“GO AHEAD, I GET THE CROWN”

In the last days there will be more and more persecution for the church. We will suffer for standing up for Jesus. For living a godly life. For choosing to be devoted to God and His ways. A lot of the time it can even be those who are closest to us. We must know what the word says about persecution and the end thereof.

As in the movies we can say, “Go ahead make my day”, or my version, “Go ahead, I get the Crown”. Many may try to change you and your path, but you must endure to the end.

In 2 Timothy we read we will have persecution. We will be made to suffer for our religious stand. BUT...

2 Tim. 3:12 Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].

But... We are blessed and we will receive the crown of life. No matter what people say or do to you, keep the end in sight. Keep the faith. Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience and in the end you will be the one with the crown.

James 1:12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

We are not to fear what man can do to us and they will do things. The main goal of the enemy is to steal your faith. Without your faith you will not endure to the end and you will not receive the crown. We must be loyally faithful even unto death. Death in this life or the next. Paul said we must die to self. Some will have to die physically too.

Rev. 2:10 Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. [Dismiss your dread and your fears!] Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and proved and critically appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be loyally faithful unto death [even if you must die for it], and I will give you the crown of life.

1 Peter 5:4 And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the conqueror's crown of glory.

The other goal of the enemy is to shut you up and to censure you. He wants you to stop telling other of Jesus and His saving power. But, we must not let others stop our voice. We must even yell the louder. Tell other more. We are going to share in the suffering of Christ, but rejoice, you know the outcome. We WIN!!

1 Peter 4:13-14 But insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly].
    14 If you are censured and suffer abuse [because you bear] the name of Christ, blessed [are you--happy, fortunate, to be envied, [i]with life-joy, and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of your outward condition], because the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, is resting upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Luke 6:22-23 Blessed (happy--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition--and to be envied) are you when people despise (hate) you, and when they exclude and excommunicate you [as disreputable] and revile and denounce you and defame and cast out and spurn your name as evil (wicked) on account of the Son of Man.
    23 Rejoice and be glad at such a time and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven; for even so their forefathers treated the prophets.

We shall suffer affliction, tribulation, and persecution, BUT, nothing can separate us from Christ’s love. We are His and not even the most powerful person on earth can change that. We are MORE than conquerors. The enemy is going to try to tell you God doesn’t love you anymore. You are too bad, you have suffered to much, just give up. The enemy is a liar.

Rom. 8:35-39 Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?
    36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.
    37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
    38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,
    39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing the enemy does will prosper. He will try over and over again. But be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world. Look at this next scripture, it is our heritage to have peace, righteousness, security, and to triumph over the opposition.

Isaiah 54:17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

The last thing we must remember is to not let anyone take your crown. This means do not let them seize it from you. Do not let them take it from you by craftiness or fraud. Do not let have access to your crown. Do not offer them your crown.

Rev. 3:11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.

Many fall because they give up and give place to those who are of the devil. We must not let them steal what God has given us. NO matter who they are. We might think that our enemies are people we do not know. But satan will use those closest to you. So protect your crown. Endure to the end. Receive your Crown and Keep it. Tell them “Go ahead, I get the Crown”.

“SLOW DOWN”

JAMES 1:19 Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.

Today we are in a world of speed. Fast food, fast internet, fast cars. Everyone is in a hurry. We get ourselves in so much trouble because we don’t slow down. There are so many misunderstandings between people because we don’t slow down to really hear what the other person is saying. The first part of the scripture says we need to quick to hear, a ready listener. Most people are so caught up in their own world, what they are going through or what they have just come through, that they don’t take the time to listen to others.

We as Christians need to look at the rest of the verse as well and take heed to what it is saying to us. We need not be as the world is and go through life as fast as we can. We need to slow down. The next part talks about being slow to speak. WOW, does anyone do that today? When something is said that we don’t like, we jump right up and say what is on our mind. We are cruel in what we say. We don’t watch our words and we hurt others by what we say. There are many scriptures that warn us not to do this.

James 1:26 (Amplified Bible)
If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

James 2:12 (Amplified Bible)
So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love].

Our words can really hurt people and they go deep into a persons heart.

Proverbs 26:22
The words of a whisperer or slanderer are like dainty morsels or words of sport [to some, but to others are like deadly wounds]; and they go down into the innermost parts of the body [or of the victim's nature].

Proverbs 18:8
The words of a whisperer or talebearer are as dainty morsels; they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
This is what people who are evil and against God do, we must learn and not be like them.

Psalm 5:8-9 (Amplified Bible)
Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way level (straight and right) before my face.
    9 For there is nothing trustworthy or steadfast or truthful in their talk; their heart is destruction [or a destructive chasm, a yawning gulf]; their throat is an open sepulcher; they flatter and make smooth with their tongue.

This is what we should be saying as we slow down our speech.

