I used to minister to a man called Richard, at least that was how I knew
him. Just released for prison, and new in the Lord, his story of crime was
fascinating, if not unique. He was doing drugs and living in sin, renting a
room in house shared with others. He was afraid of being caught and persecuted
for his crimes, fear gripping him, and he stayed off the streets. He believed
he was being watched by the law, and had actually developed paranoia. So when
sneaking out one afternoon to get his mail at the post office, putting the
letters in his back pocket, and having no ID, and walking back home, he wasn’t
surprised when he was arrested, went to court and served a sentence. A
sentence, but not his, as when he was arrested, he had his room mates mail in
his pocket, none for him that day, and the police had a warrant for his
roommate’s arrest, not Richard’s. They thought Richard was his roommate. But
full of guilt and figuring he would be caught anyway, he served the time, and
upon release went to court to clear his name. Explaining to the court who he
really was, the judge not really sure what he wanted done. But since he had
served time under his room mate’s name, he had no criminal record. The judge
even explaining to him he served time he didn’t need to. Get on with your
life. And to this day, according to Richard, no word from the roommate whose
mail he retrieved that day......Richard did jail time but has nor record.
But while in prison, Richard was saved, and God changed his life. Even
starting a cleaning business, and as he used to tell me, “now I’m cleaning
places I used to rob.” Quite a story, and true. But what led Richard to serve
time in his roommate’s name, and being known by that name, was done in fear.
Knowing his crimes, he expected to be caught someday, and did the time. Just
not his. Fear had placed him in a place where he had no escape, he knew no way
out. Sometimes your fear is bigger than your enemy. Just ask one shepherd boy
named David.....
I am amazed at how some preachers hide behind a pulpit telling us to be
bold in the Lord, to not fear, all in the shelter from behind it. David had no
pulpit, in fact no war time weapons, only a sling and some rocks, which were
used to scare off wild animals and protect his sheep. So when confronted with a
nine foot giant, with twelve fingers and toes, whose armor weighed 125 pounds,
he knew Goliath might be bigger in size, but no match for God. “The Lord saves,
the battle is his,” he proclaimed, and the man who would be king faced his
enemy, but in the Lord. The threat was huge and very real, but so is God, and
when there was no way out, God was the way, and still is today.
David was delivered from his fear and his enemy in the face of battle with
no sword or spear. No war time weapons were needed, only God. And only one
shot to the head was needed. Leaving his six shooter sling with five stones
left. In Romans 8 we see a list of who can separate us from the love of the
Lord. No persecution, distress, death, demons or any created beings, can
separate us from the love of the Lord that is in Jesus Christ. David alone
faced the taunting of Goliath, while others ran in fear, he face the enemy in
faith. Whatever Goliaths you face today, God has a plan for you to overcome the
fear and be victorious. But you need to let him fight the battle, for it is
his, not yours.
Scripture also tells us that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Not the same type of fear that man can hold over us, but one of respect for who
he is. For at the name of Jesus, even demons flee and quake in fear, they are
aware of the outcome, and we should live like we do to. Jesus won the battle on
the cross, was resurrected and defeated death, and in him so do we. So many
times I just throw up my hands and tell him “it’s your problem, deal with it,”
and when I really do let him, his peace returns, and the battle is his to win.
No other name under the heavens or under the earth has more power and
reverence. And someday you will be in eternal reverence, those in heaven who
trusted Jesus and believed, those in hell who denied him, and now face him in
agony. They fought their own battle and lost, not trusting in the Lord. For
every knew shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. In
the heavens and under the earth. Every knee....
And be sure that God will not know who you really are. He knows all the
AKA,s the nicknames, and who you are. Richard may have done time under another
name, but his real name is written in the book of life in heaven. No one gets
there by accident, and no one suffers in hell when innocent. All have fallen
short of the glory of God, and all are born into sin. Only Jesus saves. So
when the threat of punishment, or fear of the unknown is everywhere, remember so
is Jesus. He won the big one, and although we have many battles to face yet,
they are still all his to fight. The good shepherd protecting his sheep, just
like David the young shepherd knew. “I shall fear no evil, for he is with me.”
Even the shadow of death has no power over us. David volunteered to fight
Goliath, Jesus volunteered to die for our sins. One day when Richard was
picking up the mail his life changed, but not forever, that came when Jesus
Christ became his Lord. Man is tallest when on his knees. Size matters, so
just how big is your God? At least a bit bigger than your problem. Trust him.
David did, God knows who are his. No matter whose name is on the mail.
Just be glad occupant has no warrants out for him....we could all be in a
lot of trouble!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com