For over a week I constantly had two words in my head … fear not.
As I was cleaning, I would hear them.
As I was painting, I would hear them.
As I was driving, I would hear them.
As I was eating, I would hear them.
As I was drifting off to sleep, or awakening in the mornings, I would hear fear not.
Then, in the past couple of days, I have received various blogs, and ministry updates, in my email inbox, with the them of, you guessed it, fear not.
Because I am archaic (according to my darling teenagers … and according to how my body feels after a day of installing laminate flooring) I know that when a message is constantly in my consciousness, constantly in my view, I need to stop, inquire more, and listen. So, that is what I am in the midst of doing.
I cannot say that I have ever audibly heard the voice of God, but I have certainly received His messages in this way, with a constant word or message being brought to mind frequently day after day. Often times the timing of the message does not even directly related to something that is going on at the time, but it often does relate to something in the recent past, or … dare I say, foreboding of something to come (kind of makes me ‘fear’ the message fear not). Whatever perfect timing, that God chooses, to deliver His message in, I am getting wise enough to focus on the message, and what His word might divulge further about what is being communicated, and what He wants me to know, and know fully.
In the Bible, the words ‘fear not’ are most frequently communicated by either angels of God, or God himself.
Abram was told not to fear, by God, when he doubted that he would ever have any descendants (Genesis 15).
Zacharias was given that same message by God when he went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense, and God told him that he and Elizabeth would bear a child (Luke 1).
Mary was visited by an angel of the Lord, announcing that she would become impregnated by the Holy Spirit, and would deliver the Messiah (Luke 1).
Joseph was also visited by an angel of the Lord, telling him that Mary was indeed pregnant, and that this child would be the fulfillment of the prophesy regarding the Messiah (Matthew 1).
(hum, there are a significant amount of “fear nots” related to the birth of a baby … yikes! That cannot be what God is communicating … please no!)
God visited Joshua, essentially crowning him the successor of Moses,who had recently died, with the repeated message, “have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
When Jesus visited the disciples out on the Sea of Galilee, walking toward them on the water, His words to them were to “not be afraid’ (Mark 6:50).
When the women went to the tomb after the crucifixion of Christ, only to find if empty, they were greeted by angel who said “do not be afraid” and then told to spread the message to the disciples that He had arisen (Matthew 28).
Then, in Revelation, someone ‘like’ a son of man (aka Jesus), said, “he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!”
So many different communications to ‘fear not’ but there is one that has resonated most loudly to me … and I will share that on Monday (don’t you just love a cliff hanger? 😉 ).
itsawonderfilledlife 