Psalm 19:14 (Amplified Bible)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

We want what we say to glorify God and be acceptable to Him. The bible has so much to say about what we say. Be slow to speak.

The next way we need to slow down is to be slow to take offense. Most of the time when we get offended it has to do with our pride. We must choose not to take offense. Being offended is an emotion. It may start with a thought and grow as we ponder that thought.

Acts 24:16 (Amplified Bible)
Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men.

We must avoid offense towards God and man. We must control ourselves.

1 Peter 4:8 (Amplified Bible)
Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].

We must remember that Satan is the accuser of the brethren(Rev. 12:10) and he is a liar and we do not want to be like him. He will try to convince you that someone has done you wrong and that you deserve better than that. Satan tries to divide people because he knows that there is power when we are together and agree.

Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

He knows that when we are divided we will fall. He knows that if we are divided he can conquer. We must not have a spirit of offense.

Matthew 12:25 (Amplified Bible)
And knowing their thoughts, He said to them, Any kingdom that is divided against itself is being brought to desolation and laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will last or continue to stand.

Most offenses are imagined. Satan will try to stir us up. A misunderstanding or miscommunication can cause division. Satan will try to blow things out of proportion so we become divided. When people become offended they become resentful and bitter. This can led to the next part of James 1:19, Anger.

We must be slow to anger.

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice (enmity of heart) against him shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the court; and whoever speaks contemptuously and insultingly to his brother shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, You cursed fool! [You empty-headed idiot!] shall be liable to and unable to escape the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools.

Eph. 4:26
When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.

Proverbs 15:18 (Amplified Bible)
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger appeases contention.

Proverbs 15:1
 A SOFT answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.

Eph. 4:31
Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out.

The bible has so much to say about how we live and conduct ourselves. The only way we can do or not do any of these things is if we look to what Jesus did for us at the cross and therefore receiving the help of the Holy Spirit in our lives to help us be Slow in a fast world.

In this scripture it seems to have a natural progression. If we don’t be quick to hear, we won’t be slow to speak. Then if we don’t slow down on what we speak then we won’t be slow to take offense. Then if we are not slow to take offense, then we won’t be slow to anger. It will be easier to be slow in anger if we are quick to list, slow to speak, and slow to take offense. Father help us today to not get caught up in the world of speed. We want our lives to be acceptable to you. Open our eyes as we go through our day to what we are saying and how we are reacting to what others are saying. We want to glorify you. Change us Lord. Help us to “Slow Down” today. In Jesus name, AMEN!!!

WHY WE CAN BE FORGIVEN-VIDEO BY LEN PAXTON

“It is time to Repent”

True repentance is done freely. We don’t repent just when someone else has found you out or discovered your sin.

1 John 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

When we freely admit our sins, it is God’s nature to forgive us.

When we repent we are cleansed right away from all unrighteousness, all that is not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, & action.

Repent means to turn from sin, change directions. Sin is anything against God, His ways, His standard, His word, & His law. Once you turn, change direction, you must turn to Christ, depending on what He did at Calvary to forgive you, for mercy, & for all that comes with salvation.

When we do repent, turn, & confess our sins there will be a time of refreshing.

Acts 3:19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord...

There will even be recovery from the damages of sin. PRAISE GOD!

SIn leads to more sin & becomes a downward motion. You get deeper & deeper & become in bondage to it. The only way out is to repent, to look to what Jesus did for you at Calvary, & with the help of the Holy Spirit who gives you power to overcome.

You will perish if we do not confess & turn from your sins. (turn with abhorrence)

Luke 13:3 I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.

Wow, what a strong word Abhorrence. Today sin is so excepted that we just glaze over it. Things that we thought were sin when we first got saved, are no longer sin (or is it).

Acts 26:20 But made known openly first of all to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.

We need to live our lives worthy of our repentance. If we truly have repented our lives will show it.

We need to live a life of repentance. Looking to Jesus Daily. (Heb. 12:2) Trusting daily. Die Daily to self. Humble yourself daily. We live & move & have our being in Him daily. We walk in the light daily. We walk in the Spirit daily. We look for help of the Holy Spirit daily. Just because you did things yesterday does not mean it carries you through today.

His mercies are new every morning. We can have a new day each day. Yesterday is past, tomorrow is not here, today is the only day we can live.

We were buried with Him so we could live in newness of life.
Rom. 6:4 We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life.

We all have sinned. Rom 3:23-24 So it doesn’t matter if you are just getting born again or you have been saved a long time, you must repent & turn from anything that does not & is not of God. And then turn to Jesus.

We do not take the time to repent. We do not repent enough. We have excepted sin so long that we deceive ourselves into believing that we are OK and it is not sin.

