There are only two primal feelings in us: love and fear. First fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is natural, but it comes from ignorance of the situation or knowledge that in “that” situation something bad happened and you fear out of experience. Because of this you’re frustrated and because you’re tired of being frustrated you store it within “trying to control it” and having that stored anger will grow and eventually bubbles up as rage. When you explode you then ask yourself, “why/how did that happen!?” And you become angry because you got angry and the cycle starts up “replenishing” the anger you lost when you blew up. Fear begins because you feel you’re not in control and the lack of control builds anger. It’s a loop of lies continually building. Nanosecond events or vivid lengthy events build up on this foundation of fear. Sow & Reap. Here’s an example:
When I was 11, my dad came with me to my room to chat and I literally jumped into bed like I always did. My dad asked me why I jumped into bed. I thought about it (having never done that before on the subject) and it came to mind that I was fearful of standing next to the bed, but I didn’t understand why. (I had to be honest with myself otherwise I would not have understood that.) My dad told me he knew why. When I was 3 I had a babysitter that got angry because I wouldn’t stay in bed, so she told me there were bugs under the bed that would hurt me if I got out. She recounted the story to my parents. All those years later and I was still afraid – why wouldn’t I be? I trusted what I was told. I had no concept of deception at the age of 3. I don’t recall the incident, but my heart did. But once I knew the truth and how silly it was, I never jumped onto the bed again. I was free of this fear.
All fear is the same. It is the result of not having the correct information. In my case it was being lied to. In other’s it can be from a traumatic event in one’s life – like war, whether actual military war, or war in the house between your parents. In still other cases it’s believing a fleshy thought or a lie by the enemy that “God doesn’t love you”.
The honest reality is we are not in control no matter how arrogantly we think we are. God is totally in control and He will always guide His to the truth and the truth will set you free if you’re honest enough with yourself to listen to the Holy Spirit when you inquire of Him why you are so. This is exactly what David did in Psa 139:23-24. As a child of God you’re already a new creature, no change required. You just have to believe WHO you are in Christ. You, like all of us, have an identity crisis. It’s time to believe the word of God and reject the lies floating in your head that is affecting your beliefs of your heart. You can think all the positive things you want, but until you get them into your heart, your beliefs will always overrule your thoughts. I can say “I am healed by His stripes” in my head and even out my own mouth, but if my heart say “yea right” NOTHING will change. I will remain sick. There’s no “trying” you either DO or you DON’T do. What does one DO? Believe. That’s only done in the heart, not the head. It starts in the head – like planting a seed – if you plant negative doubt then doubt is what will grow in your heart regardless of what your head says. If you plant truth in faith, then faith will grow in your heart regardless of what your head says!
How is one saved? By grace, yes, but it’s faith (aka trust in God’s ability). Paul asked three times to have the thorn in the flesh removed and what did God say? His grace is sufficient. We quickly judge the passage incorrectly by saying “oh well, he tried, but God said no.” But if you know what grace is – unmerited favor – how can remaining ill be favor? So if grace means unmerited favor, and it does, then what could that passage mean? Easy, time to dissect a verse. Paul says:
Galatians 2:21 (KJV)
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Frustrate:
– Original: ἀθετέω
– Transliteration: Atheteo
– Phonetic: ath-et-eh’-o
– Definition:
1. to do away with, to set aside, disregard
2. to thwart the efficacy of anything, nullify, make void, frustrate
3. to reject, to refuse, to slight
Righteous:
– Original: δικαιοσύνη
– Transliteration: Dikaiosune
– Phonetic: dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay
– Definition:
1. in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
a. the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God
b. integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting
2. in a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due
So which of these is this talking about? Righteousness is a state of being as you ought to be. To frustrate is to disregard, set aside, nullify. So when Paul said he did not frustrate the grace of God, he was saying he learned from God that His grace (His favor) was sufficient, which told Paul that Paul was at fault. God has given us EVERYTHING pertaining to life, we just have to believe in the heart.
Why are miracles not more readily available? Lack of belief in the heart – not the head. Our real beliefs of the heart either confirm or nullify God’s grace.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
So, now you have to:
1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV)
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Lay hold means take, grab hold of, take possession, take by force… sound familiar?
Matthew 11:12 (KJV)
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Though it’s not the same word, you’ll be shocked to learn it. ALL translations have it wrong and the Plain Aramaic is the closest to it’s meaning:
“From the days of Yohannan The Baptizer until this hour the Kingdom of Heaven is led by force and the violent are seizing it.”
Get TheWord.Net software and see the Greek for yourself. This verse means:
The Kingdom of Heaven is seized and the strong snatch it up*!
(*hapatzo the same word Paul uses for the great “catching away”! )
So if you want what God has to offer, YOU must be strong in belief and snatch it up and seize it! See why you have to do your own homework? How powerful is God’s word to get us to where we are free in this life, not skipping hard-to-understand verses like in church!
Be free! You already are, you just have to believe it! That is love, because He first loved US!
Romans 8:32 (KJV)
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?