Blessings, Family!
Let me start by saying that this message is in no way a judgment or condemnation. As a minister of the Gospel, I have one purpose and one purpose only, to lift up the Body of Christ and encourage you to take your faith to the next level. To become what you were created before the foundations of the world to be. All to the glory of our magnificent Lord and Savior. Amen.
That said, it’s with a heavy heart that I write to you today. As the spirit of fear has a choke hold on much of the world, many festivities usually held in celebration of American Independence have been forbidden. So, our annual prayer booth in the park will not be happening. We look forward every year to the precious people who seek us out, excited to tell us how God answered their prayers from the year before, and to ask for more. Whether or not we get to see you, this year, know that we will be praying none the less.
In March, I wrote an article called, “Certainty: Hope in the Midst of Pandemic.” I even included a video message. I encourage you to read it and watch the video if you haven’t already. And read it again and share it with your friends if you have.
Normally, around Independence Day, I would be writing about the importance, as Christians, of declaring and living out a life of dependence. Not on man, but on God.
I’m keenly aware of the irony of my writing about the importance of dependence, at a time when so many Americans have willingly given up their highly touted independence without even questioning why, or if it’s even Constitutional to be ordered to do so.
Even people who profess faith in Jesus Christ have run after this so popular spirit of fear, choosing to believe that some virus has more power than the Creator of viruses!
“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
John 1:3 NKJV
Choosing to trust in the wisdom of man rather than our All Powerful God, who says,
“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”Psalm 91:9-13 NKJV
And it has gone far beyond the fear of a virus. It is now fear of losing one’s livelihood for non-compliance, and fear of being persecuted and even attacked for the same reason. Brothers and Sisters, our Lord has said,
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
John 8:36 NKJV
But that freedom does not extend to judging and persecuting others. Quite the contrary. It is the freedom to love those who may not share our point of view or beliefs. Even to bless those who curse us (Matt. 5:44). So, I encourage you all to be of good faith. Hold fast to our all powerful God, and extend grace to those who cannot.
I have been told “God gave us a brain. We should use it.” In other words, by believing that God is bigger than any virus, I am not using my brain. To that I say YES! THANK YOU, JESUS!
It is not by using our brains that we have been saved, but by FAITH! What is faith?
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.“
Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV
Faith is believing in God’s Word, when all the world is believing in something to the contrary.
Vision
I was on my face, worshiping in the Throne Room one morning, when I became aware that it was time to come back. As I headed for the door, Jesus stopped me, and I turned back to Him. He was standing with two young men. “I want you to meet someone. This,” He said, gesturing to one of the young men, “is Pathos, and this,” He turned to the other, “is Ethos.” Then Jesus looked into my eyes and smiled. “They’re brothers,” He said. I greeted each of the brothers and then turned and came back to my prayer room.
I know from experience that Jesus doesn’t introduce me to people in Heaven just to be polite, so I immediately looked up pathos and ethos. I learned that these are two of Aristotle’s methods of persuasion. Pathos, the use of emotion, and Ethos, the credibility of the presenter. I also learned that, according to Aristotle, there is one more method. Logos. The use of logic.
Knowing this, the obvious question was, where was Logos? Why wasn’t he in Heaven, and why didn’t Jesus introduce him as a brother, too? The just as obvious answer was, because Logos isn’t a brother. And He certainly doesn’t belong in Heaven.
You see, in order to live fully in the spirit, logic must be left behind. You simply must believe.
“And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.‘”
Matthew 18:3 NKJV
Children respond to God’s pathos, His appeal to our need for love and acceptance, with love and affection for Him, seeking Him all the more. They respond to His ethos, His established sovereignty, with faith because they believe He is who He says He is and that He’ll do what He says He’ll do. They believe unquestioningly. No doubt. No fear.
This is where the magic happens. This is where we move from religion to faith. This is where we become children of God. Fear is not of God:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
This world is not our home. Heaven is. But the spirit of fear does not want you to dwell there. He wants you bound. The blood of the Risen Lamb can break those bonds. Jesus has done His part. It’s up to us to exercise our faith in His blood, claim it, apply it, live it!
How I pray that you will fall in love our sovereign and all powerful God and not be seduced by the captivating spirit of fear. I pray that God’s Spirit of power and love may be unleashed in you, that you may live fully in the spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your sovereignty. Please forgive our grievous sins against You, Lord, and open our eyes once more to Your Truth. Grant our leaders wisdom in the knowledge of You, that we might receive Your favor and once again witness Your mighty power to save—body and soul. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!
God’s grace and peace be yours,
Rebecca