I heard something yesterday that hit me strong. Rom. 6:7 whatever a man soweth, that will he reap. There are times we sow bad seed & weeds grow. A bad crop grows & repentance is the only way to kill those weeds & bad crop.

To take heed, Repent, turn to God or you will reap what you sow!!!!

"Jesus is praying for you"

Wow, This is Jesus interceding for His disciples & beyond(US). His words, the words of my Savior. He loves us so much that He is ever interceding for us (How could we fail? when we have such a one who has & is praying for us.) We win & have won because we are covered with His prayers. We are not alone. When we feel like we are or feel like no one is praying for us, we must think again. Read the following prayer for you!!(If you don’t want to read the whole thing at least read VS 3, 9, 13, 15, 17, 20 & 26.)

John 17:1-26
1 WHEN JESUS had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify and extol and honor and magnify You.
2 [Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him.

3 And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.
4 I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed.
6 I have manifested Your Name [I have revealed Your very Self, Your real Self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word.
7 Now [at last] they know and understand that all You have given Me belongs to You [is really and truly Yours].
8 For the [uttered] words that You gave Me I have given them; and they have received and accepted [them] and have come to know positively and in reality [to believe with absolute assurance] that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You.
10 All [things that are] Mine are Yours, and all [things that are] Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (through) them. [They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved.]
11 And [now] I am no more in the world, but these are [still] in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your Name [in the knowledge of Yourself] those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We [are one].
12 While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name [in the knowledge and worship of You]. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot--the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts].
14 I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.
18 Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth.
20 Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching,
21 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.
22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one:
23 I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me.
24 Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25 O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has failed to recognize You and has never acknowledged You, I have known You [continually]; and these men understand and know that You have sent Me.
26 I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very [c]Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them.

Satan wants us to feel alone. He wants us to think that no one cares and no one is praying for us. That is a lie. Wow, we have a Savior that not only died for us so that our sins are forgiven, past, present, & future, but He has & is praying for us so we can have eternal life.

VS 3 And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.

1) To know HIM
2) Have Eternal life

He wants us to have Eternal life & to know the only true God & to know Jesus who God has sent. He did so much just so we could have these things. He is still praying for us. We also have the Holy Spirit interceding for us.

Romans 8:26-39

26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.
34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

VS 31 says What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]

So if We have these praying for us, how can we fail? The next scriptures also say who can separate us from Christ’s love? NOTHING & NO ONE!! Be encouraged today. You are LOVED! You are NOT ALONE! You do have someone praying FOR YOU!! You will NOT FAIL! You will MAKE IT! God is for YOU!!s

“Why Fear”

Why does satan use fear?

When people fear they revert back to their old nature. Fear is not a part of your born again nature. Your new nature is of God.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any person is [engrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

When you give your life to God & except what Jesus did at the Cross you no longer walk as one in darkness. We do not follow after the flesh (the old Adamic nature).

Satan wants you to walk in the old nature to be like him, not God. He will lie to you, deceive you, and try to make you fear so you will be like him and not like God.

Rom. 8:1 THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.

Satan wants you to walk in fear so condemnation will come upon you. He wants you to walk in fear so you will live & walk after the dictation’s of the flesh. Satan wants you to be controlled by the flesh. But when you are born again the Holy Spirit comes to your aide so you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Rom. 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

Satan wants you not to have peace. Vs. 6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. But we can have peace in God. We do not have to fear life and what life holds.

Vs 7 The carnal mind is hostile to God. Satan tries to put fear on you so you will revert back to your old ways. Carnal thinking, walking in the flesh is all hostile & against God.

Satan wants you in bondage. Rom. 8:15 For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!

Fear paralyzes you so you can not cry Abba Father.

Satan wants you to make decisions according to the flesh. Fear causes you to make wrong decisions. You become stupid & all you have learned of God does not flow from you.

Your flesh will control you, unless you are controlled by the Holy Spirit. Fear is a Spirit and it controls you if you let it. And God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power & love & a sound mind. Fear has torment and it takes away your power.

Gal. 5:16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

Satan knows that if he can get you to walk continually in fear you will have your part in the lake of fire(Rev. 21: 8) And you will be separated from God forever.

Fear causes anger, bad feelings towards others, slander, lying lips, & much more from the flesh. Satan wants you destroyed. He does not want you to walk with God in peace. Fear takes faith from you & without faith it is impossible to please God.

Fear causes you to look at self. You do not look at God and what He can do, you only look at your shortcomings and what you can do in the flesh. Fear stops you from living and Jesus came so you might have life and have it more abundantly. He came to destroy the works of satan.

The devil is a destroyer and he wants to destroy your peace, your joy, & every aspect of your born again life and your walk with God.

Fear causes you not to hear God’s voice. God wants to walk with you and talk with you. He does not want you to fear.

Ps. 62:8 Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Ps. 115:9 O Israel, trust and take refuge in the Lord! [Lean on, rely on, and be confident in Him!] He is their Help and their Shield.

