…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death.
– Romans 8:1,2 (NIV)
With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
– Romans 8:1,2 (MSG)
Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.
– Isaiah 50:7-9 (NIV)
The Lord will rescue His servants; no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.
– Psalm 34:22 (NIV)
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
– James 4:7 (NLT)
This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in Him, and He in us: He’s given us life from His life, from His very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
– Colossians 3:1-4 (MSG)
So don’t be afraid. I am here, with you; don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, help you. I am here with My right hand to make right and to hold you up.
– Isaiah 41:10 (VOICE)
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. – Proverbs 9:10 (NLT)
A life of worship
is a life of fear
And it sounds strange
to say so
For fear
brings thoughts of scary
and terror
and angst
But Abba calls us to fear Him
with awe
and reverence
and joy
He calls us to see Him
in everything
He tells us not to fear people
or circumstances
or spiritual darkness
But to stand bold
in His Spirit
and this leaves us
with only the fear of HIM
But it couldn’t be further from the word we know
For this fear
dances in His presence
And brims over with joy
And seeks Him passionately
This fear is amazed at
and respecting
all-knowing
all-seeing
all-important
God
It is the beauty
of Father and child
It is
Fear
and fear not
– Susie Stewart
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
– 1 John 4:18 (NIV)
Fearing God has been a term I’ve wrestled with and longed to better understand. I know it means to have a deep level of reverence for God. But I love what a friend of mine who studies language root words to better understand biblical terms recently shared with me. After much study, she now defines a person who fears God as ‘one who sees the hand of God in everything.’ There are several Hebrew words for the word ‘fear’, but let’s look at two of these closely. One is ‘pachad’, which means terror. That’s not the one used in this passage about the fear of the Lord. The word used is ‘yirah’, which means being in awe of God. That deep sense of reverence where we truly desire to look for the hand of God in everything. – Lysa Terkeurst
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him.
– Psalm 33:8 (NIV)
Let all people stand in awe of the Eternal; let every man, woman, and child live in wonder of Him.
– Psalm 33:8 (VOICE)
The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water so you won’t go off drinking from poisoned well.
– Proverbs 14:27 (MSG)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
– 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.
– Psalm 28:7 (NIV)
Our hearts erupt with joy in Him because we trust His holy name.
– Psalm 33:21 (VOICE)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give Him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under His loving correction. It’s the child He loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.
– Proverbs 3:5-12 (MSG)
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; He won’t leave you.
that truth in that area no longer meets a wall in your mind
For discovery and confession and turning
have brought freedom
To hear and believe
what God says
And you know that you now agree
with His Truth for you
– Susie Stewart
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
– 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV)
And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
– Ephesians 6:10-12 (MSG)
…for love covers a multitude of sins.
– 1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)
Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
– Micah 7:19 (NLT)
So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord.
– Acts 3:19 (VOICE)
This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in Him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust Him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to Him.
* These thoughts came from my friend Nicole Rowell in a study on Ephesians. I just re-worded a bit. Nicole, thank you for your insight into God’s Word and His amazing grace!
But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
– Ephesians 2:4-10 (NLT)
And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
– Romans 11:6 (NLT)
For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
But when you talk to God, go into your room and shut the door. Then talk to your Father in secret. Your Father sees secret things and He will reward you.
And when you talk to God, do not say words that mean nothing, over and over again. People who do not believe in God do that. They think their god will hear them because they say many words.
Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
– Matthew 6:6-8 (WE)
Never stop praying.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
Eternal One: Call to Me, and I will answer you. I will tell you of great things, things beyond what you can imagine, things you could never have known.
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
– Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.
– Psalm 147:11 (NIV)
Take delight in the Lord…
– Psalm 37:4 (NLT)
Then I will go to God’s altar with nothing to hide. I will go to God, my rapture; I will sing praises to You and play my strings, unloading my cares, unleashing my joys, to You, God, my God.
Susie Stewart 