"Fear, Trouble, Intimidation"
“Fear, Trouble, Intimidation”
Blessings Folk!
Fear, trouble and intimidation permeate the Body of Christ.
We are fearful of the religious.
We continually kowtow to corrupt practices of man, all the while exalting our “obedience” and “godliness”.
In most of our communities we are in a time of training.
Training for difficult, dark days to come.
Give heed to what we are to do.
1 Peter
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
No harm will come to us if we prove to be zealous for what is good.
That does not mean that suffering might not come...even death.
Blessed we are when we suffer for the sake of righteousness.
Do not fear their intimidation.
Do not be troubled.
These are commands.
There may be temptation to fear and be troubled.
Do not do so.
How?
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart.
Sanctify means to separate from profane things, to purify, to cleanse.
Our hearts must be purified and cleanse by and before the Lord.
This will enable us to be able to give a defense for that which we believe...in season/out of season. Anytime. Anywhere.
Not a rote regurgitation of the latest tool of evangelism (as useful as they might be), but a Spirit empowered accounting of the Hope that is in us!
We are to do so with gentleness and reverence.
Reverence unto the Lord? Yes.
Reverence - honor, humility, patience - to the one before us? Yes!
Keep a good conscience.
Those who revile the good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
These are issues of the heart.
Where is your heart?
What does your heart desire?
What does your heart dwell upon?
Blessings!