"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield." Psalm 18:2
I wish I had this lesson learned completely. I wish I could say, "There, done with that one, moving on!" But with fear, I just cannot do that. Why is that?
Why is fear always present?
There is much to fear in this world it seems.
Clearly fear was something people have always dealt with because the in the Bible there is much to say about it, inadvertently it's written between lines when verse upon verse speaks of the Lord's protection. Clearly, there is much fear in this world. Right?
Which of course explains why the enemy uses fear so often to cripple believers. Whether it be fear of the assurance of salvation, where he takes us down ludicrous bunny trails such as infant baptism saving , and questions such as, "can you lose your salvation?" Which the Lord clearly addresses when He tells us only are we not known by the Father if we blaspheme the Holy Spirit, (not just deny but REJECT Him) (Peter denied but was saved, Judas rejected and died in his sin) To clarify, the only way you are not saved is if you do not accept Him as your way to salvation. You reject His salvation.
The other trail of fear the enemy walks us down is the subtle ways he sets traps for us...(1 Timothy 3:7) And I believe many of these traps are traps of our thinking. We get paralyzed by fear that is trapped in our thinking, and we shut up, close up and quit our moving with and towards Christ because we believe the lie and allow ourselves to be completely chained by fear.
That is why life with Christ is called Freedom! Christ sets us free from our captivity of sin, and fear. ( Fear of death) Hebrews 2
The other lie we believe from the enemy about fear is that "we can control situations." What do I mean by this?
God says, trust Him, fear God, and enjoy safe pasture. (Psalms)
Satan says, "You can have control! And this is where you are safe, when your always in control." Do you know where my trying to be in control left me? Up all night, scared to death at every noise, anticipating danger on every corner. My trying to be in control, left me PARANOID. Anyone else ever felt this way?
You thought that doing things YOUR way would be freeing, but coming to find out, it's really a prison? A prison of trying to fight for safety, fight for peace, striving for rest and anxiously hoping for some relief, some day.
This is NOT how Christ intended us to live.
HE died so we could hand HIM our fears, are cares, and our Need to be in CONTROL. He took our fears to the grave with Him so we could live in His freedom, and enjoy HIS safe pasture.
Remember when you were a kid, providing you had a safe home, and you knew that your parents were taking care of you needs, and you could go outside, play and enjoy? You could rest, because you were not in control.
SO it is with Jesus. When I try to control, manipulate and construct my circumstances to fit just how I want them to, do you know where I end up? Nowhere. And not only do I end up nowhere, I also end up fatigued.
I am so fatigued, and then the enemy can have a hay day in my mind. I am too tired to even begin to fight the enemy, and the enemy knows it.
Jesus fights for us. He is not just our victor, He is our shield, (Psalm 18:2) and my advocate.
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes." Psalm 118:8,9
The trust in the Lord clearly outweighs whatever "benefit" the enemy tries to cleverly wrap in the package of deceit labeled "control." I do not know best.
I did not form the earth, the skies and the heart of man. I do NOT know what is best. SO why O why do I consider even for a moment to trust myself, or anyone else but God?
I shall not. I will not. I refuse.
My trust is in the Lord. So I confess my SIN of staying, living and focusing in on my fears (meditating on them) and lay down my desires to be in control. The opposite of fear is trust, and if I am focusing on my fears I am essentially telling the Lord, "I do not trust you." Really? I am going to tell all sufficient God that I do not trust Him? This is what I repent of Lord!
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone O Lord make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8
"He brought me out into a spacious place, He rescued me because He delighted in me." Psalm 18:19
It would make sense that Satan would tempt us with what our flesh in its fleshly sinful state desires. In our flesh we want to refuse the exclusive way that says "only one way to God and God given life, abundant life. (i.e..safe life, peace and thriving existence)." This takes us laying down our pride, our control. We strive and long to be in control, but we are not. Even when we think we are, and this is the real lie. The enemy temps us with something that doesn't really exist. The enemy temps us with a proposed (fake) life of peace brought on by human control. Such a state does not even exist. The only REAL peace is the peace we find as we give UP control, and render ourselves to the gracious, GRACE-filled hands of the Lord. Never have I been more at peace, then when I placed myself under His control. In His safe pasture, Under His care.
I can run outside, enjoy creation, raise my children and be comforted even in sorrow because I know there will be a time when the tempter will be no more, and sadness will disappear like snow in the spring. The tears I've cried will never again fall, and the sadness that plagues the heart of man because of sin will be gone.
That is why I can rejoice and sing, for even while I know there are trials, sadness and frustration in this world, the ONE who saves me and walks me through those difficulties now, is also clearing the way for the future where those things no longer even exist. Joy for today, hope for tomorrow, peace EVEN in sadness and life with out end. ( Eternity) That is what I get when I hand Jesus my fear, and I give up control. That is what I get when I tell the Lord that Yes, I do indeed trust Him. That I will NOT lean on my own understanding and that I will take Him at His world. He will not leave me nor forsake me. I guess I found my niche'. :)
Control is not a prize for us to win. It's an idea we lay down at the foot of the cross. All you get when you live for man's control, is death. (not to mention fear until you die) No more false reality my friends. Live today, surrender now, and enjoy His safe pasture.
Thank you Jesus for the cross. For grace, and for taking care of me. Amen.
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