BE NOT AFRAID
Thursday – January 30, 2020, Sh’vat 4, 5780
Greetings dear friends and partners, here we are near the end of another month. Have we used our time and other resources wisely? Also welcome back to our Monday through Thursday Bible Study of the Book of John. What an amazing study and one if received, believed, and implemented will change us to be more and more like Jesus. We cannot even think about being satisfied until we are an expression of the Master in the earth. When we can say like Jesus that when people see us, they have seen the Father we are approaching the perfect will of God. Scripture must be continually transforming our mind and therefore our thoughts, words, and actions (obedience to the Word of God). As we have been studying, in this way supernatural manifestations will be common place in our lives for the glory of God.
If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to encourage us and to further the gospel (it is your responsibility also). The featured picture today is of Donna and me taken on a very wonderful day. God has blessed us most bountifully. I also want to take a moment and extend an invitation to each reader to partner with us in this ministry. To be a partner means that you contribute financially to this ministry on a regular basis. Whether it be through the teaching arm, Sabbatical Moments, or the Conference arm we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit to reach into and make others’ lives better. Now let’s get to our study for today by first reading our primary Bible text aloud.
John 14:27-31 (KJV)
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Today I will be moving forward in our text. Jesus has just told us that He is giving us the very same peace that He has enjoyed in His earthly ministry and for that matter eternity past. This peace that Jesus has made possible for all who are in Him is not the fake peace, the deceptive peace of the wicked one, or emotional peace. The peace of God is a genuine peace that transcends the capacity of the natural mind to comprehend and this peace generates supernatural power, a protective bubble outside of natural forces. Next our Master issues a command saying; “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. This is a command right from the Throne of Heaven, right from the Father. A troubled heart is of the devil, it is the result of yielding to the thoughts of the evil one. We are not to have a troubled heart nor are we to be afraid.
The word “heart” in our primary text is transliterated from the Greek as kardia according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary meaning the thoughts, the feelings (mind), or the middle (man) also according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. In essence it is the mind but it seems like a part of the mind that is between (in the middle) the entrance to the mind and the innermost mind. This is where the decision is made to keep or reject and to think upon a thing or not. According to Dr. Carolyn Leaf, a brain/mind researcher we have the capacity to examine our thoughts every six seconds. Are we doing that? Are we being sure that we are taking every thought captive and passing it through the Scripture, Holy Spirit, examination?
2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
The word “troubled” in our text means to be agitated, to roil (churn) like water according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. I think we have all experienced this and it is very unsettling state of mind and a defeated state of mind, of being. A troubled mind makes us ineffective in the Kingdom, in our walk with God, and irritable with people around us. We are not to allow this state of mind! Yes, we can take control, it is our mind and we tell our mind what to think upon. Remember the following verses.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (KJV)
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
The word “afraid” in our primary text has to do with being timid and comes from the same root as the word “fear” in the following verse.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In Christ Jesus, in the peace of God we operate in power (miracle working power), love (agape), and a disciplined mind. All of these are very important but in the context of our study the disciplined mind is the key! Are we disciplining our mind or letting the devils run wild with it? When we are in fear, we become timid or cowards altogether. Let us discipline our minds to walk in the peace of God casting down all mental turmoil and timidity.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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