why should I fear when Jesus says "Fear not!"
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