Fearless Faith

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

No matter where we are spiritually, we have so far to go. There's absolutely no room for spiritual pride. We are all a work in progress. 

I think about Shadrack, Meshack and Abendigo... what incredible faith they had. They pressed forward in their convictions against all opposition and fearlessly faced the raging heat of a fiery furnace. They didn't relent as they crossed over into the flames, prepared for whatever would happen but trusting that their God would deliver them! Oh, what incredible faith!

Daniel too stood strong against spiritual opposition, doing what was right no matter the consequences, while believing His God would never let him down! He didn't scream in fear and turn from his convictions as he entered a den of hungry lions... he fearlessly entered with full trust in the God who ultimately delivered him!

I think of Peter, a fearful man who once quickly lied to save himself... but as he tarried in the upper room while in one accord with his spiritual family. He was powerfully baptized in the Holy Ghost and transformed into a vessel of God's glory! He was filled with wisdom and completely fearless in the face of all opposition! It was no longer about him but about fulfilling the will of God and proclaiming the message of salvation through the blood of Jesus! He became so saturated with His glory that it overflowed through his shadow and healed the sick!! 

The Word of God is filled with ordinary people just like us, doing extraordinary things for the glory of God! Selfless individuals desiring only His will above their own. Though each of these stirs my desire to come up higher as I go deeper into His presence... it's Jesus, His life, love, miraculous power, and purity in a crooked world that moves me the most! He too was tempted by the enemy and had every opportunity to sin just as we do. Even as He faced a horrific death, He chose the will of His Father above the comfort of the flesh. He's our ultimate example of living a holy life, filled with love, sacrifice and compassion even for our enemies. Living led by the Holy Spirit and fulfilling the mandate to see lives touched, healed, delivered, and transformed for God's glory! Oh! What a spiritual heritage we have!! Let's live our lives with fearless faith, fully surrendered to the Lord and not selfish desires and ambitions!

Acts 5:14-15 (KJV) And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

Daniel 3:16-18 (KJV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Daniel 6:19-22 (NKJV) Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”