Fear or Faith

 

One of the biggest things that we as humans face is fear. Jesus knows and understands that fear is a big thing for us as humans. It is why when He first appears to His disciples after His resurrection in John 20 Jesus gives peace to them.

 

Jesus tells us six times that we should not fear.

 

Matthew 28:10

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid, go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

 

We are not to fear what we don’t understand.

 

The women and the disciples did not understand that Jesus was going to rise from the dead. When He did, they still struggled with understanding it and really believing it. Jesus tells them not to be afraid.

 

Jesus works in His way, in His timing and for His purposes. We don’t always understand what Jesus does or how He does it. We don’t have to be afraid because we can trust Jesus to always work in ways that are good and righteous.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about trusting Jesus even when we don’t understand.

 

Luke 1:13

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, you will call his name John.”

 

We don’t have to fear the unknown. Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a child for a long time. They were now old when and Zechariah was not sure how they would raise a child. They were going to experience a blessing of God and it was a good unknown, but still an unknown.

 

There are three truths that we can hold onto when we face the unknown. One is that God is all-powerful, so He can handle it. Second, God is all-knowing, so He knows our unknowns. Third, God is good so He will not cause us harm.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about trusting God because He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good.

 

Luke 1:30

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary for you have found favor with God.”

 

We don’t have to fear when God challenges us to move outside of our comfort zone. Mary was being asked by God to do something very hard. It could have caused Mary to lose family, friends and even her marriage to Joseph. Challenges are never easy, but God gives us the promise in Matthew 28:20 that He is with us to the end of the age. Whatever God challenges us to be or do, He will empower us to do it.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about trusting God as He challenges us to move out of our comfort zone because He will be with us and empower us to meet the challenge.

 

Luke 5:10

And so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

 

We don’t have to fear taking risks for Jesus. James and John knew how to fish for fish, but they did not know how to fish for men. They made their living by fishing and Jesus was asking them to leave that and follow Him full time.

 

They were asked to risk their ability to take care of their families. They were willing to follow Jesus because they believed that He was the Messiah and that He would provide for them.

 

One of the names of God is Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide. Jesus fed thousands of people with little food. Jesus will provide when we are willing to take a risk to do His will.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about knowing God is our provider and being willing to take a risk to do God’s will.

 

Matthew 28:5-6

“But the angel said to the women, “Do be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.”

 

We don’t have to fear death because Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus promises that if we place our faith in Him, we experience our own resurrection from the dead. Believers have a win, win; we go to heaven at death and then at the rapture we get a new eternal body.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about not fearing death because Jesus overcame death by His resurrection.

 

In Matthew 14 the disciples are in a boat caught in a storm and Jesus comes walking on the water. The disciples are afraid. In Matthew 14:27 Jesus tells them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

 

Jesus is telling us that we don’t have to live fearfully because of Him. Nothing is bigger or stronger or more powerful than Jesus, and Jesus is with us and for us.

 

In Boldness and Not Fear, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                               Joe