Luceat!

“Be not afraid.”  The words of the late John Paul the Great still echo in my heart! This was the message he brought into the world and this is the message he left the world with.  This was the message of Jesus.  This phrase is mentioned 366 times in the Bible, once for every day of the year including the beloved February 29th.  Our God thinks that this message and need for courage is important.  Why?

The Christian mind sees the world through the eyes of a general who is in the midst of a great war.  He sees things that to the common eye are not there.  It is not because the common eye is right, but because it is not informed, the common eye has not yet found its renewal of the mind that St. Paul talked about (Rom 12:2).  The Christian mind helps our eyes see what reality is and that is we live in a time of war.

The thought of war heightens emotions and cause tears to come to the eyes of grown men.  But war is no reason to fear, it is a call to heroism.  Heroism is found in courage in the midst of things that are worthy of us fearing.  Are the Devil and the treachery of evil worth fearing? Sure.  But isn’t trusting in the right arm of the Warrior King Jesus Christ to bring us to victory in the battle more reassuring?  The Lion of Judah reigns and He will reign forever!

Yet, I experience and know my brothers and sisters in Christ experience this lack of confidence in the Almighty God…why is this?  We are broken, we are hurt and need of healing, and we have become timid for some reason!  What do we do?

I propose a battle plan!  Take a few minutes in prayer this week.  Invite the Holy Spirit to shower grace into your heart and then ask, “Lord Jesus, what am I afraid of, what am I running from?  Make a list of what our Lord is saying to you and then ask, “Why am I running from these things?”  Let him speak to you…he will reveal to you a plan for battle.  Finding out what we fear, helps us face our fears.  Maybe there is a fear of failure, a fear of relationships, a fear of accountability, a fear of vulnerability, a fear of knowledge, or one of the million other fears one could have.  Then tell a good friend what the Lord has spoke to you and start to find the courage to fight this battle

We find strength in numbers! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Matt 18:20) We find Jesus in numbers!  Friends come together and be transparent with one another, offering everything to the penetrating light of Jesus Christ walking with each other.  We will find ourselves transformed before God if we cast out all fear and continue after the Heart of God!