PSALM 23 - PART THREE
Being a Christian doesn’t mean you will never fear.
We have to remember that it’s His presence that swallows up fear – in Him we can do anything.
Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
The fact that Christ is with you does not guarantee you will not walk through a trial, but we need to remember that dark times are a season. They will not last forever. You will get to the other side. Jesus Christ is your resurrection. If you have received Him, then your resurrection is unstoppable, just like His was. You will rise again as He did.
Isa 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
From God's point of view you are going to pass through these waters, He has never intended that you drown in them. Same with the fire. Every time, it’s His presence that is the antidote to fear. Fear has its roots in abandonment; that we will be ‘alone’. We face any problem better with others at our side. God says when you're in a situation that causes you fear put your mind on the fact that He is near. He is a ‘very present help in trouble’.
Here are 3 ways God has equipped us to ‘Beat the Bully’:
1. HE IS WITH US
God 'with' us does not mean that He is an inactive, silent yet present person. In God being with us, it declares firstly that He is actively 'for us'. He is actively working with us in our purpose. He is actively with us in our dreams, hopes and prayers. God 'with' us is also about Him being one with us, united in one spirit. What He feels we feel. What we feel, He feels. Jesus calls us to 'Abide in Me and I in you' (John 15) and Paul tells us we are 'one spirit' with Christ.
2. HE HAS GIVEN US A NEW SPIRIT
2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Paul says God has not given to us the spirit of fear. John speaks of perfect love casting out all fear. The word ‘fear’ here can be translated as ‘timidity’, Paul is essentially telling Timothy that God has not given to him timidity, but rather boldness. Living in Christ is entering into a fearless lifestyle. You and I must take a stand against every evil spirit of fear that tries to come against us in our friends, families, children.
3. IN HIM, WE HAVE VICTORY
Goliath attempted to bully David out of his calling. First it was his own family and friends who despised him, accusing him of pride and that he should have stayed home with his few, (insignificant), smelly, sheep. Yet David was doing what his own father had asked him, to take provisions to his brothers. He was accused of all the things he was actually the opposite of. Second the King tells him the giant is far superior than he is and that he has no chance. Third, the giant himself tries to intimidate David with deprecations and insults.
David responded every time with a spirit of faith and boldness. He was not going to be bullied into fear. He declared the Lord is bigger than any giant. Today you are going to bring down every devil, every bullying thought, everything that keeps you from victory!
See you in church!
