HE-BREWS: A Better Blend
Last week we began our look fear in the thirteenth chapter of Hebrews. Let’s remind ourselves of the Hebrews 13: 5-8 (NIV)
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Jesus says that we should have peace–the absence of fear and anxiety—because He has overcome the world. How has He overcome the world? Jesus has overcome the world by living as the God-man on earth, experiencing every trial and test that you and I experience, yet remaining sinless throughout his time on earth. His death on the cross as payment for our sin and rebellion defeated the stronghold of death for you and me. Every believer in Jesus Christ has this same overcoming ability through the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.
Paul knew this and was able to live in victory over fear. Let’s allow Paul to speak words of encouragement into our hearts. Check out Romans 8: 28-39
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 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? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerorsthrough him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Think about it. That is an all-encompassing list if I’ve ever seen one.
- Life cannot separate us from God’s love
- Death cannot separate us from God’s love
- Angels cannot separate us from God’s love
- Demons cannot separate us from God’s love
- The present cannot separate us from God’s love
- The future cannot separate us from God’s love
- No powers can separate us from God’s love
- Height cannot separate us from God’s love
- Depths cannot separate us from God’s love
- Anything else in all creation cannot separate us from God’s love
I believe that list covers pretty much everything…except one thing. The only way you and I can be separated from God’s love is if we willingly walk away from Him. Oh, His love will remain, you can be sure of that. You can also be certain that your salvation will be secure even if you choose to reject His love for a season. However, God will not force His love on us. You and I must choose to remain attached to and plugged into His love.
How do we do that? We get to know Him through His Word. Time spent studying Scripture is never wasted time. Never. As you learn about God and His character, you begin to trust Him more. The more you trust God, the less you fear.
I know, I know. It sounds trite and very much like a formula, but it really works. I can’t explain it. I just know it works. The better I know my Jesus through studying Scripture, the more I trust Him to take care of me. The more I trust Him to take care of me, the less I fear. This doesn’t happen overnight, nor is it the result of some weird incantation. It takes time and it takes focus on God’s Word.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Look back at the Romans 8 list above. What speaks to you from that list? Why?
