2020’s theme was “Fear God and Live.”
When you live in the fear of God, the fear of man naturally falls off. It’s about focus. It I care about what man can do to me or think of me, I’m already defeated.
I feel so free on this Tuesday, January 19th, 2021.
This is the fruit of a focus on one vision for a year. I intentionally attempted to learn from Him what it meant to not be shackled to man’s opinions. Of course, He gave me practical ways to experience this. True repentance isn’t just words but action.
1. Get off social media. (You gotta have His narrative flowing in yo head…not man’s.)
2. Have someone close to you cut you out of their life for your Biblical beliefs….it was gut wrenching.
3. Stand up against the very humans whom you actually used to care about their opinions of you.
4. Read through the Bible in a year. (renew your mind with truth)
You see, to fear man is a dangerous trap. (Prove 29:25) You give an inch they will take your life.
It threatens to shut your mouth and if that doesn’t work, it shuts your mouth.
Fear makes you a slave.
In the same way, the fear of God makes you a slave to Him.
You stop caring for the other masters you were submitted to.
Jessi Green said a few days ago “An idol is anything you have to ask permission to before saying yes to God.”
There comes a point where it all starts to fall away if you fear God over man long enough.
They can tell you to be silent or…. this will happen….that will happen….
They can take things away from you.
They can fire you.
They could kill you.
And you are totally fine.
You are flying free under the submission of the King of Kings and above their cloud of deception like an eagle with eyes locked on Jesus.
Then we can quote Hebrews 13:6 like we mean it. “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
I was talking to a friend yesterday on a video call yesterday who has known me for years. She said she saw freedom.
She’s right. That’s exactly how I feel.
Do whatever you want to me, think whatever you want and say whatever you want.
I’m free.
If the world grabbed a hold of this, we’d be in full blown revival. Instead of shrinking back from the intimidation of the enemy, we would put our battle gear on (Eph 6:10-18) and get in the arena. We would destroy every argument that sets itself up against Christ. (2 Cor 10:5) We would take the sword, which is the Word of God and go to town. This is what warriors look like.
We always talk about “God’s Promises” and that usually means a husband for the single woman and a bunch of other things that meet our desires.
I wanna tell you His promise before He went to die on a cross. (from John)
If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
They will put you out of synagogues and make you outcasts.
Whoever kills you will think they are offering service to God.
Basically, Jesus is like I told you these things so you don’t get it twisted when it happens. This is normal, TT….
And thanks be to God, I caught a hold of this Promise and let go of the fear of man.
Now, I can truly be free….free to fear the One who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul.
Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell.
Matthew 10:28
If that doesn’t taste like freedom, then you haven’t tasted and seen the Lord is good….the one who quoted the above verse.
Here is more of what He said as He sent out his disciples:
16 I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their meeting places. 18 Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. 19 But when someone arrests you, don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. 20 But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.
21 Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 22 Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. 23 When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you that before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.
24 Disciples are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. 25 It is enough for disciples to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?
The One To Fear
26 Don’t be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 27 Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. 28 Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. 30 Even the hairs on your head are counted. 31 So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Telling Others about Christ
32 If you tell others that you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you are my followers. 33 But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you don’t belong to me.
Not Peace, but Trouble
34 Don’t think that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. 35 I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36 Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
37 If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38 And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39 If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
I found my life on the corner of 2020 and February 19th, 2021.
