I’ll spoil it for you right now – it’s fear.
Fear causes us to struggle and flail. Fear causes us to focus on anything but God – a gravely serious phenomenon that must be addressed.
Fear is the motivation behind division and hatred.
Fear makes way to justify corruption and abuses of power.
Fear bankrupts our compassion for those Jesus called us to love.
Fear can turn believer against believer.
Fear works to undermine the security Jesus won for us.
Fear steals our peace and confidence to act in the name of Jesus.
Fear forces our eyes off of God and onto ourselves.
Fear wipes our memory of what God has promised will come to pass.
Fear convinces us that the solution to our problems is self-dependence.
Fear says that it’s up to us to solve the issues of this broken world.
Fear says there’s no way we can do that, so we might as well give up our mission.
Fear says focus on protecting ourselves first.
Fear says it’s easier to make choices based off of what we see today rather than believing the full picture of God’s sovereignty over all things past, present, and future.
And none – absolutely NONE – of this gives Life in the way Jesus does. In fact, it does the opposite of what Jesus came to do. Fear strips us of our faith in God, and subsequently strips us of the joy we find in living Life to the full.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
In 1 John, it’s stated that there is no fear in love. And that is the bottom line of why it is so unwelcome in the church. Fear has no legitimate claim on those who are reconciled to God, yet it plagues us daily. As John 10:10 says, the enemy’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. What better way to strategize against an enemy that you already know will win in the end than convincing that enemy that the security they thought they had is false? Steal their confidence, kill their faith, destroy their peace. It makes strategic sense.
Remember this –
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Fear is unwelcome in the heart of a believer because it is a tactic of an antagonistic enemy to undermine the truth of who we are and thus prevent us from enjoying the Life that Jesus won for us.
Luckily, regardless of whether we believe it 100% of the time or not, our God has given us everything we need to have Life.
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)
“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:13-15)
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10)
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Galatians 5:13-14)
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)
Honestly, it’s crazy how easily we can be convinced otherwise. It’s kind of become a cultural norm for the church to be associated with perpetrating abuse and/or manipulation, and I absolutely believe this to be the result of believers who have not embraced the full gospel. A partial gospel that fails to encapsulate the great grace we have now will ultimately fail to extend that same grace to others. A partial gospel that gives way to fear will safeguard itself from the very same world we are called to show compassion toward. A partial gospel that does not know the power of God will turn to alternate sources of power, leading to an apathetic view of God and consequent corruption.
A partial gospel is no gospel at all. It’s so important to regularly be reminded of the full gospel and who are are called to be post-resurrection:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” (Colossians 3:12-15)
This is who we are called to be. A people defined by God, not by fear. A people defined by the peace and freedom we have, inspired by our Father’s nature to become more like Him.
There’s only one song to be added to the Soundtrack of a Blog today, and here are the lyrics + the link below to the playlist. Have an awesome time jamming out to these truths, because this song is straight up amazing.
-Haley
More Than Conquerors by Rend Collective:
When my hope and strength is gone
You’re the one who calls me on
You are the life
You are the fight
That’s in my soul
Oh, Your resurrection power
Burns like fire in my heart
When waters rise
I lift my eyes
Up to Your throne
We are more than conquerors, through Christ
You have overcome this world, this life
We will not bow to sin or to shame
We are defiant in Your name
You are the fire that cannot be tamed
You are the power in our veins
Our Lord, our God, our Conqueror
I will sing into the night
Christ is risen and on high
Greater is He
Living in me
Than in the world
No surrender, no retreat
We are free and we’re redeemed
We will declare
Over despair
You are the hope
We are more than conquerors, through Christ
You have overcome this world, this life
We will not bow to sin or to shame
We are defiant in Your name
You are the fire that cannot be tamed
You are the power in our veins
Our Lord, our God, our Conqueror
Nothing is impossible
Every chain is breakable
With You, we are victorious
Jesus, you are stronger than our hearts
You are greater than the dark
With You, we are victorious