Ps. 23 1 THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

2 He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

3 He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.

4 Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

6 Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Is. 12:2 Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation.

Ps. 46:1 GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

God is here for you. You do not need to fear. Satan is a liar and the father of all lies. Trust God and walk with Him. Resist all that satan would try to put on you. Do not let fear have a place in your life. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. You can do it with God. All things are possible in Him. Do not fear!! Trust!! God is not going to tell you about tomorrow, he wants you to trust Him. Though things change and you don’t understand, God knows all. He already knows what will happen one minute from now, one hour from now, one year from now, and He has it all under control. So don’t let fear control you or have any part of your life. FEAR NOT!! TRUST HIM!

“Fear of People”

Matt10:28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).

God does not want us to fear people. Others do have influence over us if we let them. Others can make you feel things and do things that God does not want for you. It is important that we see things the way God wants us to see. Do not Fear men!

John 8:20 Jesus said these things in the treasury while He was teaching in the temple [[c]court]; but no one ventured to arrest Him, because His hour had not yet come.

He said His hour had not yet come, so no one had power over Him, save only that which is given by the Father. NO ONE has power to do anything to us, unless God allows them to. Do not give others power over you because of FEAR.

Heb. 13:6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

I will not fear what man can do to me!!!!

PS. 56:4 By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?

2 Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

God has not given us a spirit of fear. It is the enemy that uses fear to control people.

Rom. 8:15 For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!

Fear brings bondage. God wants us to be free. He does not want us to be in bondage to nothing or no one.

Rev. 21:8 But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, (THE FEARFUL & UNBELIEVING) and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)–[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.

WOW, The fearful are listed with the murderers, sorcerers, etc… will have their part in the Lake of fire which burneth with fire… & liars (in word & deed)

Fear breeds unbelief. Why do we fear man??? When fear comes we cowardly submit to whoever & what ever has brought the fear, therefore giving it power over us. But great is He that is in us that he that is in the world. We must submit to Jesus & what He did for us. (…he that the Son set free is free indeed)

Is. 8:12-13 Do not call conspiracy [or hard, or holy] all that this people will call conspiracy [or hard, or holy]; neither be in fear of what they fear, nor [make others afraid and] in dread.

13 The Lord of hosts–regard Him as holy and honor His holy name by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him].

Do not cause others to fear. Do not spread fear. Honor God and Him only. Fear Him and Him only.

Phil. 1:28 And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.

Do not let others intimidate you. They only want destruction and they want you to be side tracked from what God has for you. If you have fear He will deliver you!!!

Ps. 27:1,2,3,5,13,14 - THE LORD is my Light and my Salvation–whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

We do not have hope without God!!!

Ps. 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Deut. 31:8 It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will [march] with you; He will not fail you or let you go or forsake you; [let there be no cowardice or flinching, but] fear not, neither become broken [in spirit--depressed, dismayed, and unnerved with alarm].

Is. 8:11-15 The people were in fear of an invasion. Their enemies were very close. Isaiah told them to fear God only. Fear is an enemy of faith. Fear takes away your peace. It can rob you of your trust in God. God is our shelter & hiding place. Ask God to not let you fear people & fear Him only! Fear not. DO NOT FEAR. The Lord will fight for you. Just as He did for the children of Israel. He brought them out of Egypt to the Red Sea & had them camp there, fully knowing that the Egyptians were coming. When the Israelites “saw” the Egyptians they became exceedingly frightened, they did right at first, they cried out to the Lord. But then fear took over & they became forgetful of all the miracles & all that the Lord had brought them through. Long story short the Lor went between the Israelites & the Egyptians. Ex. 14:20 (so that one came not near the other all night) vs. 14 “The Lord will fight for you, & you shall hold your peace & remain at REST.”

vs 13 Moses told the people:

1) Fear not

2) Stand still (firm, confident, me undismayed)

3) see the salvation of the Lord

Which He will work for you TODAY!

Be on the watch. DO NOT fear people. If we let fear of people stop us we will not receive what God has for us.

Rev. 3:11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.

Rom. 8:35-39 Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?

36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,

39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We must not let anyone take rob us of our crown. No one can separate us from God. We must stand firm. We must not fear what man can do to us. Hold fast to your convictions and to your faith. Man is nothing compared to our God. Do not let anyone manipulate you into believing them or fearing them. You are a child of God. He will fight your battle and you will have battles. Be of good courage!! We are overcomers!! Look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. DO NOT FEAR MAN!!!! BE NOT AFRAID!! What can man do??? NOTHING!!!! We have might God. Serve Him and Him only. Fear Him and Him only. Do not let anyone have any power over you!!!!!!!!!!! Fear has torment! God is love and perfect love cast out fear. Serve God and Him only! Fear God and Him only!