It seems in our society today that fear is a normal part of everyday life and it is just expected that because of the condition of the world we should be in fear about something. Our Abba says something very different in His Word, 1 John 4:18 tell us "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear...." For us to not be in fear we must believe at the deepest parts of our being that our core needs will be taken care of, thus no matter what comes we can rest in knowing that any season of lack will end. This does not mean that every whim, desire, want, or craving will be fulfilled. One of the main difficulties in this is that we often confuse wanting an item or possession as meeting our need, rather than allowing God to meet the need underneath it. Every human being since Adam and Eve carries a fear of death to some extent, we may bury it, ignore it, or pretend we have overcome it but when someone close to us dies then we face our own mortality. Yet the fear of the death does not have to do with just the end of our mortal lives, which by the way 1 out of 1 die, but the fear of the death is all around us. We often live with an underlying fear that we could lose our job in a poor economy and our family will go without. We may live with a secret fear that I will be abandoned, thus I hold onto a loved one too tightly to give me the security that I will never be left. The fear of death according to Hebrews 2:14-15 has held us all in slavery. "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." (Hebrews 2:14-15) Either the Word of God has missed it or we are all very good at hiding this lurking fear that drives much of what we do in life. Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden before the Fall had no fear of death because there was absolutely no lack and no thought that there would ever be lack. Yet Satan's suggestion of current lack led Adam and Eve to agree with Satan's view on God and the world, thus they chose the very death due to the seeds of fear Satan sowed. Satan says, "...Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?..." (Genesis 3:1) This powerful question that sowed seeds of doubt about the very character and nature of God but also was questioned the provision God had made for them. The Lord recently brought exposure in my heart of the fear of death but in the form of rejection. As I felt filled with fear one night and sought the Lord to reveal the source, He showed me this old fear of rejection that I had give a lot of mental real estate. I began to see how this avoidance of any perceived rejection had put in a place to miss many opportunities and even led me to hide truth from people around me. It was not rejection that had cost me so dearly over the years, I have had a fair amount of rejection, but it was the avoidance of this painful event. The Holy Spirit began to expose the truth that it was time for me to face this fear through His power and presence, because this fear was interfering with the destiny "in Christ" that He has for me. Those who yield to the discipline of the Father through the Holy Spirit will mature in intimacy and trust with God, those who ignore it will continue to be trapped in many bondages. The decision to walk through this fear of death (rejection) did not immediately take it away but brought more peace as I saw the revealed will of God and His path. Death for believers is not the end but can often be the ultimate deliverance from a bondage, since we have died with Christ I no longer need to be influenced by the fear of pleasing man. The new Bret that was resurrected with Christ does not have any fear of man because this new man is created to please and worship God first. The Word of God does talk about us growing in favor before God and man, yet I believe when these are out of order we will not be able to walk freely in our destiny. You do not see anywhere in the life of Jesus (who is our model) take any public opinion polls before performing a miracle or doing a healing, His vital connection with the Father guided His steps. I believe the fear of man (rejection) will keep us from walking in boldness in the Holy Spirit. This form of boldness does not mean being loud, obnoxious, or abrasive but I do believe it means standing on the authority of the Word and the Holy Spirit's direction. When we get the revelation that we are righteous "in Christ" it means we are acceptable to God but also acceptable as a person because of what God did through Christ.
In His Freedom,
Bret
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