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Fear Not

Words of Faith Final

Fear Not

Words of Faith 11-9-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Revelation 1

[17]  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. [18]  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. [19]  "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. [20]  The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

 

        The first response of John was to turn toward the voice. The second response was to fall at His feet. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” [17] Most commentators assume this was a reaction of fear. This is because our first interpretation is to personalize— “Wouldn’t that be terrifying to you?”

         But this wasn’t the first time John has seen this Jesus. In Matthew 17:1-6, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. A voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

          So, was John’s response to this revelation fear? Was it awe? Was he overwhelmed in the Spirit? The response of Jesus to John was to lay His hand upon him. “He laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’”

           This was a point of clarification and reassurance not to be afraid. I am the glorified Christ of God. It is much like the reassurance in Matthew 17:7. Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”

          We really don’t want to miss this: Revelation is not about fear. It is about FEAR NOT. Listen to the amazing declarations. I am the first and the last and the living one. I am here. You are not alone. I am not going away. One of the greatest fears is the fear of abandonment. Jesus says, “I have all this in control. I died, and I am alive forevermore. I have keys of Death and Hades.  You don’t have to worry or be afraid.

           So, write it down. The things you see that are to take place after this. But the point not to live in fear—the point is to fear not.

           Revelation is about a world view. There is a God. He is the first, the last, and the living one. Our world is filled with apocalyptic end-time world views. Asteroids, super-volcanoes, nuclear war, climate change, engineered viruses, artificial intelligence, and even aliens. But we are not to be afraid.

           The Bible says, “Fear not” 365 times. The consistent message of the Bible, every day, is not to be afraid. A biblical world view says: Fear not. 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

           Are you willing to receive and walk in a biblical world view that calls you to Fear Not?

 

           Father God, teach me to walk in faith and not fear. Build in me a foundation of trust in You. I choose to embrace a world view that wholly trusts in You and does not cower or run in fear. In Jesus’ Name.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.